OAR Box 1814 

Propped by Ollie Stewart 

Document Number: 

49) ll-B-27 

Docket Number: 

A-88-02 

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Printi'd 11/7/2008 7:22:08 AM Sheet 49 of 63 
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A-88-02 

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I L. L U U I MIDWEST RESEARCH INSTITUTE 

Suite 350 

401 Harrison Oaks Boulevard 

Cary. North Carolina 27513 

Telephone (919) 467-5215 

Facsimile (919) 467-8060 

Date: June 11, 1987 

(Finalized July 23, 1987) 

Subject: Site Visit—Consolidated Engravers, Charlotte, North Carolina 

Chromium Electroplating NESHAP 

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

MRI Project 7717-K 

From: Randy Stra1t/1> 

Robin Barker 

To: Al Vervaert 

ESED/ISB/SSS (MD-13) 

U. S. Environmental Protection Agency 

Research Triangle Park, N.C. 27711 

I. Purpose 

The purpose of the visit was to evaluate the feasibility of 

conducting an emission test on a mist eliminator with a single set of 

overlapping-type blades used to control chromic acid emissions from two 

hard chromium plating tanks. The emission test data are needed to compare 

the chromic ad d mist control performance of a chevron-blade mist 

eliminator with a single set of blades against that of a unit with a 

double set of overlapping-type blades and a unit with a single set of 

wave-type blades. 

II. Place and Date 

Consolidated Engravers 

311 East 12th Street 

Post Office Box 33669 

Charlotte, North Carolina 28233 

(704) 333-0365 

March 3, 1987 

III. Attendees 

Consolidated Engravers 

Ron Steele, Vice President 

Buzz King, Electroplating Supervisor 

Midwest Research Institute 

Robin Barker 

Randy Strait 

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IV. Discussion 

We arrived at the plant at 9:30 a.m. The visit consisted of a tour 

of the plating shop and a discussion about the hard chromium plating 

operation and the feasibility of conducting an emission test on the 

chevron-blade mist eliminator. 

A. General 

Consolidated Engravers has four plants 1n the U.S. The Charlotte, 

North Carolina, plant 1s a captive shop that manufactures and refurbishes 

Industrial rolls for the packaging and textile Industries. Hard chromium 

plate is applied as the final, finishing stage. There are three hard 

chromium plating operations at this plant, which are referred to as 

Operations A, B, and C in the report on the Initial site visit to this 

plant conducted on May 2, 1986. 

A new ventilation system and chevron-blade mist eliminator with a 

single set of overlapping-type blades was manufactured and Installed by 

Duall Industries, Inc., 1n January 1987 to control chromic ad d emissions 

from the two hard chromium plating tanks 1n Operation B. Before the new 

Installation, each tank was vented to a separate mist eliminator for which 

the manufacturer and age are unknown. The two chromium plating tanks are 

operated from 8 to 10 hours per day, 5 days per week, 51 weeks per year. 

The chromic add consumption for the two tanks averages about 63 kilograms 

(140 pounds) per month. 

B. Process Information 

A diagram of the capture and control system for the two tanks 1n 

Operation B is presented in Figure 1. Tank No. 1 1s 1.52 meters (m) 

(5.0 feet [ft]) long, 0.71 m (2.3 ft) wide, and 1.83 m (6.0 ft) deep and 

holds approximately 1,790 liters (i) (473 gallons [gal]) of plating 

solution. Tank No. 2 is 1.83 m (6.0 ft) long, 0.76 m (2.5 ft) wide, and 

1.83 m (6.0 ft) deep and holds approximately 2,340 i (617 gal) of plating 

solution. The chromic ad d concentration of the plating baths is 210 

grams per liter (28 ounces per gallon) of plating solution. 

