The authoritative public forum
  for Metal Finishing 1989-2025
  

  -----

Iron content in tank of hydrochloric acid

2004

Hi,

We use a pickle tank of hydrochloric acid to etch the chain link before zinc is applied. the % is 14 to 17 percent acid to water. The iron content test that I do on the tank of acid comes out to a figure of example 3.3% so.

My question is what is too much iron content in tank and when should I change or dump some of it to get it back below the number. What is that number I have heard 4 and all the way to 7 % please give me a good figure of when acid starts to go bad after iron content rises to ?

Thank you,

Frank Oleksy
galvanizing chain link - Dallas, Texas

If you have much volume, it would probably be cost effective to set up a small facility recycling of your acid. Your waste treatment cost can go down and you can have nearly fresh acid on a daily basis. A common method is dialysis. EPA and DEP both like recycling.

James Watts
- Navarre, Florida
2004