Aloha, fun & authoritative answers -- no cost, no registration, no passwords, no popups
(as an eBay Partner & Amazon Affiliate we earn from qualifying purchases)

Where the
world gathers for metal finishing
Q&As since 1989

-----

Ni sulfamate grows too warm

We electroform Ni molds for several industries and have added increased filtration to our tanks (10,000/7,000 Gals.) and are seeing our tank temps rise above our normal 105 (F). We appear to be gaining 3-5 degrees per day and have to shut down 1 of the 2 pumps servicing each tank, to allow our solution to drop back into the normal range. The heaters are off and the swing in the temps is affecting my stresses.
I'm looking for some way to cool the solution (to maintain the 105), any suggestions would be helpful.

John Smith
Electroplating Mgr. - Iowa City , Iowa USA
December 17, 2008

December 17, 2008

Hi, John. That is a weird one. You seem to be saying that the mechanical energy from the filter pumps is sufficient to raise the temperature of the tank by 3-5 degrees per day? Also, you are operating at an unusually low temperature of 105 °F. It is certainly possible to run chilled water through coils to cool the tank, and this is frequently done for other processes like anodizing and acid zinc plating.

Regards,

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

January 29, 2009

Did the heating start when you increased the filtration capacity? Your first task is to find out where the heat is coming from. The two most likely sources are ohmic losses through the plating tank when in operation, but your tanks are pretty large, so you would need to put a lot of power into the tank. Alternatively, perhaps your filter pumps are in need of attention as they are doing so much work filtering the electrolyte. You do not mention the filtration system being used, but if the filters are clogged up, the pump will have to do a lot more work to push the liquid through.
A final solution is to use cooling coils, but this is most unusual, so I would look for why the tank is heating up and then stop it - it will save you both capital and revenue expenditure

Trevor Crichton
R&D practical scientist
Chesham, Bucks, UK

(No "dead threads" here! If this page isn't currently on the Hotline your Q, A, or Comment will restore it)

Q, A, or Comment on THIS thread -or- Start a NEW Thread

Disclaimer: It's not possible to fully diagnose a finishing problem or the hazards of an operation via these pages. All information presented is for general reference and does not represent a professional opinion nor the policy of an author's employer. The internet is largely anonymous & unvetted; some names may be fictitious and some recommendations might be harmful.

If you are seeking a product or service related to metal finishing, please check these Directories: