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# OAR Box 

# 1313 Preppedby LaTeiaShed



## Document

Number: 

# 8 ) 

# l-B- 1 Docket Number: 

# A-88-0 2

Printed 6/12/20089:03:27

AM Sheet 8of 99P. 2 

# 0 A-88-02 MIDWES TRESEARC H INSTITUT E

4505 Creedmoo rRoad Raleigh

. N.C

. 2761 2 Telephon e (919 ) 781-575 0 

## X-6- \ 

# r Date : Decembe r 26 , 198 4 

# FIL E 0 0 Subject : Sit e Visit—Greensbor o Industria l Plater s

Surveyo f Chromiu

mEmissio n Sources—Chrom e Plating EP AContrac t 68-02-3817 ; ESE D Projec t 85/0 2 MR I Projec t 7711- L From : 

### To : Barb Duletsk y 

# .yfi

A l Vervaer t ESED/ISB/SS S (MD-13 ) U.S . Environmenta l Protectio n Agenc y Researc h Triangl e Park , N.C . 2771 1 I . Purpos e Th e purpos e o f thi s sit e visi t wa s twofold : (1 ) t o gathe r background informatio n o n thi s chrome platin g plant , an d (2 ) t o determin e th e suitabilit yo f thi s plan t fo r chromiu memission s testing . II . Plac e an

d Dat e Greensbor o Industria l Plater s 72 5 Kenilwort h Stree t Greensboro , Nort h Carolin a 2740 3 (919 ) 274-765 4 Octobe r 29 , 198 4 III . Attendee s Greensbor o Industria l Plater s Rober t Hester , Vic e Presiden t U . S . Environmenta l Protectio n Agenc y Ji mCrowder , Chief , Standard s Suppor t Sectio n Stan Cuffe , Chief , Industria l Studie s Branc h A l Vervaert , Lea

d Enginee r Midwes t Researc h Institut e Barb Duletsk

y Charle s Heste r 

# Z J*N '8,99 ,

Principa l Laboratorie s 42 5 Volke rBoulevard , Kansas City , Missour i 6411 0P. 3

IV . Discussio n Durin g th e plan t visit , ther e wa s a discussio nwit hplan t personne l abou t th e chrom e platin g operation s a t Greensbor o Industria l Platers . Thi s discussio nwa s followe db y a tou r o f th e facility . A . Genera l Th e Greensbor o Industria l Plater s facilit y i s a jo bsho pprimaril y engage di nth e har dchrom e platin g o f suc hitem s a s textil e parts , hydrauli c parts , andwoodworkin g machinery . Some decorativ e chrom e platin g i s als o don e a t th e plant . Base do nth e numbe r andsiz e o f th e chrome platin g tanks , andonth e chromi c aci dconsumption , Mr . Heste r consider s i t t o b e a medium-size dshop . Othe r processe s performe da t th e plan t includ e polishing , grinding , andsan dblasting , a s wel l a s coppe r andcadmium

plating . Th e plan t wa s buil t in1955 . Ther e ar e 2 2 employee s workin g on e 10-hou r shift , 4 days/week . Thi s plan t i s on e o f few facilitie s i nNort hCarolin a tha t perfor m har dchrom e plating . Ther e ar e man y decorativ e plater s inNort hCarolina , bu t mos t o f the m

ar e captiv e platers . Tha t is , decorativ e chrom e platin g i s usuall y

performe db

y th e companie s wh o produc e th e item s t o b e plate d an dals o manufactur e th e fina l product . (Accordin g t o Mr . Hester , Carolin a Plater s i nGreenville , Sout hCarolina , i s anothe r jobsho po f simila r siz e t o Greensbor o Industria l Platers . Carolin a Plater s specialize s inplatin g larg e roller s fo r th e pape r industry. ) B . Proces s Descriptio n Ther e ar e thre e chrome platin g line s a t thi s plant . A pla nvie w o f th e thre e line s i s show ninFigur e 1 . Ther e ar e a tota l o f si x platin g tanks , fou r onon e lin e an don e oneac ho f th e others . Th e two larg e tank s ar e 6. 4 m (2 1 ft ) long , 0.9 1 m ( 3 ft ) wide , an

d1. 8 m ( 6 ft ) deep . Th e smalle r tank s rang e fro m 1. 2 m ( 4 ft ) t o 3. 7 m

(1 2 ft ) long , an dar e 0.9 1 m

( 3 ft ) wide ; and1. 8 m ( 6 ft ) deep . Fiv e o f th e tank s ar e devote dt o har dchrom e plating , andth e sixt htan k i s fo r decorativ e plating . Th e solutio ni nth e har dplatin g tank s contain s approximatel y 0.2 7 k g o f chromi c aci dpe r lite r (3 3 oz/gal ) o f water . Greensbor o Industria l Plater s use s abou t 45 4 k g (1,00 0 lb ) o f chromi c aci dpe r month . I t i s manufacture db y Allie dChemica l andi s purchase da s a flake d powde r in45-k g (100-lb ) containers . Sulfuri c aci di s use da s a catalys t inth e platin g solutio ni nconcentration s o f approximatel y 0.00 3 kg/2. (0.3 3 oz/gal ) o f solution . Ther e i s a laborator y a t th e plan t wher e sample s o f th e platin g solutio nar e analyze dperiodicall y t o ensur e th e prope r concentration s o f thes e constituents . Durin g th e har dplatin g process , chromium i s normall y

deposite da t a rat e o f 0.00 1 in . ( 1 mil ) pe r hour . Th e densit y o f th e curren t inth e tank s need s t o b e approximatel y 0.3 5 amps/cm 2 (2.2 5 amps/in. 2 ) plate dt o achiev e thi s depositio nrate . Th e direc t curren t (DC ) generato r use dt o



