Rinse Water Control and Water Recycling

Back in the mists of time, 70% of the plating in the United Kingdom was carried out within a 30 mile radius of Birmingham.  Cars came with chrome plated parts, and every instrument company had a rinse water controller in their product range.

With the decline of the plating industry most rinse water controllers have disappeared along with many of their manufacturers.

As we have been operating since 1982, still with the original company name and original owners, we are able to supply the modern equivalent of the rinse water controllers with a large digital display and a 4-20mA output for data logging, PLC integration or a remote readout.

Our current C3645-RC rinse water control kit comprises of

• A Conductivity Controller, powered either by a 230 or 115 VAC mains supply
• A Dip Conductivity Cell in PVC, for use in solutions up to 50°C
• A brass solenoid valve, able to close against zero pressure

The solenoid valve being able to close against zero pressure is important.  This means that the solenoid valve is suitable for use with mains water pressure and a recycled or treated water feed to the rinse from a header tank.

The operation of the system is to install the sensor on the discharge from the rinse tank which should be located at the opposite end of the rinse tank to the clean water feed.

When work is rinsed in the rinse water tank, the dragout from the previous process tank increases the conductivity.  This is sensed by the conductivity controller which switches on the solenoid valve to add clean water.

The contents of the rinse water tank is now diluted, thereby lowering the conductivity.  The lower conductivity switches off the solenoid valve until the process is repeated.

This ensures that the wash off process isn't compromised by contaminated rinse water and that the water bill isn't too high, by only calling for fresh water when it's required, resulting in an efficient system.

We are able to offer systems for towns water, recycled water and a system for demin water with a lower measuring range.

For hot demin rinse tanks which are popular in the aerospace industry, as the work flash dries due to heat, we are able to offer a high temperature cell with automatic temperature compensation (ATC).

The ATC corrects the conductivity reading so that it is corrected back to 25°C and has a polypropylene solenoid valve with stainless steel trim.