p.1 

OAR Box 1313 

Prepped by LaTeia Shed 

Document Number: 

33) ll-B-7 

Docket Number: 

A-88-02 

Printed 6/12/2008 9:03:28 AM Sheet 33 of 99 
1$ 

A-88-02 

MIDWEST RESEARCH INSTITl 

4505 Creedmoor R 

Raleigh. N.C. 27 

Telephone (919) 781-5 

FINAL 

Date: April 27, 1986 

(Finalized November 5, 1986) 

Subject: Site Visit—C & R Chrome Services, Incorporated 

Chromium Electroplating NESHAP 

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

MRI Project 7717-K 

From: Randy Strait fitTo: 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 the chromium electroplating operation at this plant and to determine 

the suitability of this plant for chromium emissions testing. 

II. Place and Date 

C & R Chrome Services, Incorporated 

940 Hanover Street 

Gastonia, North Carolina 28054 

(704) 861-8831 

March 27, 1986 

III. Attendees 

C & R Chrome Services, Incorporated 

William A. Cottingham, Sr., President 

Charles M. Reynolds, Vice President 

U. S. Environmental Protection Aqency 

Al Vervaert, ISB 

Midwest Research Institute 

Randy Strait 

/* 
P.3 

IV. Discussion 

We arrived at the plant at 1:00 p.m. The visit consisted of 

discussions about the hard chromium plating operation and chromium 

emissions capture and control equipment during a tour of the plant. 

A. General 

C & R Chrome Services 1s a small job shop that performs hard 

chromium electroplating and electroless nickel plating of tool and die 

molds; hydrollc shafts, bearings, and plungers; and seals for automobile 

parts. The plant specializes 1n the fabrication of conforming anodes 

which are designed to conform to the shape of the parts to ensure an even 

and high-quality plated surface. The plant operates 12 hours per day, 

5 days per week, and 50 weeks per year. 

B. Process 

There are four hard chromium plating tanks used at this plant. The 

dimensions and operating specifications for each tank are listed 1n 

Table 1. Tanks 2 and 3 contain the conventional chromic ad d (Cr03) 

plating solution with a sulfuric acid (HjSO^) catalyst, and Tanks 1 and 4 

contain a proprietary Cr03 plating solution with a fluoride (F) 

catalyst. The parts are loaded into and removed from the plating tanks 

manually. After being plated, they are rinsed with water over the plating 

tanks to reduce the dragout of chromic acid. 

C. Emissions Control 

A schematic of the emissions control system for the hard chromium 

plating operation is presented 1n Figure 1. Double-sided draft hoods are 

installed on Tanks 1, 2, and 3, and a triple-sided draft hood 1s Installed 

on Tank 4 to capture chromium emissions. Emissions from Tanks 1 and 2 and 

from Tanks 3 and 4 are ducted to separate packed-bed wet scrubbers located 

in a room behind the plating facility. Both scrubbers (series 33, 

size 6,000) are manufactured by Hartzell Propeller Fan Company of P1qua, 

Ohio. One scrubber was Installed 1n 1981, and one scrubber was Installed 

in 1985. Design operating specifications for the Hartzell scrubber are 

presented in the attachment to this report. 

The gas flow rate of each scrubber is about 3,600 actual cubic feet 

per minute (acfm). Each scrubber is made of fiberglass and contains a bed 

filled with polypropylene packing material that is designed to achieve a 

large wetted surface and low friction loss. The scrubber bed is 

continuously sprayed with water through nozzles located at the top of the 

bed. The water flows by gravity downward through the packing material 

crosscurrent to the gas flow. The waterflow rate for both units 1s 

approximately 1.5 gallons per minute per 1,000 acfm. The first two-thirds 

of the scrubber bed is washed with water, and the remaining one-third of 

the bed acts as a mist eliminator. Water from both scrubbers is drained 

into a common holding tank and recirculated to each scrubber on a 

continuous basis. 

^ 
TABLE 1. SPECIFICATIONS OF HARD CHROMIUM PLATING TANKS AT C & R CHROME SERVICES 

Tank No 

1 

2 

3 

4 

Dimensions 

(1. w, h), 

ft 

6, 3, 5, 4 

6, 3.5, 4 

6, 3.5, 6 

8, 2, 5 

Proprietary. 

