CHROIV1ATE RECOVERY FRJOIVi CHRQMATING RINSEWATER
             IN THE METAL-FINISHING INDUSTRY
                               by
         Arun R. Gavaskar, Robert Fj. Olfenbuttel, and Eric H. Drescher
                             Battelle
                       Columbus, Ohio 43201
                       Contract No. 68-CO-0003
                      Work Assignment No. 3-36
                           Project Officer

                            Lisa Brown
        Waste Minimization, Destruction, and Disposal Research Division
                  Risk Reduction Engineering Laboratory
                        Cincinnati, Ohio 45268
          NATIONAL RISK MANAGEMENT RESEARCH LABORATORY
                OFFICE OF RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT
               U.S. ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY
                       CINCINNATI, OHIO 45268
                                                   \Printed on Recycled Paper

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                                          NOTICE
         This material has been funded wholly or in part by the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) under Contract No. 68-CO-0003 to Battelle.  It has been subjected to the Agency's
peer and administrative review and approved
                                          'or publication as an EPA document.  Approval does
Protection Agency or Battelle; nor does menti
not signify that the contents necessarily reflect the views and policies of the U.S. Environmental
                                            of trade names or commercial products constitute
endorsement or recommendation for use. This document is intended as advisory guidance only to
                                        jrc
the metal-finishing industry in developing app
caches to pollution prevention. Compliance with
environmental and occupational safety and health laws is the responsibility of each individual
business and is not the focus of this documert.

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                                          FOREWORD

         The U.S. Environmental Protection Age icy is charged by Congress with protecting the Nation's
land, air, and water resources. Under a mandate  )f national environmental laws, the Agency strives to
formulate and implement actions leading to a compatible balance between human activities and the ability
of natural systems to support and nurture life. To meet these mandates, EPA's research program is
providing data and technical support for solving environmental problems today and building a science
knowledge base necessary to manage our ecolog cal resources wisely, understand how pollutants affect
our health, and prevent or reduce environmental r sks in the future.

         The National Risk Management Research Laboratory is the Agency's center for investigation of
technological and management approaches for reducing risks from threats to human health and the
environment. The focus of the Laboratory's resea ch program is on methods for the prevention and control
of pollution to air, land, water and subsurface reso jrces; protection of water quality in public water systems ;
remediation of contaminated sites and groundwater; and prevention and control of indoor air pollution. The
goal of this research effort is to catalyze development and implementation of innovative, cost-effective
environmental technologies; develop scientific and, engineering information needed by EPA to support
regulatory and policy decisions; and provide technical support and information transfer to ensure effective
implementation of environmental regulations and strategies.

         This publication has been  produced as part of the Laboratory's strategic long-term research plan.
It is published and made available by EPA's Office
of Research and Development to assist the user
community and to link researchers with their clients.
                                                                      E. Timothy Oppelt, Director
                                                    National Risk Management Research Laboratory

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                                         ABSTRACT
         The recovery system evaluated in this study combines various aspects of vacuum
evaporation and flash distillation.  It provides a
continuous supply of good quality rinsewater to the
chromating line at QRD.  Recirculation prevents! nearly 450,000 gal of water from going to waste
every year.  Contaminants removed from the circulating water include chromium, zinc, and other
dissolved solids. Contaminants are concentrated in a smaller wastestream (approximately
200 gal/yr) and disposed. Because QRD uses three different chromate formulations on a single
chromating line, this concentrate could not be reused. At plants that use a single formulation,
reuse may be possible, provided that the levels of zinc and iron do not increase to a point where
they affect the chromating quality.  Because wastewater (requiring treatment)  is  not generated, the
recovery system leads to a reduction in wastewater treatment costs.  Overall operating cost
reduction depends on the individual user's expected wastewater treatment costs. At QRD, the
return on investment was sufficient for the initi
4 years.
  capital outlay to be recovered in approximately
         This report was submitted in partial ft Ifillment of Contract No. 68-CO-0003, Work
Assignment 3-36, under the sponsorship of the
covers a period from May 1, 1992 to January C
January 31, 1994.
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.  This report
1, 1994, and work was completed as of
                                            IV

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                                        CONTENTS
Notice	   jj
Foreword  	  jjj
Abstract	  jv
Figures  . . .	  vj
Tables	  vj
Acknowledgments	  vii

SECTION 1:  Project Description	   1
     Project  Objectives	I.	   1
     Description of the Site and the Technology to Be Studied	  2
     Summary of Approach	  	  5
         Product Quality Evaluation  	  	  5
         Pollution Prevention Evaluation  . .  	  5
         Economic Evaluation  	  	  6

SECTION 2:  Product Quality Evaluation  ...  	  7
     On-Site Testing	  7
     Analytical Testing Results  	  	  7
     Product Quality Assessment	  	  10

SECTION 3:  Pollution Prevention Potential	  14
     Waste Volume Reduction	I	  14
     Pollutant Reduction	[	  14
     Pollution Prevention Assessment		  15

SECTION 4:  Economic Evaluation  	,	*	  17
     Major Operating Costs		  17
     Capital  Cost	  19
     Economic Assessment	t	  19

SECTION 5:  Quality Assurance	  20
     On-Site Testing	  	  20
     Laboratory Analysis	  	  21
     Limitations and Qualifications	  	  22

SECTION 6:  Conclusions and Discussion  . .  	  23

SECTION 7:  Reference	  24

APPENDIX A:  Manufacturer's Description of the Vacuum Evaporation/Flash Distillation
     System  	(.	  25

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                                        CpNTENTS
                                        (Continued)
APPENDIX B:  Wastewater Treatment Plant 0
     Rolling & Deburring Co	

APPENDIX C:  Analysis of Samples Collected
                                 aerating Costs at Quality
                                                                               29
                                 rorn the Sump Tank	  30
APPENDIX D:  Manufacturer's Description of Other Potential Applications for the Vacuum
     Evaporation/Flash Distillation System .  . I	  31
Number

     1
     2
     3
                                         FIGURES
                                                                             Page
                                i
Chromating rinsewater recovery sys'tem	    3
Daily trends for chromium in Rinse \  Tank, Rinse 2 Tank, and processed water ...    11
Daily trends for total dissolved solid's in Rinse 1 Tank, Rinse 2 Tank, and
processed water  	I	,	    12
Chromium in the inlet and outlet waters 	   16
                                          TABLES
   1     Water quality in rinse tanks	!	   8
   2     Processed water quality  	I . .	   8
   3     Characterization of distillation still bottoms and chromate. tanks	  10
   4     Major operation costs comparison  i	  18
   5     Precision of analysis	I	  21
   6     Accuracy of analysis  	  22
                                            vi

