The Role Of Process Tanks In Electrocoating Processes
It’s common to find lined tanks within the electrocoating industry. Lined tanks are used to protect the integrity of the outer steel tank from the sometimes corrosive chemicals within the pre-treatment process.
They can also be used in an e-coat paint bath to protect against voltages leaking to the outer skin. Most process tanks that are lined have been installed a precaution, as a preventative solution to these potential problems.
Correctly Lining A Tank Used For Electrocoating
Tanks can be lined in a variety of ways depending on the chemical treatment or the type of process within the tank. Some examples of these lines are:
- GRP
- CPVC
- PVC
- Celvin
- Lead
Membracon have the facility to offer guidance for the correct liner for your process from design right through the installation.
Its common for companies to have the tanks lined initially and then forget about them. This can be dangerous as the lining is vitally important to the integrity of the tank. Not only to keep a consistent quality of output but also for health and safety and insurance reasons.
Having the tank liner integrity checked gives you peace of mind that your chemical is not leaking to the outer skin. If it were it would not only be costing you money in lost chemical but it will also eat away at the outer steel liner.
If the outer steel liner were to erode it may rupture, causing a large chemical spill and also huge health and safety issues.
How To Check The Integrity Of The Tank Liner
The liner can be checked in a number of ways, these include:
- Spark Test
- Ultrasonic Thickness Testing
- Impact Resistance Testing
By carrying out these integrity checks to your tank liner with a documented report of the outcome, you would be able to prove to your insurance company that the risk of a tank rupture is minimal. It may even reduce your insurance premiums.
Why Is Tank Lining Important
In the electrocoating process, tank lining integrity is important for a few reasons:
Voltage: With a voltage being applied to the liquid within the tank, it is extremely important that the inner liner has no cracks and is fully insulated from the outer shell, allowing no voltage to leak past to the outer steel tank and becoming live.
Health Risk: If the above were to occur it could be a catastrophic health and safety risk to those employees in the surrounding areas.
Quality: If you have a small hairline crack in the liner that doesn’t go all the way through to the outer, these become weak points.
Once the voltage is applied to the liquid and your part is submerged, the correct process would be that the paint would then attract to the negative (component) and the paint would give an even coverage.
With a weak point in the tank the voltage will try and take the path of least resistance which may be to try and fill the cracks in the tank liner, thus giving an uneven coverage and a poor quality of part.
Conclusion
Preventing a crisis from occurring is better than having to cure a problem. If a fault can be found and repaired with a tank integrity check your process will continue to provide good quality outputs with health and safety in mind.
Membracon specialise in not only providing the equipment for electrocoating, but also maintain and services parts. They offer a bespoke solution for you, from a new full tank liner to a preventative spark test.
About Membracon
Membracon UK Ltd is a global leader in water treatment, based in Wolverhampton in the West Midlands.
Using modern membrane technology, they provide water filtration, recycling, effluent treatment and electrocoating processes with bespoke systems, starting from the design process carrying them right through to installation.
They specialise in providing Reverse Osmosis, Ultrafiltration, UV Light and Anode Cells to the Automotive, Aerospace, Pharmaceutical, Food & Beverage, Agriculture, Industrial and Finishing Sector.
Offering full systems to parts and replacements they supply not only the nation but the world with modern water solutions that are environmentally conscious, improve health and safety and provide clean water.