Descaling Metallurgical Processes

DescalingMetallurgicalProcesses
WrittenbyAZoM Aug302013

TopicsCovered
Introduction
TypesofDescaling
MechanicalCleaning
AqueousAlkalineCleaning
AcidCleaning(Pickling)
IndustrialApplications
References

Introduction
Descalingistheprocessofremovingoxidedepositsfromaheatedstock,eitherbeforeor
duringforgingoperations.

Scalesareformedonametalsurfaceduringheattreatmentprocesses.Oxidescales
discolorthemetalsurfaceandhindersubsequentfinishingoperations.

Descalingisametalcleaningprocessthatremovesunwantedsurfacedepositsonmetals
toprovideasmoothsurfacefinishandisapartoftheprefinishingprocesseswhich
includecleaning,strippingandpickling.Oftheseprocessescleaningandpicklingareused
forscaleremoval.

Prefinishingisvitalforsubsequentfinishingoperationslikeelectroplating.Somefinishing
processesrequireahighdegreeofcleanliness,whileothersrequireminimumcleanliness.

Physicalmethodsfordescalingincludeuseofwirebrushes,extrablows,scrapingdevices,
polishingorblasting.Chemicalmethodsthatareusedforscaleremovalareaciddescaling
andalkalidescaling.

TypesofDescaling
Thevariousmethodsofdescalingmetalsarelistedbelow:

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Descaling Metallurgical Processes

MechanicalCleaning
Formetalsthatreactwithchemical,themetalisdescaledbyphysicalmeans.Oxidescale
depositscanberemovedbyusingwirebrushesandscrapingdeviceslikewoolpads.
Abrasiveblastingmethodsandwaterjetsprayingcanalsobeusedfordescaling.

AqueousAlkalineCleaning
Mildalkalinesolutionssuchassodiumhydroxide,sodiumphosphate,sodiummetasilicate
andsodiumcarbonatecanbeusedforcleaningthemetalsurfaceandremovingtheoxide
scales.

Thestrongertheconcentrationofalkali,thefasterthecleaningprocess.Thiscleaning
methodisoftenfollowedbymechanicalcleaningmethods.

AcidCleaning(Pickling)
Acidcleaning,alsoknownaspickling,isyetanotherprocessusedforremovingoxide
scaledepositsfromametalsurface.Itisalsousedtoneutralizeanyremainingalkalisfrom
thepreviouscleaningprocess.

Thismethodofcleaningissuitableforferrous,aluminumandcopperalloys.Anacid
solution,calledthepickleliquor,isusedfordescalingthemetalsurface.Thewasteproduct
formedfromthepicklingofmetalsisknownaspicklingsludge.

IndustrialApplications
Someofthemainapplicationareasofdescalingarelistedbelow:

Descalingofcarbonsteels
Cleaningofferrousalloys
Oxidelayerremovalinjewelry.

References
PrefinishingOperationsUniversityofIllinois
SurfacePreparationUniversityofIllinois

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