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How much fume is produced by hardchrome plating tank?

2007

Dear Sir

I am a Mechanical engineer and working in Hardchrome electroplating department. this is a new department for me as working position. kindly clarify my queries as below............

What is the standard amount of fumes produced from hardchrome plating tanks? What is the instrument to measure the amount of fume produced? How to control these fumes or suppress these fumes when we are using open tanks for plating?

Mohsin Siddiqui
Assistant Manager - Karachi, Pakistan

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First of three simultaneous responses -- 2007

Firstly a great deal of research has been done on chrome fumes and their control by the U.S. EPA. I suggest you search online for this information which includes a number of studies regarding the amount of fuming vs surface tension of the plating bath.

Two primary methods that have been found to be effective at fume control (see above) are the use of ventilation and surface tension reducers that lower the surface tension of the chrome solution to less than 25 dynes/cubic meter. If one is concerned where the fume is exhausted and its effect on the atmosphere and community, the exhaust would require a scrubber.

Again, I suggest that you search for the multitudes of literature on this subject.

Gene Packman
process supplier - Great Neck, New York

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Second of three simultaneous responses -- 2007

Dear Frd,

To surpress the fumes you can use fume surpresant or go for a blower with 10hp motor. you can collect the condensate from the blower and adjust the trivalent as per the spec and add it to the tanks again.

Regards

Aurobind Venkataram
- Aurangabad, Maharastra, India

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Third of three simultaneous responses -- 2007

The basis of the answer lies in Ted's response to your other letter 45909.
The part of the current which does not deposit chrome produces hydrogen and this is the cause of the fume. Hardchrome uses chromium in the hexavalent state (chrome 6) This is carcinogenic and fume extract is essential to protect the operators although the fume can be somewhat reduced by the use of surface active agents. These must withstand the very aggressive chemicals so are specially developed for this purpose (speak to your chemical supplier).
It is not possible to describe fume extract briefly - the design is a job for a specialist supplier. You can waste a lot of money on home made kit that does not work!
Fume is most easily measured by drawing air through a special measuring tube. See if you have a local agent for Draeger ltd.

Most important. The use of hexavalent chrome processes is heavily regulated in most parts of the world. You need to know the local Safety, health environmental and effluent regulations in your area. If there is a chemist in your company, get him involved

Geoff Smith
Hampshire, England

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2007

The source of this YouTube video is not really clear, but it seems to me that much of the world is still too cavalier about exposure to chrome mists:

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