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                                   ACKNO
WLEDGMENTS
         The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Battelle wish to thank Sumner Kaufman,
Connecticut Hazardous Waste Management Service, for his important support in locating the
technology and the test site. Mr. Kaufman prqvided continued assistance throughout the project.
We also wish to acknowledge Jim Schroeder ojf Quality Rolling & Deburring Co., who provided the
site and the recovery system for this test and made available all the site-specific information
required for the evaluation.
                                            VII

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                                         SECTION 1
                                   PROJEC
 DESCRIPTION
         The goal of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) 33/50 Program (U.S. EPA,
1992) is to promote voluntary reductions in the release of targeted  hazardous chemicals by 33%
by the end of 1992, and 50% by 1995.  One objective of the 33/50 Program is to evaluate, in a
typical workplace environment, examples of prototype technologies that have potential for reducing
wastes at the source or for pollution prevention. The 33/50 Program is supported in Connecticut
by the Connecticut Hazardous Waste Management Service (CHWMS). In general, for each technol-
ogy to be  evaluated, three issues should be addressed.
         First, it must be determined whether the technology is effective in providing a satisfactory
product. Because pollution prevention or waste reduction technologies usually involve recycling or
reusing materials, or using substitute materials or techniques, it is important to verify that the
quality of the materials  and the quality of the work product are satisfactory for the intended pur-
pose. Second, it must be demonstrated that using the technology has a measurable positive effect
on reducing waste or on preventing pollution.  Third, the economics of the new technology must be
quantified and compared with the economics of the existing technology. It should be clear, how-
ever, that  improved economics  is not the only criterion for the use of the prototype technology.
There may be justifications other than saving money that would encourage adoption of new oper-
ating approaches. Nonetheless, information about the economic implications of any such potential
change is  useful.
PROJECT OBJECTIVES

         The goal of this study was to evaluate a system for removing chromate out of chromating
rinsewaters so that the rinsewater and the chomate could be reused.  Chromium is on the EPA's
list of target chemicals for early reduction. This study had the following critical objectives:

         «   Evaluating the rinsewater quality to ensure its suitability for rinsing, as
             well as evaluating the recovered
             suitable for reuse.
chromate solution to ensure that it is

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              Evaluating the pollution prevention potential of this technology.
              Evaluating the economics of incorporating the system into the plant.
 DESCRIPTION OF THE SITE AND THE TECHNOLOGY TO BE STUDIED
         The site for testing this new technology was Quality Rolling & Deburring (QRD) Company
located in Thomaston, Connecticut. QRD emp
oys about 75 people, and for the past 40 years has
provided metals finishing services to manufacturers of metal parts such as rivets, eyelets, metal
stampings, and electronic components. Because many manufacturers no longer perform in-house
metal finishing, the volume of work at QRD has tripled in the last 3 years. Recently, QRD added a
chromating line to their plant. Machined parts jmade from a variety of metals are first subjected to
zinc electroplating or mechanical zinc plating and then given a chromate conversion coating to
improve corrosion resistance. This chemical treatment converts the metal surface to a superficial
layer containing a complex mixture of chromium compounds. One of three different chromating
formulations is used on the same line at QRD -- blue-bright, yellow iridescent,  or clear-bright.
         Since May of 1992, QRD has been operating their chromating line with a CAST™*
(Controlled Atmosphere Separation Technology)) chemical recovery system manufactured by Cellini
Purification Systems, Inc.*  This recovery system uses various aspects of flash distillation and
vacuum evaporation technologies in conjunction with a patented liquid/vapor separation system to
recover the chromate from the rinsewater (see
system). The rinsewater is then reused.
         Figure 1 shows the system as it is co
continuous process, operating 6 to 8 hours per
system come from zinc electroplating baths or
Appendix A for manufacturer's description of
nfigured at QRD. The chromating line at QRD is a
day. The metal parts (workload) entering the
mechanical zinc plating.  Because QRD operates the
chromating line for a variety of clients with differing needs, they use three different chemical
formulations (shown as blue, yellow, and clear)
are not very high (generally around 1000 ppm)
.  Chromate concentrations in these formulations
 The parts are chromated with one of the
formulations before proceeding to the first rinse. The overspray collected from the chromating step
is recirculated back to the original chromate tanks.
         The first  rinse (Rinse  1) is essentially equivalent to a dragout tank which removes most of
the excess chromating solution. The oversprayj from the first rinse is returned to the Rinse 1  Tank.
The second (cleaner)  rinse (Rinse 2)  assures that the part is free from residue.  The overspray
  Mention of trade names or commercial products does not constitute endorsement or recommendation for use.
                                             2

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from the second rinse is returned back to the
Rinse 2 Tank.  Water from the Rinse 2 Tank is
manually transferred into the Rinse 1 Tank frc m time to time to maintain a countercurrent effect.
         When a change is made between formulations (blue to yellow, etc.), the chromating line
is first purged with clean water to clear any residue of the previous formulation from the pipes.
This purge water is collected and sent to the sump tank.
         The contents of the Rinse 1 Tank arje sent  to the chromate recovery unit in small frequent
batches at an average of around 60 gal/hr.  Irj the still  of the recovery unit, the mixture is
continuously processed by  the following methpd.  The solution exits through the bottom of the still,
is pressurized, is sent through a low-temperatlire heat exchanger, and is returned to the still via a
proprietary spray nozzle design.  The solution
in the heated solution vaporizes. The vapor is
falls with a downward velocity while water contained
 drawn upward, passing through a water-cooled
condenser and finally returning to the Rinse 2|Tank.   Approximately 30 gal of concentrate is
retained in the recovery still bottoms at most times.  This bottoms material gets more and more
concentrated with time and is evacuated into the sump tank every 3 or 4 weeks, depending on
measurements of chromium and dissolved solids (conductivity) buildup.
         At the end of each day's shift, the chromating line is shut down.  All the water from the
Rinse 2 Tank is transferred to the Rinse 1 Tank. The recovery unit continues to operate throughout
the night (24-hr operation) processing water from the Rinse 1 Tank into the Rinse 2 Tank.  This
nighttime  operation allows the water in the  rirse tanks to get some additional cleaning after
contaminant contribution from the chromating
 line stops.
         Because three different formulations (blue, yellow, and clear) are used on the same
chromating line, the resulting still bottoms concentrate contains a mixture of these formulations
and cannot be returned to any of the chromating tanks. Therefore QRD presently is not reusing the
recovered chromating solution. At plants where only one formulation is used or recycled at a time,
the chromating solution could potentially be reused.  Ideally the bottoms material would be
evacuated at or after the time that its chromate concentration exceeds that in the chromate tanks.
In practice however,  QRD has  not let the  bottoms concentrate to that extent but have evacuated
them periodically into the sump tank. When tne sump tank is full, QRD is able to concentrate the
contents of the sump tank down to about 200 gal that can be shipped out as hazardous waste.  In
plants where the chromate concentrate from the still bottoms can be reused in the chromating
process, all the chromium may be eliminated from the wastestream.

