Case Studies:
Ecolink is Hard at Work in the Military

Vapor Degreasing
Helicopter Engine Rebuilding Facility

Problem - This U.S. military facility has used vapor degreasing as the main weapon in cleaning greasy, oily and carbon covered helicopter engines. 1,1,1 trichloroethane was the cleaner of choice, but because of it being banned throughout the free world, an extensive search for an environmentally preferred cleaning compound was launched.

Solution - POSITRON was chosen as the chemical of choice. Vapor degreasers were retrofitted into immersion tanks to eliminate the high cost of buying new equipment. POSITRON proved effective in removing all the soils associated with helicopter engine re-work.

Result - As a result of this success, POSITRON ultra high purity-cleaning compound has been tested comprehensively in laboratories and in the field for use in critical cleaning applications throughout the military and aerospace industry. POSITRON now has numerous approvals, including:

  • Toxicity clearance granted by the U.S. Army
  • Department of the Army ADS-61-PRF
  • Boeing D6-17487 Revision P
  • Pratt & Whitney PMC 8920
  • Department of the Navy
  • United Space Alliance
  • Northwest Airlines
  • BF Goodrich

Burn Chamber Cleaning
Oil Analysis Laboratories

Problem - Small burn chambers used for oil analysis presented a cleaning problem for military laboratories which used 1,1,1 trichloroethane. The military not only needed an EPA-approved cleaning compound to clean used oil from burn chambers, but also needed a product that would not harm metals and electrical parts.

Solution - ELECTRON Dielectric Solvent was the first alternative cleaning compound approved by the military for this application. ELECTRON not only cleaned all soils, but also left the burn chamber free from residue. This is important because burn chamber residue can give the operator false readings. ELECTRON also eliminated the need to do a second cleaning before the next burn.

Result - From this small, but critical application, ELECTRON has become a "cleaning workhorse" for Ecolink. ELECTRON was one of the first environmentally approved cleaning compounds adopted by the military and is now used extensively throughout the military world. ELECTRON is used on U.S. Navy submarines and commercial & military aircraft for a vast variety of critical cleaning applications. Approvals for ELECTRON include:

  • Toxicity clearance granted by the U.S. Army
  • Department of the Army ADS-61-PRF
  • Numerous U.S. Navy requirements
  • Boeing D6-17487 Revision P
  • Lockheed Aircraft Services
  • U.S. Air Force AMS-2644
  • Northwest Airlines
  • Pratt & Whitney
  • JOAP TSC

Non Flammable Cleaning
Oxygen Life Support Equipment

Problem - For years, the U.S. Navy has used CFC-113 as the cleaner of choice for critical life support systems and components. With the phase out of CFC-113, the Navy sought an alternative product that is non-flammable in liquid oxygen and high-pressure gaseous oxygen environments. The cleaner also needed to be safe on metal finishes and non-toxic to end users.

Solution - OCC, a.k.a. NOC, was originally developed by NAVSEA in conjunction with a private manufacturer. OCC has been thoroughly tested and has been determined to be non-flammable in liquid oxygen and high-pressure gaseous oxygen, and compatible with metallic and most non-metallic materials commonly used in life support systems.

Result - OCC is the world's first aqueous cleaning compound approved for use in the critical component cleaning of life support equipment. OCC will remove soils ranging from hydrocarbon greases to the fluorinated lubricants most commonly found in oxygen cleaning.

Benefits - OCC is a ready-to-use full strength or it may also be diluted up to 50%. OCC is environmentally friendly, compatible with aviation materials and may be used as a pre-cleaner, final cleaner and verification fluid. OCC can also be used on the bench top or in large scale automated processes. OCC is non toxic, which ensures safety to the end user, and it meets the MIL-STD-1330D and MIL-STD-1622B specifications.

Wire Rope Zinc Socket Installation – U.S. Navy

Problem - Methyl chloroform, the cleaning solvent of choice for the installation of wire rope poured zinc sockets, was banned in January 1996. The Department of the Navy sought an EPA-approved alternative for the cleaning process.

Solution - The Naval Surface Warfare Center, Carderock Division evaluated a number of cleaning compounds to replace methyl chloroform. Ecolink's VORTEX met all the requirements specified by the Navy for this tough cleaning application.

Result - VORTEX is currently listed in Revision 2 to NSTM 613. Navy personnel not only use VORTEX for cleaning wire rope, but also for a wide range of heavy industrial cleaning applications.

Benefits - VORTEX is made from all natural ingredients, contains no hazardous materials or petroleum distillates. It is also biodegradable. VORTEX cleans all grease and heavy oil deposits very quickly from virtually any surface.

Helicopter Tubing and Control Cleaning – U.S. Army

Problem - A U.S. Army facility sought an environmentally preferred replacement for TCA for the cleaning of helicopter tubing and controls. Because of the phase out of TCA, the Army required a compound that would clean effectively and dry quickly.

Solution - The helicopter rebuild base tested numerous products to meet safety, environmental and end-user requirements. Ecolink’s QED became the product of choice because it met all the requirements, cleaned parts quickly and left them residue free.

Result - QED was implemented into the tubing and control shop with excellent success. QED has been in use at this facility since 1996 and meets requirements mandated by AMCOM. In addition, the U.S. Army has granted QED a toxicity clearance.

Benefits - QED is ready to use, does not require heating or other special equipment. QED has ultra low NVR and can also be used to clean metal parts prior to painting or bonding. It has virtually no odor, contains no water, dries rapidly and has no OSHA PEL or ACGIH TLV listed ingredients.