MIL-HDBK-1165
5.3.2.1
Conventional and Water-Efficient. Conventional plating
facilities are those which do not incorporate the retrofit or
recycling options discussed below. Typical features of a
traditional, water-wasting facility include continuous overflow
rinse tanks, contaminated plate bath solutions that are
discharged instead of repurified, lack of drip trays or splash
guards, short drip times resulting in excessive drag-out of bath
contaminants, and overcrowded racks.
As for washrack facilities, it is difficult to predict
what the exact water and cost savings will be for your particular
facility when you implement the described water conservation
measures. However, from the data collected at facilities that
have implemented these measures, water savings of approximately
50 to 90 percent have been realized. Using a water recycling and
reclamation system also greatly reduces sewage and hazardous
waste costs, which can be significant for large-scale plating
shops.
5.3.2.2
Operation and Maintenance Procedures. The following
are simple, low cost procedures that can save significant amounts
of water:
a)
Locate and repair leaks.
b)
Do not overcrowd parts on the racks.
c) Orient parts on the rack so they are tilted or
tipped to allow proper drainage of planar surfaces, and to reduce
the surface area of the part which contacts the bath solution
last.
d)
Cover bath tanks when not in use.
e) Lengthen drip time to reduce drag-out of bath
f)
Avoid flooding with water as a clean-up method.
g)
Shut off water flow to rinse tanks when not in use.
5.3.2.3
Retrofits. The following are retrofit alternatives
that are low to moderate in cost:
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