Selectable closed-loop phosphatizing wash & rinse system and method

• US 20060002832A1
• Filed: 05/13/2005
• Published: 01/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: ESD Waste2Water, Inc.
• Original Assignee: EZ Environmental Solutions, Corp.
• Inventors: Niedzwiecki, Raymond
• Application Number:
  US11/129,731
• Publication Number:
  US 20060002832A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 422/188
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 19/1837 Loop-type reactors
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2208/00176 outside the reactor
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2208/00867 inside the bed, e.g. rotary mixer
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00024 Revamping, retrofitting or modernisation of existing plants
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/00094 Jackets
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 8/20 with liquid as a fluidising medium

Abstract

A phosphatizing system for phosphatizing an object including a subfloor assembly for supporting an object, and adapted to direct excess run-off fluids which are flowed over the object and collected at a run-off discharge port thereof. A closed-loop phosphatizing assembly is configured to pass a phosphatizing reagent run-off fluid over the object during a phosphatizing procedure, and a having reagent fluid reservoir in fluid communication with the run-off discharge port for receipt of substantially all the reagent run-off fluids from said subfloor assembly. A rinse system is configured to pass a rinsing solution over the object to rinse the reagent run-off fluid therefrom during a finishing rinse procedure performed after the phosphatizing procedure, and having a rinse fluid reservoir in fluid communication with the run-off discharge port for receipt of substantially all the rinsing/reagent run-off fluids from said subfloor assembly. A switch assembly is fluidly coupled between said run-off discharge port and the reagent fluid reservoir and the rinse fluid reservoir, and switchable between a first condition and a second condition. In the first condition, the reagent run-off fluids are directed to the reagent fluid reservoir during the phosphatizing procedure, while in the second condition, the rinsing/reagent run-off fluids are directed to the rinse fluid reservoir during the rinse procedure, wherein said collected reagent run-off fluids in said reagent fluid reservoir are not diluted by the rinsing/reagent run-off fluids.

Claims

1. A phosphatizing system for phosphatizing an object comprising:

a subfloor assembly for supporting an object, and adapted to direct excess run-off fluids which are flowed over the object and collected at a run-off discharge port thereof;

a closed-loop phosphatizing assembly configured to pass a phosphatizing reagent run-off fluid over the object during a phosphatizing procedure, and a having reagent fluid reservoir in fluid communication with the run-off discharge port for receipt of substantially all the reagent run-off fluids from said subfloor assembly;

a rinse system configured to pass a rinsing solution over the object to rinse the reagent run-off fluid therefrom during a finishing rinse procedure performed after the phosphatizing procedure, and having a rinse fluid reservoir in fluid communication with the run-off discharge port for receipt of substantially all the rinsing/reagent run-off fluids from said subfloor assembly; and

a switch assembly fluidly coupled between said run-off discharge port and the reagent fluid reservoir and the rinse fluid reservoir, and switchable between a first condition, directing the reagent run-off fluids to the reagent fluid reservoir during the phosphatizing procedure, and a second condition, directing the rinsing/reagent run-off fluids to the rinse fluid reservoir during the rinse procedure, wherein said collected reagent run-off fluids in said reagent fluid reservoir are not diluted by the rinsing/reagent run-off fluids.

2. The phosphatizing system as defined in claim 1, wherein

said switch assembly includes a valve mechanism selectively operable between the first condition, directing the reagent run-off fluids to the reagent fluid reservoir, and a second condition, directing the rinsing/reagent run-off fluids to the rinse fluid reservoir.

3. The phosphatizing system as defined in claim 2, wherein

said valve mechanism is provided by a 3-way ball valve or a pair of 2-way ball valves.

4. The phosphatizing system as defined in claim 1 further including:

a timer device coupled to said switching mechanism to delay, for a predetermined period, switching to the first condition from the second condition when switching from the rinse procedure to the phosphatizing procedure.

6. The phosphatizing system as defined in claim 1 wherein,

said reagent run-off fluid includes a phosphoric acid component and a de-ionized water component, and

said rinsing solution is composed of de-ionized water.

7. The phosphatizing system as defined in claim 1 wherein,

said phosphatizing procedure is performed through a spray application.

8. The phosphatizing system as defined in claim 7 wherein,

said phosphatizing assembly is further adapted for a combined pressure wash/phosphatizing spray application.

9. The phosphatizing system as defined in claim 1 wherein,

said phosphatizing assembly further includes a heating element in fluid contact with the collected reagent run-off fluid in said reagent fluid reservoir for controlled heating thereof.

10. The phosphatizing system as defined in claim 1, further including;

a storage tank fluidly coupled to said rinse fluid reservoir for storage of said rinsing/reagent run-off fluids.

5. The phosphatizing system as defined in claim 5 further including:

said predetermined period is about 20 seconds.

11. A method for phosphatizing an object comprising:

supporting the object through a subfloor assembly including a support floor having a run-off discharge port thereof;

phosphatizing the object, during a phosphatizing procedure, through a closed-loop phosphatizing assembly by passing a phosphatizing reagent run-off fluid over the object;

collecting the reagent run-off fluids in said run-off discharge port;

directing the reagent run-off fluids into a reagent fluid reservoir of the phosphatizing assembly for reuse thereof;

rinsing the object, during a finishing rinse procedure, through a rinsing assembly by passing a rinsing solution over the object;

collecting the rinsing/reagent run-off fluids in said run-off discharge port;

directing the rinsing/reagent run-off fluids into a rinse fluid reservoir of the rinsing assembly for collection thereof,

wherein the collected reagent run-off fluids in said reagent fluid reservoir are not diluted by the rinsing/reagent run-off fluids during the rinsing procedure.

12. The method for phosphatizing an object as recited in claim 11 wherein,

said phosphatizing the object is performed by spraying said object.

13. The method for phosphatizing an object as recited in claim 12 wherein,

said reagent run-off fluid includes a phosphoric acid component and a de-ionized water component, and

said rinsing the object is performed by spraying said object with a rinsing solution of uncontaminated de-ionized water or tap water.

14. The method for phosphatizing an object as recited in claim 11 wherein,

said directing the reagent run-off fluids and directing the rinsing/reagent run-off fluids is performed switching a switching assembly, fluidly coupled between said run-off discharge port and the reagent fluid reservoir and the rinse fluid reservoir, between a first condition, allowing passage of the run-off fluids to the reagent fluid reservoir while simultaneously preventing passage thereof to the rinse fluid reservoir, and a second condition, allowing passage of the run-off fluids to the rinse fluid reservoir while simultaneously preventing passage thereof to the reagent fluid reservoir.

15. The method for phosphatizing an object as recited in claim 14 further including:

delaying, for a predetermined period, the switching to the first condition from the second condition when switching from the rinse procedure to the phosphatizing procedure.

16. The method for phosphatizing an object as recited in claim 15 wherein,

said predetermined period is about 20 seconds.

17. The method for phosphatizing an object as recited in claim 15 wherein,