System Purifies Metal Finishing Rinse Water

Birchwood Technologies’ Ion Exchange system purifies rinse water for reuse in metal finishing systems. It can be used in process lines utilizing room-temperature blackeners, zinc phosphate, manganese phosphate and other metal finishing processes. The system is well-suited for locations with water restrictions, manufacturers using septic systems, and facilities where the process line must be installed in an area without convenient access to water and drain utilities.

According to the company, the purifying system makes it possible to operate a metal finishing process line as a zero-discharge rinse water system. No water enters the drain, so there is no need for a rinse water discharge permit. The system can be installed on a new process line or added to an existing line as a retrofit. Once connected, the system automatically purifies rinse waters continuously.

Two sets of purification tanks are included, each consisting of one 14" × 48" granular carbon tank, one 14" × 48" cation resin tank and one 14" × 48" anion resin tank. When the primary set of resin tanks are saturated, a conductivity light clicks from green to red, and the primary tank set is removed from the system and shipped out for regeneration. The identical secondary tank set is connected in place of the first set. The two sets of tanks are alternated to ensure that the main process line is never down, the company says. The system features a 40-gallon sump tank, a 1-hp stainless steel pump and a particle filter.