Method and apparatus for electrolytic treatment of a surface

US5584984A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Mannesmann AG · DE

Inventors

• Franz G. Pempera · Neuwied, DE
• Michael Haentjes · Essen, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Jul 7, 1995
• Grant date: Dec 17, 1996
• Expiry date: Jul 7, 2015

Classification

• Technology area (CPC C): Chemistry; Metallurgy
• CPC primary: C25F7/00
• WIPO field: Surface technology, coating
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

A process and apparatus for electrolytically treating a surface, as for pickling, cleaning and/or degreasing a high-speed continuous metal strip. The strip to be treated is passed through a container holding an electrolyte and including strip electrodes disposed in confrontingly-spaced relation above and below the movement path of the strip. The electrodes are arranged along the movement path in serial adjacency so that each electrode is disposed immediately adjacent to an opposite polarity electrode along the path. Electrolyte is applied to the strip by a number of nozzle pairs, each pair being associated with and arranged on opposite sides of a respective electrode and acting on a region of the strip confrontingly opposite that electrode so as to prevent the electrolyte from entering gap regions defined between adjacent electrodes. This arrangement avoids short circuits through the electrolyte between adjacent, opposite charge electrodes.