The invention concerns the method of intensification of wet textile processes referring the entire volume of the treated material as well as the apparatus to complete the above mentioned processes.

Ultrasonic waves find a wide application in the modem production and processing as well as in the cognitive studies of the human nature. Despite not audible to the human being, when applied in ultrasonic sonar apparatus they enable to create images of objects and of a given area; application of ultrasounds in other fields allows surface treatment of materials. The major problem associated with their application are their dimensions - usually they are small and the area which can be treated with their use, is rather limited. This is connected with nature of ultrasonic waves with frequency of vibrations falling within the range from 16 Hz up to 16 GHz, what causes nearly rectilinear propagation of waves at high frequencies observed in some media. This can be translated into an application of ultrasonic generators for different industrial processes.

Properties of ultrasounds are applicable , for example, in cleaning of surfaces of such objects as jewellery, cutlery or other small details. Dirty element is put into a vat with liquid, preferably surfactant; next, the liquid is submitted to action of ultrasonic waves. The way of operation and construction of such an installation was described in the US patent description US3596883. Ultrasonic generators situated under the vat with liquid excite particles of such liquid and thus the cleaning substance in the vat acts on a surface of the object subject to cleaning with a bigger force. The other example of the application of the properties of ultrasounds with the purpose to generate energy, was the ultrasonic vat used to obtain emulsion as presented in the PL patent description PL 166400. Following the action of ultrasonic waves , ingredients of emulsion are evenly distributed within the entire volume of the process vat.

Ultrasonic waves find application also in bonding of materials one with another. In the the US patent description US 3734805, the construction of the apparatus to be used for local bonding of materials with ultrasonic waves was presented. The described machine has a shape similar to this of traditional sewing machine, in which only the needle and the whole sewing head were replaced with the sonotrode generating powerful waves. Another example of application of such method of fabric finishing is employment of ultrasonic generator in order to bond special-purpose fabrics.

According to the US patent description US 4411720, the construction of the apparatus which can be used for welding (bonding) of thermoplastic materials was disclosed. This method is applied first of all in manufacturing of anti-chemical and gas-tight protective clothing. Materials to be bonded can be pressed to the sonotrode mechanically or pneumatically, e.g. with compressed air.

Another example of application of this type of apparatus is manufacturing of a-jour, fancy tapes. Apparatuses of such type have been described in many patents and patent applications. The sonotrode head is situated over the rotating roller - anvil with an embossed pattern on it; a part of the presented solutions envisage also apparatus equipped with one head, manufactured in a form of rotational roller ; in this case the material under finishing is moving between the above roller and the anvil. In case the anvil is not used, energy generated by the sonotrode may be used also for cutting the material panels. Application of waves, including ultrasonic ones, with reference to at least two media characterized by significant differences in its construction, for example with respect to the state of aggregation, causes partial refraction and partial reflection of waves. A part of energy which was pertinent to an acoustic wave, is being lost before passing in between the media and conveyed to particles of both the abandoned medium and the medium which is being penetrated by it. The above results in vibrations of particles of the new medium as well as in creation of cavitation phenomenon in liquid media, which consists in formation of discontinuity within the liquid. Then, molecular velocity relative to particles of the liquid medium rises rapidly, additionally increasing vibration of the medium. These phenomena can well be applied for intensification of some textile processes, especially employing wet technologies. The results of the studies on ultrasounds application in wet textile processes, which were carried out for the needs of the invention, evidence that such an application accelerates the above processes, causes swelling of fibres and development of inside surface of the treated material, thanks to which e.g. penetration of the material inside with technological agents is facilitated.

