Electrochemical Cleaning

Electrochemical Cleaning (ECC)^SM is a very effective process using the same physics, equipment, and chemicals we use in our proprietary "spot" electropolishing technique.  Discovered when a customer had a product residue issue that looked like classic "rouge" yet when industry accepted de-rouging chemical applications were tried they proved completely ineffective. In an experiment we used the spot electropolish procedure whereby electrolyte was applied to the stained surface and the DC current was activated and the "hand tool" was applied to and moved over the surface the stain was removed immediately.  Eureka!! We had discovered a new and very valuable application for our technology.  Because of this discovery we were able to completely clean 5,10,15K GALLON & larger vessels in hours instead of days.

Once discovered this method has found several very cost effective applications where ECC can be used in place of more expensive and less effective chemical or manual processes while delivering a micro surface improvement to the area being cleaned where optional processes at best do nothing to improve and at worst can etch the micro surface.

Applications:

De-rouging: ECC has been found to be very effective for removing rouge for both electropolished and non-electropolished surfaces.  An added benefit observed on items de-rouged using ECC is the rouge is very slow to return.  Though conventional de-rouging and passivation methods would yield a clean product contact surface the rouge would begin to reform in a matter of hours.  Equipment de-rouged using ECC has shown the rouge resisted returning for months and in some cases years.

Grey Residue:  On equipment with a sanded or mechanically polished stainless steel surface only it is common to find a grey residue present when the surface is wiped with an alcohol soaked cloth.  In many instances the entire surface of a vessel, as an example, will be hand wiped for hours using "clean wipes" until all of the grey residue has appeared to have been removed.  The vessel may then be passivated or cleaned in place and allowed to dry only to have the grey residue return at visibly the same concentration as observed before the cleaning operation. 

It is believed this grey residue is made up of stainless steel powder created by the sanding process and electrostatically adhered to the mechanically polished surface (PIC).  No amount of wiping or chemical cleaning has proven to completely remove this residue. Understandably Quality Control personnel find this condition unacceptable concerned if the grey residue can be wiped off, it stands to reason it can come loose during product processing and become an undesirable additive.

ECC can completely remove this grey residue in one application by electrolytic action as metal is removed ion by ion with the very outermost surface and any residue being removed.  In dozens of applications this condition has successfully been treated in one application eliminating grey residue from the equation.

Weld Scale and Discoloration: Prior to successful use as a de-rouging or surface contaminant removal process, ECC was developed specifically for removing weld discoloration directly on a weld or in the heat affected zones adjacent to the weld.   

The process utilizes a mild acid electrolyte solution and DC current that when applied to a weld or heat affected zone (HAZ) very rapidly removes discoloration. On large construction projects utilizing austenitic, super-austenitic or nickel alloys, weld discoloration has historically been removed by mechanical polishing, blasting or a harsh chemical application, all of which alter the appearance when compared to untreated surrounding surfaces.  The process has also been shown to improve corrosion resistance in these areas comparable to that of the surrounding base metal.

For further information regarding Electro-Chemical Cleaning (ECC)^SM and additional applications, all our offices Toll Free at (877) 823-7911.