## 2P. 4

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HOOO O N 8ACK ONLY t*ATTV

E PUT E 

### frHARD PUT E (Cr** )

HARD PUT E (Cr* 6 )

HARO PUT E (Cr +6 ) RINS E

-TAN K ,(H 2 0 )

RINS E TAN K (HjO ) HAR D PUT E (Cr* 6 )hh 

# J

HOOO S O N -At C 2- FOU R SIDE S

HAR D PUT E (Cr +S ) M

E

HOOO S O N AtL . X FOU R SIDE S

O C GENERATOR



### Figur e 1 . Schemati c Diagra m o f Platin g Line s a t Greensbor o Industria l Platers .P. 5

charg e the electrode s an d maintai n the appropriat e curren t wa s operating a t a voltag e o f 5V

DC , generatin g a curren t o f 2,00 0 A , th e da yo f the visit . Some hard-plate d part s receiv e a s muc h a s 1 0 t o 1 2 mi l thicknes s o f chrome plate . Thi s provide s a wear-resistan t surfac e an d goo d protectio n fro mcorrosio n an

d rust . * Th e temperatur e o f th e har d plating solutio n i s abou t 55° C (131°F) . Th e tank s ar e heate d b yho t wate r fro

ma gas-fire d boile r tha t i s turne d on a t 3:0 0 a.m . on Mondaymornings . Th e tank s ar e heate d continuousl y unti l Thursday s a t close-of-business . Part s ar e arrange d o n rack s an d manuall yplace d i n th e platin g tanks . Afte r plating , part s ar e remove d an d rinse d wit h wate r i n a 10,600- £ (2,800-gal ) rins e tank . Th e part s ar e the n drie d an

d move d t o anothe r are a fo r grinding an d polishing . Th e decorativ e chrome platin g tank contain s a trivalen t chromiu m solutio n tha t i s supplie d b yHarshawPlating Systems . Thi s plating tan k operate s a t roo

mtemperatur e and , therefore , canno t b e use d t o buil d u p a s thic k a laye r o f chromiu ma s can the hard plating tanks . Becaus e chrome plat e i s porou s a t lowfil mthicknesses , part s mus t be plate d wit h nicke l befor e theyreceiv e a decorativ e chrome plate . Th e nicke l provide s a nonporou s barrie r t o protec t the stee l fro mrus t an

d corrosion . C . Pollutio n Contro l Insulatin

g ball s floa t i n the plating tank s an d cove r abou t 7 0 percen t o f the surfac e o f th e solution . Th e ball s ar e mad e o f polypropylen e an d las t indefinitel yi n th e tank . The yar e approximatel y3. 2 c m(1.2 5 in. ) in diameter . Although the purpos e o f the ball s i s t o limi t hea t los s an d misting , ther e i s stil l a substantia l amoun t o f mistin g fro mth e hard plating tanks . Mr . Heste r note d tha t h e onc e trie d a chemica l additiv e a s a substitut e fo r the balls . Th e chemica l controlle d misting b yforming a blanke t o f foa mo n the surfac e o f the solution . I t worke d wel l bu t i t tende d t o deteriorat e afte r onl ya fewday s i n th e plating solution , an

d ha d t o be replace d frequently . Each plating tan

k ha s some typ e o f hood arrangement . Th e olde r tank s have sid e draf t hood s along the edge s o f al l fou r side s o f the tank . Th e hood s on mor e recentl yinstalle d tank s drawemission s acros s the surfac e t o the bac k sid e only . Th e plan t ha s als o investigate d a differen t metho d o f hooding tha t woul d reduc e the volume o f ai r leavin g th e plant . A

n ai r curtai n system , whereb yai r i s pushe d acros s the surfac e an

d pulle d int o th e hood on the othe r sid e o f th e tan k ha s bee n designe d b

ythe Nationa l Institut e o f Occupationa l Safet yan d Healt h (NIOSH) . An

yne wtank s tha t Greensbor o Industria l Plater s install s woul d incorporat e thi s design . O n each plating line , inductio n fan s drawemission s fro mthe tank s throug h the hood s t o a mis t eliminato r (ME) . Th e ME' s ar e manufacture d b yKCH (se e Attachmen t A) , an d consis t o f paralle l rod s mad e o f polyviny l chlorid e (PVC) . The rod s separat e an d collec t chromi c aci d fro mthe