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SUMMARY OF APPROACH
         Testing was restricted to blue chromate, which is the most frequently used at QRD.
Because the chromate recovery' system functions 24 hr per day, it is always in steady state. The
                                          !
chromating line operation also does not vary much from  day to day.  Figure 1 shows with asterisks
the points where samples were collected on the test day.
Product Quality Evaluation
         The product quality testing in this project had two objectives. One was to show that the
water processed through the system is of good enough quality to be reused as rinse. The other
was to show that there is potential for reuse qf the still bottoms from the processing unit in the
chromating tanks under certain conditions.
         To evaluate the rinsewater quality, gYab samples of the rinsewater from Rinse 1 Tank and
Rinse 2 Tank and the processed water from tre recovery unit (before it reaches the tank) were col-
lected and analyzed.  The chromium level was
determine how much zinc is carried in from th
the main concern, but zinc also was analyzed to
5 previous process. Other general water quality
parameters also were analyzed.   Tap water frDm QRD was sampled and analyzed. To determine
acceptability of the returned rinsewater, the p 'ocessed water was compared to the tap water.  The
tap water also served as a field blank.  These samples were taken throughout the test day
(Thursday) to account for any variability in the process.  At the end of the daily shift, the chromate
recovery system continued to process the water, recirculating it from the Rinse 1  Tank to the
Rinse 2 Tank.  The next morning (Friday), the
processed water in the two rinse tanks was sampled
again.
         Periodically the still bottoms from the recovery unit were sampled and analyzed.  This
was done to confirm the capability of the unit
still bottoms.
Pollution Prevention Evaluation
         The pollution prevention potential of
chromating solution for potential reuse of the
and to verify the accumulation of chromium in the
this system is based on the successful recovery of
•insewater and the chromating solution.  The
quantitative analysis determined how much water and chromium can be prevented from being
discharged.

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Economic Evaluation
         The economic evaluation took into account the capital, operating, and waste treatment/
disposal costs.  Capital costs include the costiof the chromium recovery unit and its installation.
The costs of operating with and without the recovery unit were compared. Operating costs include
the cost of water, energy (electricity, steam), .labor {operating time and waste disposal), and waste-
water treatment.
         Waste treatment/disposal costs prio • to installing the recovery system were  estimated
from the previous year's plant records. The objective of this economic estimation is to determine a
payback period for the purchase of the equipment.

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                                        SECTION 2
                              PRODUCT QUALITY EVALUATION

         The product quality testing involved sampling of the rinsewater at various points in the
process over one full shift to ensure that contaminant concentrations in the rinsewater remain at
low levels at all times and there is a correspon ling buildup of contaminants in the still bottoms of
the recovery unit.  Figure 1  (in Section 1) shows the locations of the samples.


ON-S1TE TESTING

         On-site testing was carried out over one shift  by operating the chromating line
continuously from 9:30 am  to 3:30 pm, excepj for a  brief Va-hr break at 1:00 pm.  Periodic water
samples were collected from both rinse tanks and from  the processed water line.  The processed
water sample represents the instantaneous quality of the water coming out of the recovery system
before it has a chance to  combine with the water in the Rinse 2  Tank.
         To observe the accumulation of chromate in the still bottoms, samples of the still bottoms
material were collected at the beginning, middle, and  end of the  shift. As a comparison, samples
of solution in the three chromate tanks also were collected.
         For approximately 8 hours after the shift ended, the recovery system continued to
process the  water from the  Rinse 1 Tank into the Rinse 2 Tank.  The next morning, at 8:00 am,
both rinse tanks were sampled again to observe the improvement in water quality.  Another sample
                                           All samples were shipped by overnight mail to the
of the still bottoms was collected at that time.'
analytical laboratory (Zande Environmental Sen
                                           'ices, Inc., in Columbus, Ohio).
ANALYTICAL TESTING RESULTS

         Tables  1 and 2 show the results of the analysis of the water samples. The Rinse 1 Tank
samples (W-R1-1 to W-R1-6) represent the quelity of the water recirculating in the first rinse sprays
on the chromating line. As the shift progresses, the quality of the water in this tank deteriorates as
                                             7

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TABLE 1. WATER QUALITY IN RINSE TANKS
Sample No.
' Rinse 1 Tank
W-R1-1
W-R1-2
W-R1-3
W-R1-4
' W-R1-5
W-R1-6
Rinse 2 Tank
W-R2-1
W-R2-2
W-R2-3
. W-R2-4
; W-R2-5
W-R2-6
: (a) Next day.

; Sample No.
' W-PW-1
; W-PW-2
: W-PW-3
W-PW-4
W-PW-5
• W-TW-1 (a)
Time
9:30 a.m.
11:00 a.m.
12:30 p.m.
2:00 p.m.
3:30 p.m.
8:00 a.m.(a>

9:30 a.m.
11:00 a.m.
12:30 p.m.
2:00 p.m.
3:30 p.m.
8:00 a.m.(al

Cr
mg/L
2.57
12.0
29.5
14.6
24.7
8.91

0.21
O.435
0.589
0.843
1.35
0.593

TABLE 2. PROC
Time
9:30 a.m.
11:00 a.m.
12:30 p.m.
2:00 p.m.
3:30 p.m.
12:30 p.m.
(a) Field blank consisting of
;

Cr
mg/L
O.235
0.348
0.437
0.445
0.482
0.079
tap water sup

Zn
mg/L
4.50
23.5
61.0
32.5
53.2
26.1

0.442
1.15
1.50
3.28
3.97
2.42

TDS
mg/L
48
162
372
273
374
196

220
174
141
119
88
28

Cond.
//mhos/cm
60
200
475
340
450
312

280
190
180
160
130
55

PH
4.39
4.20
4.08
4.30
4.14
4.46

6.47
7.11
6.85
5.22
4.56
3.90

ESSED WATER QUALITY
Zn
mg/L
0.338
0.592
0.793
0.796
0.870
0.291
Dly at QRD.
8
TDS
mg/L
30
32
42
31
9
250


