Electrochemical treatment of cooling lubricants

Different systems of cooling lubricants were studied with respect to potential electrochemical treatment for their disposal or for prolongation of service time. Most of the research work focused on the study of synthetic water-miscible cooling lubricants of the Fimitol type for copper wire drawing. Besides direct electrolysis methods, combinations, such as electrolysis/electrocoagulation and ultrafiltration/electrolysis, were considered. For most systems copper removal down to mg dm(-3) units was possible with satisfactory efficiency. A new electrochemical reactor with specially designed rotating anodes was developed and tested in wire drawing plants, The new reactor for electrolytes with low conductivity can work with current loads up to 200 A. It was found that treated and partially non-treated systems could also be metabolised by micro-organisms. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.