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Trial Number 0

Trial Purpose:

To evaluate four binary azeotropes for removing quench oil from aluminum coupons using immersion cleaning.

Date Run:

02/07/2007

Experiment Procedure:

The four supplied solvents were mixed with DI water in 600 ml beakers to obtain binary azeotropes. Methyl Acetate (MeOAc) was mixed with water (95% water) and heated to 56.1 C on a hot plate. T-Butyl Acetate (t-BAc) was mixed with water (16.5% water) and heated to boiling at 87.4 C. Propylene Glycol Methyl Ether (PGME) was mixed with water (51% water) and heated to 97.5 C. The final blend consisted of Heptane mixed with water (12.9% water) and heated to 79.2 C.

Twelve preweighed aluminum coupons were coated with Castrol Quench G oil (64742-55-8, 64742-65-0, 8052-42-4) with a handheld swab. Coupons were weighed again to determine the amount of oil applied. Three coupons were cleaned in each azeotrope for five minutes at the boiling point, rinsed for 15 seconds in 120 F tap water and dried for 30 seconds using compressed air at room temperature. Coupons were weighed a third time to determine the amount of oil remaining. Efficiencies were calculated and recorded.

Trial Results:

During cleaning the MeOAc did not boil at the specified temperature (56.1 C). Cleaning was performed at this point. Following cleaning, the solution was heated to determine the boiling point. The measured boiling point was 83-84 C. The three other azeotropes boiled at the expected temperatures. Three of the four products removed over 85% of the quench oil. The only ineffective product was the MeOAc. The table lists the amount of soil added, the amount remaining, and the efficiency of each coupon cleaned.

Azeotrope Initial wt Final wt % Removed
MeOAc 0.1305 0.0738 43.45
  0.2221 0.0920 58.58
  0.3559 0.1039 70.81
t-BAc 0.3062 0.0379 87.62
  0.3093 0.0104 96.64
  0.3078 0.0022 99.29
PGME 0.1967 0.0317 83.88
  0.2744 0.0228 91.69
  0.2452 0.0182 92.58
Heptane 0.3093 0.0005 99.84
  0.2387 -0.0005 100.21
  0.3204 0.0001 99.97

Success Rating:

A follow up test, usually based on company input.

Conclusion:

The heptane-water azeotrope removed 100% of the quench oil, the t-Bac-water removed 94%, PGME-water removed 89% and the MeOAc removed under 60%.

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