Cond.
//mhos/cm
55
60
80
80
80
400


PH
3.88
3.76
3.63
3.68
3.71
6.39



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shown by the increasing levels of the chromium, zinc, and total dissolved solids.  This deterioration
can be monitored on site at the plant by measuring the conductivity.  The pH fluctuates in a narrow
range but remains acidic due to the contribution from the chromating solution dragout. Chromium
levels in the Rinse 1 Tank increased to nearly 30 ppm during the shift.  The contamination levels
are still acceptable for the first rinse, but Rinse 2 requires cleaner water.
         The Rinse  2  Tank started the day wi :h about 50 gal of fresh tap water in it. This fresh
water is added daily to this tank to make up fcr losses in the system.  The Rinse 2 Tank is
replenished throughout the  shift with the processed water from the recovery unit. Contaminant
levels are thus held down to very low levels throughout the day in this tank (samples W-R2-1 to
W-R2-6).  On the test day,  chromium levels did not exceed 1.5 ppm in the Rinse 2 Tank. At the
end of the shift,  all the water in the Rinse 2 Tank is transferred to the Rinse 1  Tank, from which it
is processed overnight through the recovery unit back into the Rinse 2 Tank. Sample W-R2-6
                                          er
represents the water quality next morning afte
begins.  This cleaned water is transferred frorr
almost empty by now), and fresh makeup (tap
goes down further.  Sample W-R2-1 is a morn
 the night's processing and before the next shift
the Rinse 2 Tank to the Rinse 1  Tank (which is
 water is added to the Rinse 2 Tank and the cycle
continues.  When fresh makeup water is added to Rinse 2 tank in the morning, the chromium level
                                           ng sample after adding makeup water following
overnight processing.
         The processed water (PW) quality samples immediately after the recovery unit are shown
in Table 2 (samples W-PW-1 to W-PW-5).  A tap water blank was also collected at QRD and
analyzed as a comparison (W-TW-1).  Conside
dissolved solids) can be seen in the processed
                                           •able removal of contaminants (chromium, zinc, and
                                           water compared to levels in the Rinse 1 Tank.
Chromium and zinc levels in the processed water were higher than in the tap water supply.  The
chromium level in the processed water stayed
concentrations remained in a narrow range, although an upward trend is noted as the day
progresses.  This may be due to the increasing
help to reverse this trend.  Plants that operate
not have the benefit of overnight processing.
contaminant concentrations in the processed water until an equilibrium state is reached.
         QRD has high dissolved solids levels
                                           below 0.5 ppm on the test day.  Chromium and zinc
                                           deterioration of the Rinse 1 water feed to the
recovery system. Continued overnight processing and the daily addition of fresh makeup water
                                           their chromating line all three shifts per day would
                                           Such plants would see an upward trend in
                                           in its water supply.  The recovery unit reduces
dissolved solids in the rinsewater to levels below those in the tap water.  The pH of the processed
water was consistently low, indicating some carryover of the chromating solution's acidic
components into the distillate. The low pH of
eventual lowering of the pH in the Rinse 2 Tar
                                           the processed water (Table 2) contributes to the
                                           k water (Table 1).

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         The contaminants removed from the rinsewater accumulate in the still bottoms material
as seen in Table 3.  Overnight processing of the rinsewater increases the accumulation.  On the
morning after the test day, chromium concentrations in the still bottoms had risen to 224 ppm. A
sample taken from the blue chromate tank showed a concentration of 1,254 ppm.  If blue were the
only formulation used on the line, the still bottoms would need a sixfold concentration  to be
reusable in the chromate tank. Long before the concentration in the still bottoms reaches this
level, it is evacuated in the sump tank to maintain better quality in the rinsewater and also because
a very concentrated solution becomes too viscous for the recovery system  pump to handle.  When
the sump tank is full, its contents can be further concentrated to the required level.  Fresh
chromate formulation can be added to make dp any shortfall.  Plants that reuse the chromate
concentrate would have to carefully monitor levels of dissolved solids to ensure that contaminants
such as zinc and iron do not cause the chromating quality to deteriorate.
PRODUCT QUALITY ASSESSMENT

         Daily trends for chromium and total dissolved solids (TDS) in the Rinse 1 Tank (dragout),
Rinse 2 Tank (final clean rinse), and in the processed water are shown in Figures 2 and 3. The
levels of these contaminants are prevented frtjm rising in the Rinse 2 Tank by the influx of
processed water from the recovery unit.  Overnight processing  while the chromating line  is stopped
  TABLE 3.  CHARACTERIZATION OF DISTILLATION STILL BOTTOMS AND CHROMATE TANKS
Sample No.
Still Bottoms
C-SB-1
C-SB-2
C-SB-3
C-SB-4
Chromate Tanks
Blue (C-BCT)
Yellow (C-YCT)
Clear (CC-CCT)
Time

9:30 a.m.
12:30 p.m.
3:30 p.m.
8:00 a.m.(a)

2:00 p.m.
2:00 p.m.
2:00 p.m.
Cr
mg/L

162
168
216
224

1,254
1,471
3,860
Zn
mg/L

258
277
385
420

1,739
15
0.743
TDS
mg/L

2,280
2,240
3,170
3,610

1 6,740
3,590
25,110
Cond.
^/mhos/cm

2,700
2,500
3,200
4,000

12,000
15,000
28,OOO
PH

3.52
3.59
3.80
3.95

2.57
1.55
2.87
 (a) Next day.
                                            10

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  O)
  E.

  c
  o

  '•s
  i=

  CD
  O

  O
  O
  a
  o
              9:30 AM    11:00 AM
                    12:30PM   2:00 PM


               Time of Day



I	] Rinse 1  -f~ Rinse 2 \/ Process Water
3:30 PM
Figure 2. Daily trends for chromium in Rinse 1 Tank, Rinse 2 Tank, and processed water.
                                   11

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o>
c
o

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further helps to remove contamination.  Plant; that operate the chromating line 24 hr/day will riot
have the benefit of overnight processing and may see higher contaminant levels than shown here.
         The recovery system removes consi ierable amounts of chromium and other contaminants
from the rinsewater, rendering it suitable for use as a final rinse on the chromated parts. TDS
levels are reduced to below those for the tap
vater supply at QRD. A simple conductivity check
can be used as a water quality indicator, if recuired.  The acidity of the processed water is
significantly lower than that of the fresh wate
 supply. However, the lower pH of the final rinse is
not considered an issue by QRD and no product quality concerns have been raised in the 1 year
that this process has been in operation. Chromated parts have continued to meet QRD's and its
customers' quality requirements.
         A few chromated and nonchromatec
 parts were collected on the test day and retained on
an open tray for observation.  After almost nine months, the nonchromated parts have gathered
rust spots, while the chromated (and zinc-plat
retained a continuous bright luster. Although
are that reusing the processed water as a rinse does not affect chromating quality.
3d) parts show no visible traces of rust and have
no surface microanalysis was performed, indications
                                             13

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                                         SECTION 3
                            POLLUTION PREVENTION POTENTIAL
         Pollution prevention consists of wastje volume reduction and pollutant reduction. Waste
volume reduction refers to the reduction in volume of waste that has to be disposed of or treated.
Pollutant reduction refers to the amount of a gjven pollutant (chromium, in this case) that is
removed from the wastestream.  The pollution
6-hr shift/day, 5 days/week, for 50 weeks/yr.
prevention estimation for this study is based on one
WASTE VOLUME REDUCTION

