Pickling and wastewater treatment

Metals such as stainless steel and aluminum are frequently used in the construction of machines, plants and structures. During the production process, cleaning the surfaces has specific attention. Sir John supports with a complete package of Pelox stains, but also provides an in-house installation to clean the inevitably produced waste water. 

A mordant is a deliberately aggressive agent used to clean metal surfaces such as stainless steel and aluminum. For example, from corrosion and rust products, as well as from discoloration resulting from welding. After the pickling process, the metal is rinsed. 

Pickling

For pickling stainless steel surfaces, Sir John has built up an impressive program of pickling agents from the renowned company Pelox. This consists roughly of pickling paste, spray pickling and bath pickling. Pelox is one of the larger manufacturers in Europe, having, among other things, its own pickling hall and laboratory. This makes it not only a manufacturer and supplier of pickling products, but also a company with in-depth knowledge about the pickling process. Moreover, always ready to offer advice and directly accessible to all of Sir John's customers for "customized solutions. 

Pickling paste

The series Pelox TS Pickling Paste removes run-on colors, rust particles and discolorations at the weld seam and in the so-called HAZ: heat affected zone. These pastes are intended exclusively for pickling welds and are not suitable for cleaning larger surfaces.

Spray stain

The spray stains SP-K from the program are just that. With them, surfaces can be cleaned of run-on colors, rust particles and discolorations at the weld seam and in the HAZ. The addition of a color indicator makes it easy to control the spraying process, allowing the coating to be applied very evenly. Another important function of the indicator is the encapsulation of toxic, nitrous gases produced during pickling. This also prevents nitrite formation in wastewater. 

The most commonly used spray stain is the SP-K 3000. This product is especially for AISI 1.4301, but also suitable for staining all types of austenitic stainless steel. The stain gives an even pickled surface that is free of clouds and stains.

Bath stain

Pelox Bath stain differs from the previously mentioned products in that it is used in baths, circulation systems and for atomization. During transport, storage and processing, the resulting contaminants that have been pressed into the surface are removed. Pickling times depend on the material, the temperature of the pickling bath and workpiece, and the condition of the pickling liquid.

Finally, Sir John offers a passivation agent from Pelox that allows an even, fine oxide layer to form on the product - after pickling. The passivants are suitable for pumping around and also serve as cleaning agents.

Wastewater treatment

Producing wastewater during pickling treatments is unavoidable. However, responsible companies either ensure that wastewater is properly disposed of for processing (which is an expensive business) or clean it themselves. Cleaning in-house is possible using one of the semi-automatic wastewater treatment plants in the Ecomatic series. These installations are available with a capacity of 200 to 5,000 liters per batch and can - in combination with flocculation products - make the in-house rinse water suitable for discharge or reuse. The entire process is run automatically based on values set on the PLC. The production of the plants is entirely in-house, allowing Sir John to tailor them completely to the needs and situation of a specific customer.