ELECTROWINNING AS A PART OF A TOTAL TREATMENT STRATEGY

DESCRIPTION - Remco Engineering barrel plating systems remove metals and cyanides from electrolytic solutions. These larger units (see the P-SET literature for small in-the-tank units) feature easy and low maintenance operation in a small space. Using anode and cathode materials suitable to the solution, the system features rapid solution turnover for high surface flow rates and efficient plating.. The barrel operation results in a compact product with reduced sludge. Low current densities allow good deposits at low concentrations. High flow rates and the barrel rotation create turbulent flow which minimizes the diffusion layer and results in increased efficiencies.

Barrel systems are unique in that the product is easily handled and readily recovered. The operation of the barrel results in and non-adhearent metal being removed immediately so the the result is solid metal balls which are easily recycled. There are no sheets to strip as with a parallel plate system. There are no very expensive pads to buy as with a flow through cell. The plating media is BB size shot and this is built up to about 1/2" in diameter. The barrel is easily emptied into a tray which drops the media into a small bucket. "BB's" are placed back into the barrel and the processes is started again.

When used with an ion exchange system, regenerant solutions are plated to about 200-400 ppm. Because the solution is used to elute the resin column and recover more of the metal, the residual concentration is not very important. Used as a batch plateout unit with ion exchange, the barrel unit can run to about 50 ppm before efficiency begins to degrade past the point of usefulness. Parrel plate systems can add high surface area reticulated cells which will allow plating down to about 1-2 ppm but the efficiency is very low once metal content is under 50 ppm.

Our systems feature our all fiberglass skid and superstructure as found on our ion exchange systems. All controls, recirculation tanks, plumbing, rectifiers and pumps are mounted on one easily installed skid. The systems plating cell is a tank within a tank. The plating cell has a sealed bottom to catch any sludge and is easily removed from the recirculation tank for cleaning. Each unit is completely wired, plumbed, and shipped ready to run.

SIZING - Systems are sized in increments of barrel size and amperage. Standard barrels are 8" x 12" and 12" x 18" and each barrel will run about 100 amps. 100 amps provide about 4 ounces per hour. A 24 pound per day system should have 3 barrels and a 500 amp rectifier.