         The source of waste in the chromating process is the wastewater that would be
generated during rinsing, in the absence of a recovery system.  The chromating line rinse requires
approximately 5 gal/min continuous flow through the sprays. Based on one 6-hr shift/day,
5 days/week, for 50 weeks/yr of operation, 450,000 gal/yr of wastewater requiring treatment
would have been generated.
         Because of the recovery  unit, most of this water is recovered and reused. The only
wastestream is the still bottoms concentrate that has to be discarded. Currently, QRD periodically
discharges the still bottoms into the 500-gal sump tank. At a later stage, when this sump tank
was full, QRD  ran the contents of the sump tank through the recovery system to distill it down to
approximately one 200 gal of concentrate.  Th
         The waste volume is thus reduced from 450,000 gal/yr to 200 gal/yr by using the
recovery system.
POLLUTANT REDUCTION
         The main pollutant of interest, in this
the inlet and outlet pipes of the recovery systen
water) or the processed water (outlet water) Were
s concentrate was disposed of as hazardous waste.
case, is chromium. Water meters were installed on
 .  Each time samples from the Rinse 1 Tank (inlet
   collected, the water meters were read. Based
                                            14

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on these measurements, Figure 4 shows a plot of chromium concentrations in the inlet and outlet
waters as a function of the cumulative, amount of water flowing through the recovery system.  The
integral area under the "Rinse 1" line indicates'the mass of chromium that would have been lost in
the rinsewater had there been no recovery sysjtem.  The area under the "processed water" line
indicates the small amount of chromium that the recovery system is unable to recover from the
returned water.  The difference  between the tjvo areas (in units of mass) is the amount of chro-
mium prevented from going to waste.  Areas in the graph were calculated by overlaying a finite
grid and measuring the number of squares under the concentration curve in the  appropriate units.
         Based on Figure 4, the difference in areas under the two concentration lines, and
therefore the amount of chromium recovered ih the 6-hr test shift, is 2,778 mg. On an annual
basis, approximately 1.5 Ib of chromium is prevented from going to waste as wastewater.
POLLUTION PREVENTION ASSESSMENT
         As seen in the previous sections, the, waste volume is reduced by using the recovery
system.  As far as pollutant reduction is concerned, 1.5 Ib of chromium are concentrated in
approximately 200 gal of still bottoms concentrate.  True pollution prevention would require that
this concentrate be reused in the chromating tanks, but for QRD this is not possible because the
concentrate contains a mixture of blue, clear, ar
interchangeably on the chromating line. Metal
may be better able to reuse the still bottoms concentrate from the recovery system.
nd yellow chromate formulations that are used
finishers who use a single formulation at all times
                                            15

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    —   / /  , \   _
                    •Y™-—r™~r-™T
                 8O   1OO  120   14O  16O
           Galldns of Water
   Rinse  1  Cone.    d  Processed Water
   Mass of Chromium in  Rinse 1
   Mass of Chromium in  Processed Water
Figure 4. Chromium in
the inlet and outlet waters.
                 16

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                                          I
                                        SECTION 4
                                  ECONOM


         The economic analysis compares the

of generating and treating wastewater.
MAJOR OPERATING COSTS
C EVALUATION
costs of operating the recovery system to the costs
         Table 4 shows the costs involved in operating with and without the recovery system.
Chemical costs, i.e., the costs of the chromate; formulations, are not considered because the same
amount of formulation is required in the chromate tanks regardless of rinsewater recovery. Costs
are calculated on an annual basis for operating one 6-hr shift/day (actual operation of the

chromating line), 5 days/week, for 50 weeks/yjar. The recovery unit is considered to operate
24 hr/day.  Some auxiliary devices, such as the vacuum pump, operate for a fraction of the time
that the entire recovery unit is in operation and
         Without the recovery system the main operating costs are as follows:
             Fresh water supply. A continuous
             required in Rinse 2, flowing courjtercurrent
 their use is appropriately prorated.
  5-gal/min flow of fresh tap water is
         into Rinse 1.
             Most of this water ends up as wastewater requiring treatment.  Unit
             costs for wastewater treatment were estimated from QRD's plant
             records (see Appendix B). Wastewater treatment costs at QRD appear
             to be somewhat higher than those normally associated with metal
             finishing plants because of the njultitude of.processes that generate
             wastewater at QRD.
         With the recovery unit, the main operating costs are as follows:
             Process water makeup. Althoug
             and recirculated, there are some
             approximately 50 gal/day of fres
             Rinse 2 Tank.
  most of the rinsewater is recovered
systemic losses for which
i  water makeup is added into the
                                            17

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               TABLE 4. MAJOR OPERATING COSTS COMPARISON
Item
                                    riual
Annual Amount
                                                     Unit Cost, $
                Annual Cost, $
Without Recovery System

Water (rinse)

Wastewater treatment
With Recovery System

Water (rinse, makeup)
Water (cooling,  makeup)

Waste disposal
    ^50,000 gal     4.65/1,000 gal

  450,000 gal(a)   88.00/1,000 gal(a)

                          TOTAL
     1 2,500 gal
     12,500 gal

        200 gal
4.65/1,000 gal
4.65/1,000 gal

 350.00/55 gal
                    2,093

                  39,600(al

                   41,693
   58
   58

1,273
Energy
- electricity 6(
- steam 3
Maintenance
Labor

>,950 kW hr
,000,000 Ib
—
100hr

0.068/kW hr
0.004/lb
—
8.00/hr
TOTAL
4,145
12,000
1,200
800
19,534
(a) Plant-specific values at QRD. These costs are] highly plant-specific, and individual users should re-
   estimate these costs for their own plants.
       Cooling water makeup.  Cooling
       recirculated through a cooling tower
       are made up with the addition o
       water.
       Waste disposal.  Approximately
    water required in the condenser is
         Evaporative losses in this loop
     approximately 50 gal/day of fresh
    200 gal of still bottoms residue is
       disposed of every year.  This residue is RCRA-listed as hazardous
       because it contains chromium metal.  In plants that use only one
       formulation on the chromating line, this disposal can be avoided
       through reuse.
       Energy. Electricity is consumed
       unit's circulation pump (7.5 kW,
    during the operation of the recovery
    24 hr/day), vacuum pump (5.5 kW,
       3 hr/day), the cooling water circjlation pump (10 hp, 24 hr/day), and
       the cooling tower fan (5 hp, 24 hr/day, 25 weeks/year).  The steam
       consumption of 500 Ib/hr (24 hrl'day) was based on the recovery sys-
       tem manufacturer's estimated efficiency of 1  Ib of steam for every 1 Ib
       of water processed (a circulation of approximately 1 gal/min is
       maintained through the recovery system).