Tank No. 1 contains two work stations each of which is equipped with 

a 3,000-ampere rectifier. Tank No. 2 contains two work stations that are 

equipped with one 5,000-ampere rectifier. Typically, one Industrial roll 

1s plated for about 45 minutes in each tank; however, two Industrial rolls 

can be plated at a time 1n each tank. The operating voltage and current 

for each roll typically range from 10 to 15 volts and 1,200 to 

1,600 amperes, respectively. About 12.7 micrometers (0.5 mil) of chromium 

plate 1s applied to each roll. 

C. Emission Control 

Both tanks are equipped with double-sided lateral exhaust hoods. 

The double-sided hood on Tank No. 1 has one slot on each side of the tank 

<& 
ROOF II 

II 

II 

>^= ^ 

MOISTURE _ n 

EXTRACTOR ^ MIST 

ELIMINATOR 

4-

II 

II 

II 

ROOF 

LEGEND: GASFLOW 

TANK NO. 1 TANK NO. 2 

Figure 1. Diagram of capture and control system for two hard chromium 

plating tanks (Operation B) at Consolidated Engravers. 

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that 1s 1.45 m (4.75 ft) long and 8.9 centimeters (cm) (3.5 Inches [1n.]) 

wide. The hood on Tank No. 2 has three slots on each side of the tank. 

Each slot is 0.40 m (1.3 ft) long and 5.1 cm (2.0 1n.) wide. 

Exhaust gases from both tanks are ducted together and vented to a 

chevron-blade mist eliminator. The mist eliminator contains a single set 

of overlapping-type blades and 1s located on the roof of the plating shop 

(see Figure 1). According to vendor Information, the actual gas flow rate 

Into the mist eliminator is 176 actual gublc meters per minute (m /m1n) 

(6,225 actual cub1c3feet per minute [ft /m1n]), although the design gas 

flow rate was 226 m /min (8,000 ft /min). The blade section 1s 1.1 m 

(3.6 ft) in height and width and 20 cm (8 1n.) in depth. The actual gas 

stream velocity through the blade section is about 150 meters per minute 

(m/m1n) (490 feet per minute [ft/min]), while the design gas velocity was 

about 190 m/m1n (620 ft/min). 

A moisture extractor 1s Installed 1n the stack to control chromium 

emissions that may be drawn through the mist eliminator. The mist 

eliminator and moisture extractor are equipped with a spray washdown 

system. The washdown water is drained Into a 340-i. (90-gal) holding tank 

and then to the plating tanks to make up for plating solution evaporation . 

losses. The mist eliminator and moisture extractor are washed down one or 

two times per day depending on the amount of plating solution makeup 

needed. 

D. Conclusions 

Consolidated Engravers in Charlotte, North Carolina, 1s 

representative of a captive shop that performs hard chromium electroplating of Industrial rolls. The new mist eliminator used to control 

chromic ad d emissions from the two tanks in Operation B is a good 

candidate for emission testing for the following reasons: (1) operating 

parameters of the plating tank are within the ranges considered to be 

typical for hard chromium plating tanks; (2) there is a straight section 

of duct at the Inlet of the mist eliminator that is 2.0 m (6.7 ft) in 

length and 50.8 cm (20.0 1n.) in diameter, which meets EPA Reference 

Method 1 criteria; however, a stack extension may need to be installed to 

allow for proper location of a test port at the outlet of the mist 

eliminator; and (3) emission test data from this site could be compared 

with other test data to determine the effectiveness of a mist eliminator 

with a single versus a double set of overlapping-type blades and the 

effectiveness of a single set of overlapping- versus wave-type blades for 

controlling chromic acid mist. 

One possible limitation of testing at this site 1s that the workload 

1n the plating tanks may not be as high as the workload during EPA tests 

conducted on two other chevron-blade mist eliminators. Consolidated 

Engravers personnel were very cooperative and stated that they would 

Increase the workload to the extent possible to accommodate emission 

testing. 

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V. References 

1. Memo from Strait, R., MRI, to Vervaert, A., EPA/ISB. September 2, 

1986. Trip report to Consolidated Engravers, Charlotte, North 

Carolina. 

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