Conductivity to Concentration

Cleaner Production Challenge

Conductivity can be used to optimize rinsing.
The chemical concentration in a process bath can be estimated using conductivity.
The rinse water flow rate can be determined using the maximum allowable chemical
concentration for the final rinse tank. The calculation will be addressed in this
workbook.
Method 1: This method was taken from "Pollution Prevention and Control Technology of
Plating Operations" by George C. Cushnie Jr. from CAI Engineering (pages 52-53). It uses
tabulated concentration and conductivity data.

Method 2: This method involves more physical testing, but will more accurately reflect the
characteristics of your tank.

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This worksheet is intended only for estimated calculations.

ation

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using conductivity.
allowable chemical
essed in this

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Converting Conductivity to Concentration

What kind of tank is your rinse from?

Step 1

Maximum tolerable / allowable

concentration of process
chemicals in rinse bath
Type of Rinse
Following cleaner/acid pickle
Following functional plating
Following bright plating

mg/L
Typical Range for Adequate Rinsing
400 to 1000
100 to 700
5 to 40

Step 2

Conductivity of tap water

Step 3

Conductivity of final rinse

Step 4

Mix 1 ml of process solution with 1 liter of rinse water

Conductivity of mixture
Equivalent concentration of
process chemicals

0 mg/L equivalent Sulfuric Acid

Conversion of Concentration to Conductivty

This table contains data that is linked to Conductivity Conversion - Method 1.
Conductivity Given in mho

0
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28

Brass (cyanide)
Bright Dip
Bronze (cyanide)
Cadmium (cyanide)
Chromic Acid
Cleaner, Light Duty
Cleaner, Heavy Duty
Copper CN Strike
Copper, High Concentration
Copper Rochelle
Copper Sulfate
Dichromate Brightner
Gold (cyanide)
Hyrochloric Acid
Iron Sulfate
Lead Fluoborate
Nickel
Nitric - Sulfuric Bright Dip
Platinum
Rhodium
Silver (cyanide)
Sodium Cyanide
Sodium Hydroxide
Sulfuric Acid
Tin (acid)
Tin (alkaline)
Zinc (cyanide)
Zinc (acid)

40

Concentration (mg/L)
100
150
750

0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0
0

52
185
64
52
120
44
68
104
48
101
24
24
69
280
36
4
24
92
64
187
32
76
160
240
27
4
40
20

130
225
160
130
145
110
170
260
120
253
60
60
173
700
90
10
60
230
160
467
80
190
400
600
67
10
100
50

300
700
240
260
450
190
330
363
180
380
163
100
260
1,031
133
42
105
477
240
700
126
283
635
862
100
70
280
95

1,490
3,500
1,200
1,310
2,250
1,150
2,250
1,600
900
1,900
1,400
480
1,300
5,000
653
429
640
3,444
1,200
3,500
680
1,403
3,450
4,000
500
340
1,390
630

1,000
2,000
4,650
1,565
1,740
3,000
1,540
2,960
2,540
1,167
2,500
1,630
640
1,670
11,000
870
590
530
4,680
1,570
4,630
910
1,870
5,800
6,300
630
390
1,800
470

vty

hod 1.

10,000
13,000
46,780
15,095
13,000
25,000
13,000
27,000
10,000
10,765
24,100
4,000
5,900
16,430
103,000
6,450
6,400
3,900
43,000
14,765
45,760
8,500
17,000
53,000
48,000
5,430
4,750
14,000
3,300

Converting Conductivity to Concentration

Step 1 - Chemical Data
Determine the conductivity of your process chemicals at different
concentrations. Do this by measuring the conductivity of a known concentration of
process chemicals. Gradually dilute the solution with known amounts of water,
recording the conductivity and concentrations at each interval.
Concentration
mg/L

Step 2

Conductivity
S/cm

Maximum tolerable / allowable

concentration of process chemicals
in rinse bath
Type of Rinse
Following cleaner/acid pickle
Following functional plating
Following bright plating

Step 3

mg/L
Typical Range for Adequate Rinsing
400 to 1000
100 to 700
5 to 40

Conductivity of final rinse

Concentration in the final rinse

#DIV/0!

mg/L