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Acid zinc bath dissolved anode basket

2005

Hello...

I have a problem about anode baskets.We have a acid zinc bath of volume 20 tons. And we have about 100 pieces anode basket in these baths. But our anode baskets are getting dissolved week after week. We repaired one of them but it happened again so getting dissolved. Could you explain mechanism and reason why these baskets dissolved? And of course, how can we get rid of this problem or how can we prevent this situation?

Thanks.............

Tuna Emre
engineering - Duzce, center, Turkey

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I have seen this problem from time to time over the years. Titanium, depending on the alloy, is only resistant to about 10 to 12 volts. Two things that may be causing your problem are:

1. If your rectifier has automatic current control, it may be causing the voltage to go too high when you remove the parts from the tank (With ACC, the rectifier will keep raising the voltage in a futile attempt to maintain the current when no parts are in the tank).

2. Titanium anode baskets must be kept full of zinc anodes, do not let them run low.

Your titanium anode basket supplier will have seen this problem more often than you or I and should be able to offer advice.

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
2005

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2005

Dear Srs

I have a Chloride Acid Zinc Bath and a week ago I saw my titanium baskets with a severe damage, I don't understand why. I think may be work 11 Volts the cause of this damage. Can you give me an idea about it.
Thank you so much.

Lvaro Augusto Arango Garcas
Engineer, plating company - Bogota, DC, Colombia