Method and equipment for controlling the temperature of solid particles in polishing processes

Abstract

Methods and equipment for controlling the temperature of particles in polishing processes by means of solid particles and/or solid particles containing an electrolyte, in a liquid environment. The method includes a step of aspirating the liquid from the container where the particles are located; a step of thermally adjusting the liquid; and a step of reincorporating the liquid after its thermal adjustment into the container to control the temperature of the particles. And the equipment includes: a duct circuit, with an inlet mouth and an outlet mouth in the container; a suction pump; a filter with a mesh that does not allow particles to pass through; and a heat exchanger.

1 . A method for surface treating a metal part through ion transport using electrically conductive solid particles, the method comprising:
 electrically coupling the electrically conductive solid particles to a first pole of a current generator, the solid particles being at least partially immersed within a liquid inside a container;   electrically coupling the surface of the metal part to a second pole of the current generator;   contacting the surface of the metal part with the solid particles;   during the surface treating of the surface of the metal part, aspirating to outside the container at least part of the liquid in which the solid particles are immersed;   altering the temperature of the aspirated liquid; and   reintroducing the temperature altered liquid into the container to regulate the temperature of the solid particles.   
     
     
         2 . The method to  claim 1 , wherein the solid particles are loaded with an electrolyte liquid. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the temperature of the aspirated liquid is altered by being circulated through a heat exchanger. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising filtering the aspirated liquid prior to or during the step of aspirating part of the liquid, the liquid being filtered to prevent the solid particles from being removed from the container during aspiration of the liquid. 
     
     
         5 . Equipment for controlling the temperature of particles used in surface treating a metal part through ion transport, the particles comprising solid particles and/or solid particles loaded with an electrolyte liquid and immersed in a liquid, the equipment comprising:
 a container configured to hold the particles and the liquid;   a duct circuit configured to circulate at least a portion of the liquid, the duct circuit having a first inlet opening and a first outlet opening located at the container;   a suction pump located in the duct circuit and configured to produce a suction at the first inlet opening of the duct circuit to aspirate the liquid, the suction pump being configured to circulate the liquid through the duct circuit;   a filter located in the duct circuit upstream the suction pump, the filter having a mesh of a size that permits passage of the liquid and prevents passage of the particles; and   a heat exchanger disposed in the duct circuit downstream of the filter and the suction pump, the heat exchanger being configured to alter the temperature of the liquid before the liquid is returned to the container through the first outlet opening.   
     
     
         6 . The equipment of  claim 5 , wherein the first inlet opening of the duct circuit, through which the liquid is aspirated by the suction pump, is integrated into the filter and is located at a bottom region of the container. 
     
     
         7 . The equipment of  claim 5 , wherein the first inlet opening is located at a first height with respect to a bottom of the container and the first outlet opening is located at a second height with respect to the bottom of the container, the second height being different than the first height. 
     
     
         8 . The equipment of  claims 5 , wherein the first outlet opening of the duct circuit is located at an upper region of the container. 
     
     
         9 . The equipment of  claim 7 , wherein the second height is greater than the first height. 
     
     
         10 . The equipment of  claim 5 , wherein the duct circuit includes a second outlet opening through which the liquid is returned to the container, the second outlet opening being spaced apart from the first outlet opening, the first and second outlet openings being positioned at or adjacent a perimeter of the container. 
     
     
         11 . The equipment of  claim 5 , wherein the duct circuit includes a second inlet opening through which the liquid is aspirated, the second inlet opening being spaced apart from the first inlet opening, the first and second inlet openings being positioned at or adjacent the perimeter of the container. 
     
     
         12 . The equipment of  claim 10 , wherein the duct circuit includes a second inlet opening through which the liquid is aspirated, the second inlet opening being spaced apart from the first inlet opening, the first and second inlet openings being positioned at or adjacent the perimeter of the container. 
     
     
         13 . The equipment of  claim 5 , wherein the first outlet opening of the duct circuit is positioned above a surface of the liquid within the container. 
     
     
         14 . The equipment of  claim 10 , wherein at least one of the first and second outlet openings of the duct circuit is positioned above a surface of the liquid within the container. 
     
     
         15 . The equipment of  claim 5 , wherein the filter comprises a hollow elongate body mounted to a wall of the container, the hollow body including a lower portion having a correspondingly elongate front inlet opening covered by the mesh to allow passage of the liquid and prevent passage of the particles, and an upper portion having a support for attachment to an upper edge of the container. 
     
     
         16 . The equipment of  claim 15 , wherein the filter further comprises a tube extending along the length of the hollow body and having at its upper end a connector that serves as an extension of the duct circuit, the tube having at its lower end the inlet opening through which the liquid is drawn upward. 
     
     
         17 . The equipment of  claim 5 , wherein the heat exchanger is a plate-type heat exchanger. 
     
     
         18 . The equipment of  claim 5 , wherein the container is positioned within a cooling jacket that surrounds the container, a bottom region of the cooling jacket having a cooling fluid inlet, a top region of the cooling jacket having a cooling fluid outlet. 
     
     
         19 . The equipment of  claim 5 , wherein the duct circuit includes an emulsifying element configured to emulsify the liquid. 
     
     
         20 . The equipment of  claim 5 , wherein the suction pump is configured to operate with an expiration cycle.