The removal of forming and pressing oils from components prior to further processing, particularly vacuum heat treatment and brazing, is an essential manufacturing step. This was historically achieved using trichlorethane and CFC based solvents. However the phasing out of these ozone depleting and hazardous solvents created a world-wide need for alternative deoiling processes.
Consarc have developed a range of vacuum thermal deoiling furnaces to remove oils by volatilization at low pressure and temperature.
Unlike aqueous cleaning processes, vacuum deoiling does not have any requirements for waste water treatment. Also, oil removed from the components can be recycled.
For removal of the oil, furnaces are fitted with a specially designed vacuum pumping system that produces the vacuum levels required for volatilization of the oils. The vacuum system is also configured to operate within the environment generated as the oil is pumped out of the chamber and discharged at the pump exhaust for collection.
In operation, the internal walls of the vacuum deoiling furnace are maintained in a hot condition to prevent condensation of oil vapors within the furnace.
For the manufacture of vacuum brazed aluminum heat exchangers, vacuum deoiling furnaces can be integrated with new or existing brazing furnaces as a combined production operation.