       Maintenance.  Maintenance costs are a general estimate based on
       items such as changing the mairi seal in the circulator pump and the
       discharge tank air filter once a year, a new grease fitting every
       2 months, and any other miscellaneous maintenance.
                                       18

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             Labor.  Estimated additional
             approximately 2 hr/week.
labor for running the recovery system is
The savings in operating costs therefore are $22,159/yr.
CAPITAL COST

         The purchase price of the model installed at QRD is quoted as $78,000.  The installation
cost (piping, holding tanks, etc.) at QRD was estimated at $5,000 including about 16 man-hours of
labor.  Another associated cost is the purchase of the cooling tower and holding tank (for the
condenser water) for $4,000.  The total capital cost is $87,000.
ECONOMIC ASSESSMENT
         Based on the above capital cost ($87,000) and the reduction in annual operating costs
($22,159), the payback period for the recovers system can be estimated by:
                    payback in years =
                                                 capital cost
                                      annual reduction  in operating costs
This gives a payback period of 4 years.  Therefore, the recovery system in addition to providing
good quality rinsewater and reducing waste, also results in economic benefits for the user.
                                            19

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                                         SECTION 5
                                    QUALITY ASSURANCE
         A Quality Assurance Project Plan (QAPP) prepared prior to testing outlines the quality
assurance (QA) requirements for the study. The experimental design, on-site testing, and
laboratory analytical procedures are covered.  [The QA objectives outlined in the QAPP are
discussed below.               ~
ON-SITE TESTING
         On-site testing was performed as pldnned except for the following variations.  Because
only blue chromate solution was being used on the line that week, the lines did not have to be
purged and a purge water sample was not colljected.  Sample completion was 100% at  all locations
except the purge water line.  No field duplicates were collected for this study because none of the
tanks had any suspended particulates and the
aqueous solutions were homogeneous. All sampfes,
including the still bottoms, were free of suspended solids.
         QRD had changed the configuration of the system since the QAPP was written so that
the sump tank was no longer in the rinsewateJ recovery loop but was just being used as a
repository for the still bottoms that were evacuated periodically and for any purge water that might
be generated during formulation changes. Although samples were collected from the sump tank
(see Appendix C for the analysis) as planned, these samples no longer are an important part of the
evaluation, other than as a general indicator o
         On the test day, the filter press (part
down and the zinc plating operation, which ge
 the distillation residue and purge accumulation.
 of the wastewater treatment plant) at QRD broke
lerates wastewater, had to be shut down, such that
a continuous supply of zinc-plated parts available for chromating could not be maintained.
Therefore a single barrel of zinc-plated parts w:as circulated through the chromating line to simulate
contaminant dragout into the rinse.  This did n|ot affect the testing because the prime interest was
the rinsewater loop and not the chromating  itself.  However, slightly more chromate (hexavalent),
that otherwise would have otherwise been boiind on the parts, can be expected to have made its
way into the rinse.

                                             20

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          All samples were collected as detailed in the QAPP.  Samples were collected in
precleaned plastic bottles. Nitric acid preservative was added  to bottles collected for metals
analysis.  All sample bottles were packed wittji ice in a cooler and shipped by overnight mail to the
analytical laboratory.
LABORATORY ANALYSIS
         Analysis of the samples was performed as planned (using standard EPA methods for
water and wastewater analysis) and analytical completion was 100%.  Tables 5 and 6 list the
precision and accuracy, respectively, of the analysis for each matrix (water and concentrate).  The
water matrix consisted of the rinsewater and  Drocessed water; no distinction was made  between
the two because their composition was relatively similar.  Precision and accuracy are within the
acceptable range of ± 25%.  The native sample result in Table 6 indicates the regular sample
result including any dilution by the laboratory. Detection limits also are listed, and all  laboratory
blanks were below detection. The field blank (tap water) analysis shown in Table 2 indicates no
extraneous contributions to the analysis excerit for TDS and conductivity.  This is a reflection of
                              TABLE 5. PRECISION OF ANALYSIS
Parameter
Water Samples
Chromium
Chromium
Zinc
Zinc
TDS(b)
Conductivity'01
Conductivity'01
pH(d)
Concentrate Samples
Chromium
Zinc
TDS""
Conductivity'01
pH(d)
Detection
Limit

10
10
10
1O
1
1
1
0.01

10
10
1
1
0.01
Sample
# Regular, fjg/L
|
W-R1-1 2,570
W-R2-5 1,350
W-R1-
1 4,500
W-R2-5 3,970
W-R1-3 372
W-R1-6 312
W-R2-
W-R2-

C-ST--
C-ST-'
^ 160
t 5.22

1,396,000
1,758,000
C-CCTj 25,110
C-ST-3 10,550
C-ST-3 3.08
Duplicate, jjg/L Precision, %(al

2,680
1,280
4,660
4,030
347
312
161
5.23

1,431,000
1,782,000
25,900
10,540
3.08

4.3
-5.2
3.6
1.5
-6.7
0.0
0.6
0.2

2.5
1.4
3.1
-0.1
0.0
   (a) Precision = [(Regular - Duplicate) x 100]/[(Regu ar + Duplicate)/2].
   (b) Units are mg/L.
   (c) Units are //mhos/cm.
   (d) As measured in Standard Units.
                                              21

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                             TABLE 6. ACCURACY OF ANALYSIS
Parameter
Water Samples
Chromium
Chromium
Zinc
Zinc
TDS(b)
Concentrate Samples
Chromium
Zinc
Iron
TDS(b)
Sample #
W-R1 -1
W-R2-5
W-R1-1
W-R2-5
W-R1 -3

C-ST-1 .
C-ST-1
C-ST-1
C-CCT
Native Spike
Result, //]g/L Level, //g/L
256.S
1,351
500
500
450.4 500
396.6 500
37.2^ 1,000

1,396
1,758
,
500
500
749.7 500
1,255.3, 1,000
Matrix
Spike, //g/L
751
1,839
965
922
971.6

1,919
2,283
1,244
2,224.2
% Recovery'31
98.8
97.6
102.9
105.1
93.4

104.6
105.0
98.9
96.9
   1 • '	-• -   '  ' ''."--.-	'	" "  	•"• • ' f_.   '__ i_ ^   IIIII^J  l	 1  "-L !_.___ 	 ^z
 (a) Recovery = (Matrix Spike -  Native) x 100/Spike Level.
 (b) Units are mg/L.                          I
the high levels of dissolved solids normally found in Thomaston's (QRD's) well water supply.
Holding time requirements for all the analytes were met by the laboratory. Standard EPA methods
were used for the analysis of metals (EPA Methods 6010, 3010), pH (EPA Method 150.1),
conductivity (EPA Method 120.1), and total dissolved solids (EPA Method 160.1).  Calibrations
were performed as required by the standard methods.  Appropriate dilutions were made for data
that were outside the calibration range.
LIMITATIONS AND QUALIFICATIONS

