Liquid CO2, or LCO2, is an excellent cleaner for precision devices and complex geometries. Traditional methods for cleaning these devices involved aqueous, or water-based, solutions and a mixture of solvents. The problem with using these cleaning methods is that the complex surface of the device can trap contaminants and water that are difficult to expunge.
Liquid CO2, on the other hand, has an extremely low viscosity enabling it to move freely through tiny crevices and over surfaces without leaving behind any residue. When CO2 is under a certain amount of pressure, it can be kept in a liquid state. Our systems use a cleaning vessel where the liquid CO2 can be used to rinse various parts and devices. Liquid CO2 cleaning removes contaminants through bonding with the material and then pulling the contaminants out to remove them.
After the liquid CO2 cleaning process, the remaining CO2 left on the part will evaporate leaving the part dry and clean. Our environmentally friendly process is a closed loop system, recapturing and reusing the CO2 for further cleaning cycles. This provides strong cleaning capability without producing additional waste.
Cool Clean developed the Enertia™ centrifugal immersion CO2 cleaning system to utilize the LCO2 cleaning process. Results have been effective in parts requiring a high degree of cleanliness.
