Now it is possible to operate the In-House TRU TEMP black oxide system while utilizing almost no rinse water by using the Near-Zero Water Recycling System. Not only can the user benefit from the low operating temperature of the TRU TEMP process, but there is also a huge water savings – as much as 99.5% compared with a conventional flowing rinse system.
The TRU TEMP process has been attractive for industry because its low operating temperature enhances safety conditions and reduces costs at the same time. Nowadays, conserving water is also highly desirable because it saves valuable natural resources, and lowers operating costs even further. Only the TRU TEMP black oxide process allows the user to achieve these goals.
To put it into perspective, a normal BC100 TRU TEMP black oxide process line utilizes three flowing rinse tanks, each utilizing about two gallons of water per minute. When operated for one shift per day for a month, the total water consumption is about 63,000 gallons – all going to city sewer as non-hazardous discharge. Though the actual cost of this volume of water is usually quite low, a flowing rinse system may not be a viable option for all users.
The Near-Zero Water Recycling System allows the user to recycle and re-use the water in the rinse tanks for a month. Then the Near-Zero filter media is changed, and all three rinse tanks are changed and re-filled with clean water, and the monthly cycle starts over. Total water consumption equals 300 gallons – a 99.5% reduction.
The Near-Zero Water Recycling System is useful in installations where normal water and city sewer services are not easily accessed. For example, in small shops on septic systems, sewer districts that restrict total water volume, or in plants where the blackening line is located in a warehouse without water or sewer hookups. In all these cases, the Near-Zero Water Recycling System can be installed on a new process line, or added to an existing line as a retrofit, and can make the difference between successful in-house blackening and no blackening at all.
“We see this as an important new trend in black oxide finishing,” reports Mark Ruhland, vice president of Birchwood Technologies. “Corporate concern for greener manufacturing practices and conservation of natural resources is driving this trend. We applaud our customers’ interest in being good stewards of the environment, and we are pleased to do our part in this effort.”
The Near-Zero Water Recycling System is designed for TRU TEMP process lines up to 150 gallons in tank size, and is completely pre-engineered for fast setup. The system can be integrated into most TRU TEMP tank lines in only a few minutes.
Most TRU TEMP process lines utilize seven to nine individual tanks, with a 30-minute turnaround time for black oxided parts. The TRU TEMP bath operates at 200 F and forms a non-dimensional, high quality black magnetite finish that is corrosion resistant and Mil Spec/RoHS compliant. Because the process uses a short cycle time, it streamlines part movement, provides better control of finished part inventory and enhances ISO accountability, giving the user a “same-day turnaround” capability to satisfy key customers.
