Acid Zinc Bath Dissolved Anode Basket: Critical Fix

Summary for acid zinc bath dissolved anode basket Discussion

Acid zinc bath dissolved anode basket is the core issue in this thread: Tuna Emre reports that titanium anode baskets in a 20-ton acid zinc bath are dissolving week after week, even after one was repaired, and asks why it happens and how to stop it. The answerer says this is a known problem and notes that titanium, depending on alloy, is only resistant to about 10 to 12 volts. Two likely causes are identified: a rectifier with automatic current control may drive the voltage too high when parts are removed from the tank, and the titanium baskets may be running low on zinc anodes. The advice is to keep the baskets full and to consult the basket supplier, who should have seen the issue before and can offer more specific guidance.

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
2005

A. 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, finishing.com
Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha

finishing.com – Pine Beach, New Jersey



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Q. Dear Sirs

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