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OAR Box 1814 

Prepped by Ollie Stewart 

Document Number: 

26) ll-B-4 

Docket Number: 

A-88-02 

Printed 11/7/2008 7:22:07 AM Sheet 26 of 63 
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$ 

Oate: 

Subject: 

March 24, 1986 

(Finalized November 3, 1986) 

W 

A-88-02 

11- 6-q 

MIDWEST RESEARCH INSTITUTE 

4505 Creedmoor Road 

Raleigh, N C 27812 

Telephone (919) 781-5750 

Site Visit--CRECO, Incorporated 

Chromium Electroplating NESHAP 

EPA Contract 68-02-3817; ESED Project 85/02a 

MRI Project 7717-K 

From: Randy Strait fl 

To: Al Vervaert 

ESED/ISB/SSS (MD-13) 

U. S. Environmental Protection Agency 

Research Triangle Park, N.C. 27711 ' 

I. Purpose 

The purpose of this site visit was to gather background information 

about control devices manufactured by CRECO for controlling chromium 

electroplating emissions and to obtain names of plants that properly 

operate and maintain CRECO control devices that could serve as possible 

test candidates. 

II. Place and Date 

CRECO, Incorporated 

500 Smith Avenue 

Post Office Box 473 

Owosso, Michigan 48867 

(517) 725-5355 

January 8, 1986 

III. Attendees 

CRECO, Incorporated 

Kirk Dreuth, Owner 

U. S. Environmental Protection Agency 

Al Vervaert, ISB 

Midwest Research Institute 

Randy Strait 

/ 
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IV. Discussion 

We arrived at CRECO at 2:30 p.m. The visit consisted of discussions 

about the types of control devices manufactured by CRECO to control 

chromium electroplating emissions and about plants that operate and 

maintain CRECO control devices that could serve as possible test 

candidates. The information provided herein was obtained both during the 

plant visit and in a telephone communication with Mr. Dreuth on 

January 17, 1986. 

A. General 

CRECO manufactures moisture extractors, air washers, and triple 

packed-bed wet scrubbers that are used to control chromium emissions from 

chromium electroplating tanks. Mr. Dreuth provided brochures and 

background information about these control devices. 

B. Control Device Information 

1. Moisture extractor. The moisture extractor consists of a 

stationary set of blades that centrifugally forces acid mist or droplets 

entrained in exhaust gas to impinge against the sides of the extractor 

wall. The droplets drain down the sides of the extractor into collection 

areas and then are flushed out of the unit. Mr. Dreuth stated that, 

depending on the size of the droplets, 60 to 90 percent may be 

collected. However, he does not have test data to substantiate this 

claim. The moisture extractor is being used by several chromium 

platers. Sometimes it is used alone, but generally it is installed ahead 

of a scrubber. The moisture extractor is made of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) 

or polypropylene and costs from $300 to $3,000 depending on the gas flow 

rate. 

2. Air washer. The air washer is a horizontal unit containing a 

filter pad. The frame of the pad is made of PVC, and the frame is wrapped 

with several layers of polypropylene mesh. The filter pad is manufactured 

by Chemrae. Exhaust gases are sprayed with water, and chromium droplets 

impinge on the mesh pad. The mesh pad is washed down with water 

periodically. Mr. Dreuth said that this unit works very well for 

controlling chromium emissions. He estimates control efficiencies to 

range from 95 to 98 percent. The unit does not require a lot of water to 

operate, and chromium captured by the unit can be recycled to the plating 

bath or a rinse tank to reduce wastewater treatment costs. 

The air washer is similar to a fume scrubber and can be designed 

with a packed bed. When space is limited at a plant site, Mr. Dreuth 

recommends that a vertical packed-bed wet scrubber be installed. The cost 

of the air washer ranges from $3,000 to $10,000 depending on the gas flow 

rate. 
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3. Packed-bed wet scrubber. Mr. Dreuth recommends that chromium 

platers install a triple packed-bed scrubber to achieve maximum control of 

chromium emissions. The beds are packed with polypropylene material. 

Exhaust gases are sprayed with water before the first and second packs, 

and chromium impinges on the packing material. The third pack acts as a 

mist eliminator to capture moisture entrained in the exhaust gas stream. 

The packed beds are sprayed with water, which typically is pumped to a 

holding tank and recirculated. Mr. Dreuth said that continuous 

recirculation of the scrubber water to wash down the packs may reduce the 

efficiency of the scrubber because the evaporation of water from the 

holding tank concentrates the chromic acid. He said that some plants 

monitor the chromic acid concentration in the holding tank and, when the 

concentration reaches a certain level, pump the water to the plating bath 

or a rinse tank. Fresh water is used as makeup water. Mr. Dreuth 

recommends that plants use a second tank to concentrate chromic acid 

washed from the scrubber. 

C. Test Data and Candidate Plants 

Mr. Dreuth said that he does not have performance test data for 

CRECO control devices. He said that he would contact a few plants that 

have recently installed and properly operate and maintain CRECO scrubbers 

to determine if they would be receptive to a visit and possible testing by 

EPA. Mr. Dreuth identified Superior Plating 1n Minneapolis, Minnesota, as 

a hard chromium electroplating shop that may be receptive to a visit by 

EPA. He indicated that they may have already performed some tests because 

they were under a compliance order by the City of Minneapolis to install 

equipment to control chromium emissions. The engineering specifications 

for the scrubbers installed at Superior Plating were provided by: 

McGinley Associates 

13701 13th Street Circle 

Stillwater, Minnesota 55082 

Contact: Mr. Chuck McGinley 

(612) 439-1708 

Mr. Dreuth also said that Goodyear Aerospace in Akron, Ohio, has 

performed tests on CRECO equipment that was installed in 1968 or 1969.