The DRYPLUS process has been researched and patented by ltaltecno with the aim to dramatically increase the “dry part” in the sludge produced as a waste in aluminium anodizing treatment lines.

DRYPLUS allows to get a “dry part” equal to 40-50% of the total aluminium hydroxide sludge, instead of the usual 20-25% achieved in the traditional processes.

The environmental advantage of employing the DRYPLUS technology is evident, since the volume of sludge considered as an “industrial waste” is actually halved, and the number of truck used to transport this volume of sludge is also halved.

The cost effectiveness of DRYPLUS is also clear, since the costs for the disposal of the sludge is reduced by half of what it could be with a traditional system.

The system consists of a reactor in polypropylene for alkaline baths (such as those from concentrated rinse tank) with a volume of 10-15 m3. Here the alkalinity is neutralised with concentrates from the Freeal unit as well as with acid rinse waters.

The precipitation of aluminium hydroxide is done generating a neutralization with concen­trated solutions, in well determined dynamic­physical conditions, and with the help from a specific Italtecno flocculation agent.

AII this allows the precipitation of alumini­um hydroxide with a high-density crystal formation, which basically means a quantity of “dry part” double (40-50%) comparing to what is achievable with all present conventional processes.

DRYPLUS has been successfully applied in actual industrial conditions.