Benefits
Currently, products are being sold into the machining coolant market, cooling tower water treatment applications, metal recovery and swimming pool water treatment markets. However, we are currently quoting several other market application as well. The value and competitive advantages of BIOCON® to each market are explained in the following paragraphs:
The Machining Coolant Treatment System
Many machine shops use water-soluble oil as a machining coolant and metal cutting lubricant. This solution is generally a simple oil/water emulsion, generally with a concentration of approximately 5% oil. As metal parts are machined, this machining coolant emulsion is sprayed onto the parts being machined and the machine's cutting tools, as the cutting work is performed. The machining coolant flushes metal shavings ("swarf') off the machined part while carrying heat away from the tooling. Often the part being machined has a coating of oil that also gets carried away in the machining coolant. This oil which is washed off the part being machined, is called "tramp oil". The machining coolant is collected in a reservoir, or sump, where a pump returns the liquid to the machine tooling, as needed.
The presence of tramp oils precipitates a chain reaction that quickly leads to early disposal of the machining coolant. As the tramp oil rises to the top of the reservoir it spreads to cover the surface. Anaerobic bacteria growth is rapidly promoted under this oil layer. The pH of the machining coolant begins to drop as bacteria colony counts increase. As the liquid becomes more acidic additional problems arise. Machining coolant that becomes acidic from bacterial growth tends to dissolve metallic ions from the parts being machined. This allows toxic heavy metals, lice chromium, cadmium, lead, and nickel, to be present in the coolant. In addition, the acidic nature of the machining coolant also begins to deteriorate the cutting tools used by the equipment to machine the parts. This leads to poor product quality and shortened lifetime of the cutting tools themselves. In addition, the deteriorating machine cooling oil tends to develop a rancid odor that is offensive to everyone. Exposure to these, often toxic, liquids have created increasing concern for employee health.
Companies that sell machining coolants usually offer expensive halogen based bactericides as an additive to combat bacterial growth. These bactericides are short lived and cannot be used with some metals that are sensitive to hydrogen embrittlement, such as titanium Companies performing titanium machining operations generally need to dedicate a complete machine to that work to avoid this problem
The BIOCON® Machining Coolant Treatment System solves the five (5) major factors that shorten coolant life.
1. Bacterial and Algae are killed and re-growth is inhibited.
2. Metal fines are removed.
3. Tramp oil is skimmed and absorbed.
4. Acids are countered and a pH of about 7.0 is maintained.
5. Dissolved heavy metals such as chromium, cadmium, and lead are reduced or removed.
As a result, it creates financial savings for the customer by:
• extending coolant life, two to three times or longer
• reducing the machine tooling wear - increased tool life up to six times
• improving the surface finish of machined products.
The BIOCO]V® Machining Coolant Treatment System will reduce the number of oil changes, reducing the need for replacement oil and minimizing the cost of disposal for "used" machine cooling oil (which can often be classified as "hazardous waste"). In actual cases, the product has demonstrated an ability to increase the life of a machine's cutting tools by as much as six (6) times. In addition, The BIOCOIV® Machining Coolant Treatment System will also eliminates the need for the costly toxic chemical biocides. Finally, reducing heavy metals and metal fines extends tool life and machined part's finish is enhanced.
By controlling the growth of bacteria, the BIOCOIV® Machining Coolant Treatment System also reduces the risks associated with an employee's exposure to chemical treatments now in use. With this technology, these problems are now treated with absolutely no chemical additives. . Employee exposure to toxic heavy metals and bacteria laden machining coolant leads to dermatitis and other more serious health problems. Operators were previously exposed to either excessive amounts of bacteria or powerful biocides or both. Now, with BIOCOA®' they are exposed to neither.
Finally, most customers agree that the rancid odor ("Monday morning stink") has virtually disappeared as a result of using the BIOCOIV ' products.
FTS has built and is marketing several standardized product models specifically designed for use in a machining center. Several options are available, depending upon the customer's need, and any size can be accommodated. Obviously, this product creates benefits for both the environment and the machine shop owner.
OTHER APPLICATIONS
 Water pipe de-chlorination
Ballast water treatment
Diesel engine water treatment
Fountains
Canals
Fish / shrimp farms
Water treatment for flooding oil wells
Reverse osmosis pre-treatment
Marine applications (fresh & salt-water)
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