Capacity, 

gal 

630 

630 

940 

600 

Voltage, 

volts 

2.8 

3.5 

3.8 

6.0 

Current, 

amperes 

150 

150 

1,100 

2,000 

Temp., °F 

120 

130 

130 

120 

Method of 

cooling 

Water 

Water 

Water 

Water 

Constituents, 

Cr03 H2S04 

20 

33 

33 

20 

— 

0.28 

0.28 

— 

oz/gal 

F 

a 

— 

— 

a 

u 

J*. 
HARTZELL 

SCRUBBER 

WALL 

tilt 

HARTZELL 

SCRUBBER 

LEGEND 

AIRFLOW 

• * 

UATER FLOW 

WALL 

TANK 

4 

TANK 

3 

U it RECIRCULATION 

TANK 

J 

TANK 

2 

i i 

TANK 

1 

Figure 1. Schematic of the chromium plating operation at C & R Chrome Services. 

Tl 

in 
P.6 

D. Conclusions 

The four chromium plating tanks at this facility appear to have 

effective emission capture systems, and chromium emissions are controlled 

by packed-bed wet scrubbers. Although emissions testing 1s possible, 1t 

is not recommended at this time because the design of the scrubbers is not 

typical of the packed-bed scrubbers currently being purchased by owners 

and operators of chromium plating operations for controlling chromium 

emissions. 

Attachment 

6 
P.7 

Attachment 

Fiberglass Fume Scrubber 

Hartzell Propeller Fan Company, Piqua, Ohio/Division of Castle Hills Corporatioi 

»-»......:_ * .nc r C T 
P.8 

Specificaiians 

Fiberglass Fume Scrubber 

Series 33 

O

Duct connection—plastic, fiberglass or metal coated 

with corrosion resistant material. Supplied by customer. 

(^•VtUtttell Fiberglass Fume Scrubber. 

•t iJilfiiWteell Fiberglass B«tt-Qr"**ji*4h*ct Axial Fan 'vittl 

•$.Ewf 9lbtf;glass Stack Cjp. ' V • - '• **? 

« M S comp lew wtth pataMfjpl&fstand. H^UJStandconfiguration varie* 

with «I M of icrubber. 

HARTZELL BELT DRIVE 

FIBERGLASS OUCT AXIAL 

FIBtRGLASS 

ELBOW 

Prir.oip ,il Oimorsion*" 

SIZE | A 

3000' 18y8 

60001 24'/, 

12000; 33 

SIZE , E 

j_oqo! 7534 

60G0J99 

12000IT21 

SIZE 

3000 

6000 

12000 

J 

1 1 % 

13'/j 

i9y 4 

B 

21.'5 

28 

36 >'s 

F 

36 

48 

48'/a 

K 

2 

~2K 

^c T 0 

20Vi |4!j-'.i 

-,..-. . 

26% . r.o 

34(' H <#Q 

d 

.7.9. 

96' 

109 V-, 

L 

It 

33 

43'/.-

I 1 

M 

15 j :•') 

17 i 14 

"ii'Z] 52'/, 

Not*: Specifications are suo|ect to 

chang*. Certified prints are avalluole 7 
P.9 

Performance 

Hartzell Fiberglass Fum e Scrubber Size 3000 with 18" Series 35 F.in 

CFM 

IOOO 

1500 

2000 

2500 

3000 

5 

BPH 

.32 

" .53 

.77 

1.15" 

1.59 

FAN 

RPM 

1270 

1538" 

1797 

2065 

2323 

BPH 

.50 

.75 

1.07 

7.43 

1.95 

FA'N " 

RPM 

1436 

1703 

1972 

2226 

2487 

EXTERNAL STATIC PRESSURE* 

1 

BPH 

.69 

" .95 

1.35 

1.79 

2.38" 

FAN 

RPM 

1571 

" 1846 

"2108" 

2374' 

2640 

FAN ' 

