Evaporator concentrates plating rinse for recycle to process

Journal Article · Sun Oct 31 23:00:00 EST 1982 · Chem. Process. (Chicago); (United States)

OSTI ID:6267097

Seaburg, J L ^[1]; Bacchetti, J A

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1. Yates Industries, Inc., Beaumont, CA

This article focuses on presenting a solution to Yates Industries Inc., problem of loss of copper and zinc in plating solutions in rinse water from electroplating of copper foil. Copper and zinc ''drag out'' from plating baths resulted in losses that exceeded $120,000/yr. The rinse waters containing copper sulfate and zinc sulfate are concentrated 8 X in a reverse osmosis (RO) system, with the product (pure water) being recycled as rinse water.The concentrate (RO reject) stream was sent to the plant waste treatment facility for removal of copper, zinc, and sulfates before discharge. The copper and zinc were removed by precipitation with lime, which also removed much of the sulfate. However, sufficient sulfate remained in the waste water such that additional treatment with expensive barium acetate was required. In January 1981, Yates Industries installed an evaporator to further concentrate the RO reject stream by 10X. The distillate from the evaporator is recycled as process water and the concentrate is recycled to the plating baths. Plating rinses are now a closed loop, or ''zero discharge'' system. Rinse water is concentrated for recycle directly back to the plating bath, and the pure water from the RO and evaporator concentrators is reused in the process. Copper sulfate and zinc sulfate, worth $120,000/yr, are now returned to the process rather than being sold as sludge.

• OSTI ID: 6267097
• Journal Information: Chem. Process. (Chicago); (United States), Journal Name: Chem. Process. (Chicago); (United States) Vol. 45:12; ISSN CHPCA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
320303 -- Energy Conservation
Consumption
& Utilization-- Industrial & Agricultural Processes-- Equipment & Processes
320305* -- Energy Conservation
Consumption
& Utilization-- Industrial & Agricultural Processes-- Industrial Waste Management
COPPER COMPOUNDS
COPPER SULFATES
DEPOSITION
EFFICIENCY
ELECTRODEPOSITION
ELECTROLYSIS
ELECTROPLATING
ENERGY EFFICIENCY
EVAPORATORS
INDUSTRY
LYSIS
MANAGEMENT
MATERIALS RECOVERY
METAL INDUSTRY
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PLATING
PROCESSING
RECOVERY
SULFATES
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
SURFACE COATING
TRANSITION ELEMENT COMPOUNDS
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTE PROCESSING
WASTE PRODUCT UTILIZATION
ZINC COMPOUNDS
ZINC SULFATES