         An important aspect of pollution prevention is the recovery and reuse of the pollutant of
interest, namely chromium in this case.  However, because QRD uses three different formulations
on the chromating line, the recovered chromium concentrate cannot be reused.  Therefore the
reuse aspect of the application could not be evaluated.  This is an operational rather than a
systemic limitation. At plants which use a single formulation on a line, the testing indicates that
reuse should be possible.  Zinc and iron levels
monitored if such reuse is planned.
in the recovered concentrate should be carefully
                                             22

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                                          SECTION 6
                                           I
                               CONCLUSIONS AND DISCUSSION
         The recovery system evaluated in th(S study provided a continuous supply of good quality
rinsewater to the chromating line at QRD. Recirculation prevents nearly 450,000 gal  of water from
going to waste every year. Contaminants remjoved from the circulating water include chromium,
zinc, and other dissolved solids. Contaminant^ are concentrated in a tiny wastestream (approxi-
mately 200 gal/yr) and disposed. Because QRD uses three different chromate formulations on a
single chromating line, this concentrate could raot be reused.  At plants that use a single
formulation, reuse may be possible, provided that the levels of zinc and iron do not increase to a
point where they affect the chromating qualityl.
         Because wastewater (requiring treatment) is not generated, the recovery system causes a
reduction in wastewater treatment costs.  Ovejrall operating cost reduction  depends on the
individual user's expected wastewater treatment costs.  At QRD, the return on investment was
sufficient for the initial capital outlay to be recovered in approximately 4 years.
         This recovery system is easy to install and operate on existing process lines. Other than
chromating operations, the system has potential for application to any process line that generates
wastewater (see Appendix D).  Unlike other systems such as electrodialysis or reverse osmosis,
which are prone to fouling and require considerable maintenance,  or ion exchange, in which the
resin has to be regenerated periodically, this evaporation/distillation system is relatively operator-
free, requiring minimal operator involvement.  One limitation is the relatively high energy (steam)
requirement necessitated by the heat requirements for distillation.  Future models that are being
developed are expected to have a more energy efficient design.
                                             23

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                                       SECTION 7

                                       REFERENCE

                                        I

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. 1992|  EPA's 33/50 Program Second Progress Report.
TS-792A.  Office of Pollution Prevention and toxics, Washington, DC.
                                          24

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                               APPENDIX A
                    MANUFACTURER S DESCRIPTION OF THE
               VACUUM EVAPORATION/FLASH DISTILLATION SYSTEM
                       SYNOPSIS OF THE  HISTORY,
                    PERFORMANCE
  PLANNED USE OF
                 THE CAST™ CHEMICAL RECOVERY SYSTEM
           AT QUALITY ROLLING  &
DEBURRING,  THOMASTON,  CT
PURIFICATION

(CPS)
PREPARED BY:  CELLINI™

               SYSTEMS, INC.

               Westfield, MA


DATE:   December  6,  1991
                                  25

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     Controlled  Atmosphere   Separation  Technology,   CAST™,  utilizes
various  aspects  of flash  distillation and  vacuum evaporation technol-
ogies  in conjunction  with a patentjed  liquid/vapor separation system  to
recover  and reuse aqueous-based chemical solutions and/or process water.
The systems are custom-engineered for each application to provide closed
loop or  zero  discharge operation  wlken possible.   In many electroplating
applications,  both  plating chemistry  and  rinse water  can  be recovered
for immediate reuse.

     A CAST™  Chemical Recovery System  is  currently in  place and  oper-
ating at QUALITY ROLLING AND DEBURRING CO.,  INC.  (QUALITY)  in Thomastort,
CT.  The system ,was used initially to recover  the process  water from a
mechanical zinc plating process for] immediate reuse, and return a highly
concentrated aqueous-based product for further reduction.

     On  October  3,  1991,  after  five months  of evaluation,_ the  CAST™
system was removed  from  its application on  the  mechanical zinc plating
operation.  The  system was cleaned  and reconfigured for use in a  zero
discharge scheme  for a chromating^japplication.   The  water .produced  by
the system was for immediate  reuse in the chromating  rinse tanks.   The
recovered chromating  solution  was Ho be returned  directly  to the  chro-
mating bath.    Absolutely no  measurable  quantity  of  chrome -could  be
tolerated in  the  rinse water.   This  was  QUALITY'S prerequisite to  pur-
chasing  CPS'  CAST™  system for  use  in their  planned  Zero Discharge,
Toss/Catch Action Chromating installation.

     Chromating rinse water was  simulated by  combining city water  with
MacDermid CT-11.   The simulated rinse water  contained 150 PPM of chrome.
The  simulated rinse water  was  introduced into  the  system  at   room
temperature.    The  system  was operated  at  approximately  40 GPH.   The
temperature of the process solutiorl  exiting  the spray head was approxi-
mately 115°F.   The temperature of the process solution entering the heat
exchanger was estimated to  be 100°F.   The calculated heat input was
350,000  Btu per hour.  The vacuum was maintained at  0.8 psia  ± 0.3  psia.
The system was  operated at these conditions for  four hours, producing
eight product water discharges of 20 gallons each.   The  total output was
160 gallons.   Three equal samples  were taken from  each discharge, one
from the beginning,  middle and end] of the discharge.   The samples  were
mixed together to form an average sample from each discharge.

     The eight samples were analyzed by QUALITY'S technician  using  their
Flame  AA.   Each  sample was  analyzed  in  conjunction with two control
samples.   The control samples consisted of  2  PPM standard chrome  solu-
tion,   distilled water, and retained  solution  from the previous sample.
One retain from the previous test was used in the next test as a control
sample in all testing with the exception of the first, which consisted
of  two  identical  samples,  a  2  PPM  chrome,  standard  and  two distilled
water  samples.    The  remaining  seven tests  consisted  of  one actual
sample,  one previous  retain and  a Randomly selected control.  The  first
two discharge samples contained  1 PPM chrome.  However, inconsistencies
were noted  in the  control samples during  the first,  second and  third
tests.   After calibration of  the Flame AA  to a  1  PPM chrome  standard
instead  of the previous 10 PPM chro|me standard, the  third test indicated

                               -Page  One-
                                     26

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 levels' of chrome  less  than the lowest limit  of  detection for the  Flame
 AA.  All remaining samples tested! showed levels of chrome  lower than  the
 limit of detection.   All remaining  control  samples indicated appropri-
 ately.   During this  procedure,  [the  operator was  not  informed  of  the
 identity of the samples or the possible chrome content.