BPH RPM 

.b9 

1.25 

1.62 

2.16 

2.80 

1691 

"1973 

2235 

2497" 

2760 

"FAN 

BPH RPM 

1.10 

1.49" 

" 1.91 

2.53' 

3.18 

1809 

2080 

"2343" 

2605" 

2860 

BPH 

1.33 

1.72 

2.27" 

"2.90" 

— 

FAN 

RPM 

11922 

2162 

2452 

2710 

Hartzell Fiberglass Fume Scrubber Size 6000 with 24" Series 35 Fan 

CFM 

2000 

"3000 

4000 

506b" 

6000 

EXTERNAL STATIC PRESSURE* 

Vi* 

BPH 

.63 

1.04 

~'l.72~ 

2.66" 

3.96 

FAN 

RPM 

IOOO 

1238 

1470~ 

1702 

1934 

%' 

BPH 

.92 

1.50 

2.26 

3.26 

4.69 

FAN 

RPM 

1118 

1366 

1607 

1830 

2055 

1" 

BPH 

1.29 

1.93 

2.78 

"3.90 

5.43 

FAN 

RPM 

1219 

1463 

1702 

1934 

2166 

IV 

BPH 

1.66 

2.32 

3.31 

4.52 

6.24 

FAN 

RPM 

1312 

"l545' 

1782" 

2023 

2270 

IVi' 

BPH 

2.04 

2.80 

3.90 

5.15 

— 

F AN 

RPM 

1392 

1622 

1860 

2100 

— 

ftk' 

BPH 

2.47 

3.30 

4.50 

5.80 

— 

FAN 

RPM 

1472 

1700 

1934 

2166 

— 

Hartzell Fiberglass Fum e Scrubber Size 12000 with 32" 

CFM 

5000 

6000 

7000 

8000 

9000 

10000 

11000 

12000 

v.-

BHP 

1.28 

1.67 

2.14 

2.72 

3.49 

4.35 

5.44 

6.70 

FAN 

RPM 

855 

937 

1019 

1104 

1197 

1288 

1390 

1489 

»/.>-

BHP 

1.8 1 

2.28 

2.86 

3.52 

4.37 

5.17 

6.20 

7.65 

FAN 

RPM 

953 

1038 

1120 

1200 

1288 

1364 

1458 

1557 

Series 35 Fan 

EXTERNAL STATIC PRESSURE* 

l.O" 

BHP 

2.48 

2.98 

3.58 

4.41 

5.05 

6.06 

7.27 

8.70 

FAN 

RPM 

1039 

1120 

1202 

1284 

1352 

1438 

1530 

1623 

l'A" 

•HP 

3.08 

3.68 

4.28 

5.15 

5.96 

7.05 

8.36 

-

FAN 

RPM 

1110 

1194 

1270 

1358 

1430 

1513 

1600 

1V4" 

BHP 

3.65 

4.30 

5.03 

6.05 

7.03 

8.l6" 

9.36 

-

FAN 

RPM 

1171 

1250 

1330 

1428 

1512 

T"583 

1662 

~ 

IK" 

BHP 

4.40 

5.06 

6.03 

7.00 

8.01 

9.25 

— 

— 

FAN 

RPM 

1239 

1313 

1405 

1491 

1576 

1655 

— 

— 

"These units haw ben tested with washer, elbow a 

net external and can be applied to ductwork and 

Water Flou- = 1.5 Gal..'Min./1000 C.F.M. 

nd fan in place 

hood losses. 

Thc static pressure shown is 

Performance shown Is for belt-drive fans with Inlet and outlet ducts. 

RPM shown Is nominal and performance Is based on actual speed of test. 

All belt-drive fan ratings Include belt losses. 

Static Pressure Loss Through Scrubber Inches W.G. 

fr 

FLOW 

100 

75 

50 

3000 

.70 

.40 

.17 

s:ZE 

6000 

.70 

.40 

.17 

12.000 

1.25 

.60 

.28 

Scrubber Bed Capacity 

SIZE 

300( 

60C( 

120C! 

5 

Cu. F». 

9 

20 

33 5 

SURFACE AREA 

PACKING 

3 87 Sq. Ft. 

