Details of the Bromothane™
Recycling Process

It is easy to recycle Bromothane™ solvents easily and inexpensively.

During the cleaning process with a vapor degreaser, the soils that are removed from the parts accumulate in the boil sump of the degreaser. Ultimately, this dirty solvent must be discarded. But before the solvent is disposed a substantial quantity of the solvent may be reclaimed in a simple "boil down" process which substantially reduces the cost of cleaning.

It's important to understand that while a vapor degreaser can reclaim solvent, it usually cannot return it to "new" product specifications. That being said, customers should realize that a vapor degreaser often yields solvent which is more than sufficiently pure for many uses, including being returned to the cleaning process whence it came.

The recovery procedure described in this F.A.Q. should be conducted on a regularly scheduled basis, typically quarterly or semi-annually. Be advised that the machine must be taken out of production during the boil-down process; cleaning cannot be performed while the reclamation process is underway.

Here are the steps to follow:

1. When the solvent in the boil sump is too dirty for normal operations to continue, turn the ultrasonics off. Empty the condensate (and the "rinse" sump in a multi-chamber system) into a clean, solvent-safe container (pail or drum).

2. Continue to operate the boil sump. As the dirty solvent boils in the boil sump the solvent vapors will be captured and distilled by the cooling coils. The clean, nearly-pure distillate should be reclaimed into the solvent-safe container.

3. Gradually the solvent and contamination remaining in the boil sump will concentrate and become viscous and syrupy.

4. Before the residues become too thick, the high-temperature safety controls in the boil sump will detect the rising temperature and shut off the heaters. At this point, about 50% of the material in the sump will be solvent.

5. Here's the operational trick: manually raise the boil sump temperature by another ten degrees and continue to boil the system until the safety controls shut off the system again.

SPECIAL NOTE: Workers should be aware that this operation requires constant attention. It is advisable to monitor the boil sump temperature with a thermometer. The temperatures should not be allowed to exceed 170 degrees F when using Bromothane™ solvents. Importantly, under no circumstances should the boil sump be allowed to boil dry as damage to the equipment will result. The equipment should never be left unattended during this process.

6. The "syrup" then is collected for disposal by draining the boil sump. The boil sump should then be cleaned with wipes and elbow grease. Wear gloves and take precautions to avoid exposures to high concentrations of the vapors. 

Here's a really good web site which has excellent technical data about the huge array of glove choices available on the market. It's organized by the Office of Radiation, Chemical and Biological Safety (ORCBS) of the Michigan State University, so it's not tied to any one manufacturer or brand. When you identify a chemical it suggests the best type of glove to use. In the color chart, you're looking for gloves rated in white or green.

When selecting gloves, check the MSDS sheet to get the EXACT chemical name or CAS number for the solvent you are using; different solvents require different types of gloves. As a general rule for MicroCare products, Viton^® gloves work adequately.

If you don't have time to go to the ORCBS site, then select the best impervious gloves and protective clothing you can find if there is any risk of skin contact.

7. Once the boil sump is clean and dry, close all the drain valves and add fresh solvent to the clean solvent collected during the boil-down. Add enough solvent that the normal operational levels are re-established.

8. Return the temperature controls on the boil sump back to their original and correct settings.

• Operations to Reduce Costs, Increase Flexibility •

If the facility has collected contaminated Bromothane™ solvent over a period of time and would like to reclaim it all at once, this procedure can be extended by simply adding more of the dirty solvent to the boiling chamber during the boil down process.

As always, if you have any questions about this process or any of the Bromothane™ products, call / fax / email MicroCare for immediate answers to your questions.

Updated: February 15, 2006
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