Importance

Loading Importance Indicators...

Abstract

The treatment of an electrolyte volume arriving from an electrochemical machining process and contaminated with hydroxide sludge is performed in a treatment basin (18) such that the contaminated electrolyte volume is supplied virtually horizontally to the surface of the clear electrolyte storage volume (30) contained in said treatment basin (18), and from this surface (28) electrolyte liquid is pumped away via one or several extraction points (32) for supply to a chamber filter press or centrifuge from whence the cleaned electrolyte is fed back into the treatment basin (18). The extraction of cleaned electrolyte from the treatment basin (18) takes place at a clearance distance from the bottom of said treatment basin (18), in the lower half of the basin or in the center third of the basin (18) height and is pumped from the extraction point there to the electrochemical machining device (10). The electrolyte volume extracted from the liquid surface (28) of the electrolyte storage volume (30) contained in the treatment basin (18) is more heavily enriched with hydroxide sludge than would be the case following mixing with said electrolyte storage volume (30). In order to remove the hydroxide sludge, it is sufficient to extract a relatively small volume of electrolyte liquid per unit time. The chamber filter press or the centrifuge can thus be of smaller dimensions. The electrolyte (30) in the treatment basin (18) can be kept effectively clear. The treatment basin itself is of particularly simple construction.

Loading the Abstract Image...

First Claim