      The system was restarted the next day and operated at 30 GPH  on an
 extremely concentrated chromic acid solution.  After four  hours of  oper-
 ation, no visible  color  could be j detected in  the  product water.    Color
 was observed  to be readily  visible in  product  water  containing 2  ppm
 chrome generated from process solutions  containing 150 ppm chrome.   The
 observed lack  of  color in the product  water  generated from the highly
 concentrated  chromic  acid solution  indicated the system's  ability to
 produce quality water  from  highly  concentrated chromic acid solution,
 or inversely,   produce  highly conpentrated chromic acid solutions from
 low concentration  rinses.         j

      The CAST™  system  produced rpnse  water  with  chrome  concentrations
 below the  lowest  level  of  detection, for  the. Flame  AA  instrumentation
 employed.    These   results  were  verified by  an . independent laboratory
 operated by  one of the  largest (suppliers  of plating  solution  in  the
 country.    As  a result,   in  conjunction  with five  months  of' previous
 operation on  their mechanical zijnc  plating  process,  QUALITY purchased
 the CAST™ system on November  5, 1SJ91.
                                  j
      QUALITY will  be  integrating) the CAST™  system into  their  .planned
 Toss/Catch  Action  Chromating line.    Production kickoff is anticipated
 during the  first  quarter of 1992.    The line is  designed  to  chromate
 carbon steel hardware  ten hours a! day,  five  days  a week.   Please  refer
 to attachment  for  a  detailed description  of the proposed Toss/Catch
 Action Chromator.   The CAST™ system will obtain  its  feed from the  rinse
 water storage  tank.   The recovered water will be  returned  to  the same
 tank,  and  the recovered  chromating solution  will be returned  to  the
 appropriate  chromating  solution storage  tank.   Reusing the process  water
 and chromating solution will  eliminate the cost of  lost chromating  solu-
.tion,  rinse water,  waste  treatment  of the rinse water  and disposal of
 the waste generated from the treatment  of the rinse  water.   Addition
 ally,  the need for a chrome sewer discharge permit  will be eliminated.

      In-keeping with the corporats philosophies  of environmental aware-
 ness  and  excellence in  engineering,  the staff at  CPS,  lead   by  the
 president and  founder,  John V. Cellini,  forged ahead to produce the next
 generation  CAST™  system.   Using [the information  obtained  through  the
 field placement of  the first CASjT™  system at QUALITY  and  hundreds  of
 man-hours of  in-house  research and development, substantial improvements
 have  been developed for the next generation CAST™ system,  Version  2.0.

      CAST™  system,  Version 2.0 has been  designed around a revolutionary
 energy recovery system.    This  sjystem  will   allow the  Version  2.0  to
 operate  on 14%  of the energy  required to operate the  previous  model.
 This  translates to  an operational -energy cost  reduction of 86%,  thus
 reducing  the quantity of  fossil fuels required for  operation and further
 enhancing the  environmental and financial impact  of the system.
                                -Pc
ge Two-
                                   27

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     Further  system improvements include  the introduction  of a  fiber-
glass process  vessel  with optional  TFE or PVDF coatings,  more effective
vapor/liquid   separation,  steam  protection  and  control  systems,   and
simplified valves and controls.

     Additionally,  a  cost reduction  program based on  the use of  engi-
neering plastics, alternate fabrication  techniques, and a completely new
control  system  has reduced  the manufactured  cost,_ thus reducing  the
selling price  and the customer's payback period.
     The  staff  of GPS believes that
revolutionize  the  current  marketpl
recovery  of  chemical- solutions once
 the  CAST™ system, Version  2.0  will
ace  by  turning  into  reality  the
thought to be  impossible  or econom-
ically unreasonable  to  recover; and  feels  that,  with continuing develop-
.ment  and  dedication to excellence in environmental  products,  the future
is a  bright and clean one.
                               -Page
                                     Three-
                                     28

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                                     ARPENDIX B
           ESTIMATION OF WASTEWATER TREATMENT PLANT OPERATING COSTS
                        AT QUALITY ROLLING & DEBURRING CO.
        Wastewater treatment unit costs were estimated from plant records at Quality Rolling &
Deburring (QRD) Co.  Between January 1 ajnd June 30, 1993, QRD treated  2,580,100 gal of
wastewater in their on-site treatment plant.
        Costs incurred for this period were:

        B   Treatment chemicals, $79,226
        »   Labor, $67,186
        •   Sludge disposal, $80,416.

The total cost was $226,828, giving an estimate of $0.0879/gal or $88/1,000  gal of wastewater
treated.
                                         29

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                   APPENDIX C




ANALYSIS OF SAMPLES COLLECTED FROM THE SUMP TANK
Sample No.
C-ST-1
C-ST-2
C-ST-3
C-ST-4
C-ST-5
Time
9:30 a.m.
1 1:00 a.m.
12:30 p.m.
2:00 p.m.
3:30 p.m.
Cr
mg/L
1,396
1,408
1,441
1,429
1,434
Zn
mg/L
1,758
1,875
1,885
1,910
1,948
TDS
mg/L
12,650
12,550
12,430
13,120
1 2,500
Cond.
//mhos/cm
10,490
10,480
10,550
10,530
10,470
PH
3.03
3.05
3.08
3.07
3.08
                       30

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                        APPENDIX D

MANUFACTURER'S DESCRIPTION! OF OTHER POTENTIAL APPLICATIONS
   FOR THE VACUUM EVAPORATION/FLASH DISTILLATION SYSTEM
                            31

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                  SUMMARY OF CAST™ CAPABILITIES
     Controlled Atmosphere Separation Technology, CAST™, by Cellini
Purification Systems, Inc.  (CPS)j has been successful in providing
reusable rinse water and recovering from the plating solutions of
various metal finishing operations the following elements:

          *  nickel chloride
          *  nickel sulfate
          *  nickel sulfamate
          *  zinc chloride
          *  cadmium cyanide
          *  silver cyanide
          *  gold cyanide
          *  zinc cyanide
          *  brass cyanide
          *  chromic acid
     Additionally,
containing:
             sewage
             particulate matter
             dissolved organic c
CAST™ systems have successfully purified water
            nd ionic contaminates
Systems  have  separated  water  from  oils,  recovered  etchants,
cleaners, solvents (chlorinated hydrocarbons)  and process chemicals
for reuse,  and concentrated platjjng solutions,  spent detergents and
end-of-pipe waste streams for disposal.

     CAST™ systems also are  capable of generating ultra-pure water
from city water sources  and potable water  from  sea  water.   CAST™
systems may be utilized virtually1 anywhere ultrafiltra.tion, reverse
osmosis,  ion  exchange,  electro
            -winning,  electrodialysis  and/or
current data indicates that the
conventional chemical precipitation waste  treatment is used.  Most
            2nergy cost per gallon of effluent
processed in most cases ranges from $0.004 to $0.01.

     Finally,  CAST™ technology  can be  utilized  in the  mining
industry, within co-generating power plants, and to de-alcoholize
wine and  beer.   And we  are  discovering new  applications  almost
every day.
          DATED:
                                      August 18, 1993
               Cellini™ Purification
               P.  O.  Box 942
               Westfield, MA  01086-0942
                                                         Systems
                                  32

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