8 6 0 Sq. Ft. 

1440 Sq. Kt. 

The Packing Units are 2" Din. There are 

3fi8 pieces/Cu. Ft. The packing weight is 

5.5 Lbs./Cu. Ft. Surface area is 43 Sq. Ft./ 

Cu. Ft. 9(Kr void area. It has low pressure 

drop and high mass transfer coefficients. 

Very good redistribution properties and resists settling. Resistant to most chemicals. 

Nut suitable , however, for aromatic, ar.d 

chlorinated hydrocarbons. 
Construction Features 

P.10 

The Hartzell Fiberglass Fume Scrubber is 

precisely engineered to remove practically all 

types of contaminating industrial fumes, especially acid, from the air being exhausted 

from any locality in a plant. 

The unit operates a*, follows. Fume laden 

air comes up through the duct connection and 

passes horizontally through tue Hartzell 

Fume Scrubber. Water flows vertically downward. This permits gravity to aid in the washing action. Water is introduced to the first 2/3 

of a packed bed of polypropylene which is 

slanted to take care of the slope of the waterfall. The last 1/3 of the bed acts as a mist and 

droplet eliminator. Clean air is discharged as 

saturated vapor without droplets. Water 

usage is low and water can be recirculated. 

The unit is available in three sizes. Size 3000 

with a Hartzell Fiberglass 18" Duct Axial 

Belt-Driven Fan. Size 6000 with a Hartzell 

Fiberglass 24" Duct Axial Belt-Driven Fan. 

Size 12,000 with a Hartzell Fiberglass 32" 

Duct Axial Belt-Driven Fan. Fiberglass vane 

section (optional extra) on discharge increases S.P. 15-20%. 

Air Flow 

The flow of air through the scrubber is horizontal. Housing is designed for easy flow. 400 

FPM maximum velocity through the bed section results in efficient washing action. Entrance and exit losses are low. SP loss is very 

low. 

Water Flow 

No nozzles are used to introduce water. Water 

enters through holes in I'VC pipe ring. Water 

flow is vertical downward which lets gravity 

aid in the washing. Water usage is low—IVi 

to V/i g.p.m. per 1000 CFM. Water can be 

recirculated. (Pump to be furnished by customer.) 

Scrubber Bed 

Scrubber bed is composed of polypropylene 

packing designed for high wetted surface with 

low friction loss. Water is introduced to the 

first 2/3 of the packed bed. The last 1/3 of the 

bed acts as a mist and droplet eliminator. Bed 

is slanted tu take care of the slope of the 

waterfall. Slotted screens hold bed in permanent position. 

Construction 

Case and elbow are Hartzell Fiberglass and 

corrosion resistant po'.yester resin. 

Piping and perforated screens that hold 

polypropylene packing are PVC. 

External bolts and nuts are 316 stainless 

steel. 

Fans and stack caps are Hartzell Fiberglass. 

Stand is painted steel. 

Ratings 

Units have been tested with Fiberglass Duct 

Fans in place under AMCA Bulletin 210 conditions and have very accurate ratings. If 

guide vane section is used on fan discharge, 

15% to 207c more SP external can be secured. 

Curves are available from factory. 

Caution 

The Hartzell Fiberglass Fume Scrubber is 

designed for fume removal only and should 

never be used as a dust collector—it will plug. 

The unit is chemically resi.stant to most 

industrial acids, but should not be used with 

over 3% to 5% hydrofluoric. Even this low 

concentration of hydrofluoric requires an extra coat of resin inside on both .scrubber and 

fan. 

Not suitable for use with temperatures over 

150 F. 

Analysis of fume conditions must be supplied Hartzell for evaluation and application. 

Notes 

Unit can be u.sed without fiberglass elbow if 

horizontal discharge is desired. Fun will bolt 

direct to unit. Scrubber body and air flow must 

be horizontal. Scrubber cannot be arranged 

for vertical air flow. 

Hartzell '"•-'-•'-•eHer Fan Comoanv. Piqua, Ohio 45356 • Plants in Piqua, Ohio; Portlrnd, Indiana; and Aberdeen. Mississippi. 1