Nonhazardous solvent composition and method for cleaning metal surfaces

Patent · Thu Dec 31 23:00:00 EST 1992

OSTI ID:868765

Googin, John M ^[1]; Simandl, Ronald F ^[2]; Thompson, Lisa M ^[3]

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1. Oak Ridge, TN
2. Farragut, TN
3. Knoxville, TN

A solvent composition for displacing greasy and oily contaminants as well as water and/or aqueous residue from metallic surfaces, especially surfaces of radioactive materials so that such surfaces can be wiped clean of the displaced contaminants, water and/or aqueous residue. The solvent composition consists essentially of a blend of nonpolar aliphatic hydrocarbon solvent having a minimum flash point of about 140.degree. F. and 2 to 25 volume percent of a polar solvent having a flash point sufficiently high so as to provide the solvent composition with a minimum flash point of at least 140.degree. F. The solvent composition is nonhazardous so that when it is used to clean the surfaces of radioactive materials the waste in the form of paper or cloth wipes, lab coats and the like used in the cleaning operation is not considered to be mixed waste composed of a hazardous solvent and a radioactive material.

• Research Organization: LOCKHEED MARTIN ENRGY SYST INC
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-84OR21400
• Assignee: Martin Marietta Energy Systems, Inc. (Oak Ridge, TN)
• Patent Number(s): US 5207838
• OSTI ID: 868765
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

/134/510/
140
25
active material
active materials
aliphatic
aliphatic hydrocarbon
aqueous
aqueous residue
blend
clean
cleaning
cleaning operation
cloth
coats
composed
composition
composition consists
considered
consists
consists essentially
contaminants
degree
displaced
displacing
especially
essentially
flash
form
greasy
hazardous
hydrocarbon
hydrocarbon solvent
lab
material
materials
metal
metal surface
metal surfaces
metallic
metallic surface
metallic surfaces
method
minimum
mixed
mixed waste
nonhazardous
nonpolar
oily
operation
paper
percent
polar
polar solvent
provide
radioactive
radioactive material
radioactive materials
residue
solvent
solvent composition
sufficiently
surfaces
volume
volume percent
waste
water
wiped
wipes