The method of intensification of wet textile processes according to the invention consists in usage of unexpected effects resulting from situating the known ultrasonic generator close to or in the finishing process vat on various stages of textile process. This can be situated under the vat, thanks to which energy generated by waves is transferred to particles of the material, from which the vat was made out; next this energy is transferred to the liquid medium inside the process container. The other method consists in situating the generator inside the vat; in this case this can, e.g, be a flat plate emitting ultrasonic waves, which is put on the bottom or just forms the bottom of the finishing vat. During works connected with the application of wet textile processes, textile material (depending on the construction variant of the apparatus) is being introduced into, or passed through the vat provided with at least one ultrasonic generator, installed in or around the vat. As a result of the action of acoustic waves, particles of the liquid in the container (vat) start moving quicker, and bubbles formed in the process of cavitation which are quickly relocating in the vat as well as an implosion pertinent to them, result in better uniformity of distribution of agents used in wet textile processes as well as better penetration of the structure of the material put into the vat with the liquid. Rinsers employed in the other industrial branches e.g. for cleaning can be also employed in wet textile processes, preferably the rinser manufactured by POLSONIC could be used. Preferably a dye in a proportion of 5 g for each 1 liter of bath has been added to the bath in the vat. Preferably the temperature of the dyebath was increased to 90°C during ca. 10 minutes, and then the same bath was left to cool for over ca. 20 minutes. After dyeing of the material during ca. 30 minutes, the material undergoes an intensive rinsing. Preferably the material is initially rinsed with water having a temperature of 50 - 60 ° C, and then with water having room temperature. Processes of dyeing and rinsing are conducted in the same vat, preferably with ultrasonic generators switched on all the time.
Then, unbounded particles of the dye and other impurities will be removed. After rinsing, the material must be loaded into textile drier and left to fully dry. Preferably the temperature in the drier is maintained at the constant level of 120°C.

The apparatus according to the invention consists of the vat provided with ultrasonic waves generators, preferably such generators are built into the vat bottom and situated perpendicular to the planes of the vat bottom and the sides of it. The generators can be also situated inside the vat.

According to the presented studies results, the application of ultrasonic rinsers which have been already employed in the other industrial branches enables shortening of operations time in such technological processes as dyeing or washing by over 50% with the simultaneous increase in fastness to wet rubbing up to three times, which corresponds to the application of much more expensive vat dyes in traditional wet textile processes.

The subject-matter of the invention has been presented in the respective figures where: the Fig.1 shows the apparatus according to the invention in the first example of making, the Fig.2 shows the apparatus according to the invention in the second example of making, the Fig 3 shows the apparatus according to the invention in the third example of making , and the Fig 4 shows the apparatus according to the invention in the fourth example of making

The textile material 1, which is to be subject to the wet textile process, is being delivered to the vat 2 containing the process liquid 3 by means of the rollers-guides assembly 4. Next, the textile material 1 is being immersed into the process liquid 3 and passes through the vat 2 with a speed appropriately adjusted to the process requirements. The vat 2 has the bottom 5, which is provided with in-built ultrasonic waves generators 6.The generators 6 form the plate which is put on the bottom of the vat 2, and ultrasonic waves emitted by this plate excite particles of the process liquid 3.

After passing through the vat 2 the textile material 1 is being received by the rollers-guides assembly 7, and then treated within the other textile processes.

The textile material 1 rolled up to form a bale, which is to be subject to the wet textile process, is being delivered to the vat 2 containing the process liquid 3 with a forklift truck. Then the textile material 1 is being situated in the driving seats 8, turning the bale of the textile fabric 1. The vat 2 has the bottom 5, which is provided with in-built ultrasonic waves generators 6.The generators 6 form the plate which is put on the bottom of the vat 2, and ultrasonic waves emitted by this plate excite particles of the process liquid 3. In the course of the entire textile process, the bale of the textile material 1 is turning in order to ensure even distribution of the process agent.

On completion of the process, the bale of the textile material is being taken off from the driving seats 8 with the forklift truck and then further treated within the other textile processes.

The textile material 1, which is to be subject to the wet textile process, is being delivered to the vat 2 containing the process liquid 3 by means of the rollers-guides assembly 4. Next, the textile material 1 is being immersed into the process liquid 3 and passes through the vat 2 with a speed appropriately adjusted to the process requirements. The vat 2 has the bottom 5, which is provided with in-built ultrasonic waves generators 6.The generators 6 are situated perpendicular to the planes of the vat 2 bottom and sides, and ultrasonic waves emitted by this plate excite particles of the process liquid 3.

After passing through the vat 2 the textile material 1 is being received by the rollers-guides assembly 7, and then treated within the other textile processes.

The textile material 1 rolled up to form a bale, which is to be subject to the wet textile process, is being delivered to the vat 2 containing the process liquid 3 with a forklift truck. Then the textile material 1 is being situated in the driving seats 8 turning the bale of the textile fabric 1. The vat 2 has the bottom 5, which is provided with in-built ultrasonic waves generators 6. The generators 6 are situated perpendicular to the planes of the vat 2 bottom and sides, and ultrasonic waves emitted by this plate excite particles of the process liquid 3.

On completion of the process, the bale of the textile material is being taken off from the driving seats 8 with the forklift truck and then and then further treated within the other textile processes.