Appeal 2007-2774
Application 10/285,632
preferably 0.1 to 5% by volume of the total volume of dirty flush
solution to be treated (Specification at 5-6).
[6] The coagulated or flocculated paint particles will generally form
aggregates larger than 20 microns, thereby allowing separation by a
centrifugal separation unit, a filter press unit or a microfiltration unit
(Specification at 7).
[7] "By increasing the particle size of the suspended water-based paint
particles, water and water-based solvents can be separated in about
half the time or less compared to a process that relies upon
ultrafiltration" (Specification at 7).
[8] Optionally, a second separation unit can be used (Specification at 6).
[9] For example, primary and secondary separation units can comprise a
series of cartridge filters with the primary separation unit having
relatively larger pore openings than the secondary separation unit
(Specification at 8).
[10] In one embodiment, the second separation unit may be an
ultrafiltration unit because the primary separation unit is said to have
already separated out the larger paint particles (Specification at 6).
[11] Ultrafiltration units are said to have pore sizes ranging from 0.005 to
0.1 micron (Specification at 7).
[12] "In many instances, the process can operate at recovery rates of water
and solvent greater than 70% depending on the separation unit used.
For example, microfiltration of the coagulated/flocculated paint
particles using a 20 micron pore size filter can result in greater than
70% recovery efficiency." (Specification at 8.)
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Last modified: September 9, 2013