# V.P. 6

mis t b ycondensatio n an

d impingement . Th e ME' s ar e periodicall yflushed , an d th e chromi c aci d i s recirculate d t o the plating tanks . Th e plan t installe d thei r firs t o f thre e ME' s 4 year s ag o t o decreas e chromi c aci d consumption . Sinc e al l thre e ME' s wer e installed , chromi c aci d consumptio n ha s bee n cu t in half . Asmal l amoun t o f sludg e i s generate d i n th e plastic-line d platin g tank s a s a resul t o f th e chromi c aci d reacting wit h the lea d electrodes . Th e volume o f sludg e wa s muc h highe r whe n the tank s wer e lead-line d an d reacte d wit h th e acid . Ther e ar e hig

h evaporativ e losse s fro mthe hard plating tank s becaus e o f th e continuou s mistin g o f th e plating solution . Wate r fro m th e rins e tan

k i s used a s make-u p wate r fo r th e solutio n tha t i s adde d t o th e platin g tanks , thu s alleviating the problem s o f disposa l o f th e contaminate d rins e water . Clea n wate r i s adde d t o the rins e tan k t o maintai n th e appropriat e level . Emission s fro

mthe polishing an

d grinding are a ar e capture d using conventiona l hood s an d enclosures . A

n induce d draf t fa

n withdraw s the emission s fro

mthe enclosure s t o a cyclon e o n the roof . Th e particulat e matte r i s deposite d in a larg e hopper , whic h i s emptie d every3 t o 4 months . NIOS H conducte d a stud ya t thi s plan t a fewyear s ago . Th e result s wer e publishe d in a repor t called , "A n In-Dept h SurveyRepor t o f Greensbor o Industria l Platers. " A s par t o f th e study , th e worker s wor e persona l sampler s t o determin e thei r averag e level s o f chromiu mexposure . Thi s i s th e onl yavailabl e repor t on indoo r concentratio n level s a t thi s plan t becaus e no routin e indoo r monitoring i s done . D . Economic s Th e ME' s wer e purchase d fo r $3,00 0 t o $3,20 0 each , whic h represent s a smal l fractio n o f the cos t fo r an entir e plating line . Th e plan t installe d th e ME' s t o save mone yb ycapturing an

d recirculating the chromi c aci d tha t wa s previousl yemitte d t o the atmosphere . The yhave , i n fact , reduce d thei r chromi c aci d consumptio n b y5 0 percent . V . Conclusion s Th e tri p t o Greensbor o Industria l Plater s wa s ver yinformative . During th e discussion , a lis t o f potentia l contact s an d othe r resource s wa s generated . The lis t i s presente d in Attachmen t A . Thi s plan t i s representativ e o f mos t job shop s performing hard chrome plating . The captur e device s wor k well . Visibl e mis t wa s observe d t o be draw

n acros s the surfac e o f the tank s int o the captur e hoods . Th e ME' s als o wor k well , a s evidence d b yth e decreas e in chromi c aci d consumptio n a t th e plan t an

d b ythe fac t tha t ther e wer e n o visibl e emission s fro m

AP. 7



### th e stacks . Bot hinle t an doutle t testin g o f th e ME' s i s feasibl e o na t leas t on e o f th e lines . Fo r thes e reasons , thi s plan t appear s t o b e a goo dcandidat e fo r futur e testin g t o determin e bot huncontrolle d emission s ona typica l har dchrom e platin g tan kandth e contro l efficienc y o f a typica l mis t eliminator . Attachmen t



## 6P£_



### Attachmen t A

FUTUR E CONTACT S AN D PUBLISHE D REPORT S 1 . Manufacture r o f th e mis t eliminato r

KC H Pos t Offic e Bo x 78 7 Rutherfordton , N C 2813 9 Attn : Ke n Hankinso n (704 ) 287-243 9 2 . Loca l supplier s o f chromi c aci d

Wort hChemical s Ashlan d Chemical s Va n Water s 3 . NIOS H study : In-Dept hSurve yRepor t o f Greensbor o Industria l Platers . Novembe r 3-4 , 1981 . Stephani e Spotzwoo d o r Joh n W . Shehe e NIOS H Material s Processin g Sectio n Engineerin g Contro l Technolog yBranc h Divisio n o f Physica l Science s an d Engineerin g Cincinnati , Ohi o 4 . Professiona l associatio n

Nationa l Associatio n o f Meta l Finisher s 11 1 Eas t Wacke r Driv e Chicago , Illinoi s 6060 1 (312 ) 644-661 0 Davi d G . Kelly , Presiden t Nationa l Associatio n o f Meta l Finisher s IC O Ask o Processing , Inc . 43 4 Nort h35t hStree t Seattle , Washingto n 9810 3



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Contact s fro

m America nElectroplater s Societ y conference , January , 1984 . Ala nHaas e Chie f Chemist/Environmenta l Enginee r Brigg s & Stratto n Milwaukee , Wisconsi n Davi dScherze r CBC-Aqu a Searc h Oa k Creek , Wisconsi n Bruc e E . Merke l Presiden t Bruc e Merke l & Associates , Inc . Franklin , Ohi o Charle s Darvi n EPA/IER L Cincinnati , Ohi o Jerr y Koh l Nort hCarolin a Stat e Universit y Raleigh , Nort hCarolin a



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