Arbortech Corp. has released a small version of its award winning Washer Washer UF recycling system for water-based cleaners. Dubbed Little Gizmo (Model WWLG), the unit can sustain a 35-gallon wash bath that is discarded weekly, a 400-gallon tank replenished quarterly, or a 1,800-gallon washer that is replaced annually.

Bath life extensions of four to more than ten times are possible, which means that wash baths formerly dumped and recharge with fresh water and chemicals on a quarterly basis can remain in productive service for a year or longer. The unit handles wash baths with temperature up to 200 degrees F across the full pH range. Parts exhibit consistent cleanliness while rinses remain clear. The Little Gizmo is low priced, starting at less than $4,000, in a size that will fit most available space.

According to President Ray Graffia, Jr., Arbortech's UF elements are manufactured for the company from titanium dioxide (TiO2) in a tubular configuration. Membrane pore size is 0.1um, which Graffia describes as "the ideal porosity" to recycle water-based cleaners. Elements in the Little Gizmo are less than a yard long and less than 2" in  overall diameter, each individual tube channel is 0.25 in. diameter.

Arbortech is a past winner of the Illinois Governor's Pollution Prevention Award for the development of Washer Washer recyclers. The product line is designed to maintain water-based cleaners online, drawing a slipstream flow rate calculated with company's well-proven formulas. Following parts cleaning with Washer Washer systems, processes like painting, powder-coating and plating show significant quality improvement. Volumetric reeducation of waste by up to 99% is possible, so disposal expenses are minimized. Decreased bath dump / recharge frequencies also create energy, labor, water and chemical savings.

The TiO2 membrane is expect to have a service lifetime of "at least 10 years, maybe 20," says Graffia. "However, the next membrane that permanently fails will be the first!" Arbortech began designing and manufacturing customized UF systems in 1981. In 1992, the company shifted to more standardized systems and a primary focus on recycling aqueous cleaners. The Washer Washer series debuted in 2000.

Each Washer Washer, including Little Gizmo, is maintained easily, since it comes supplied with a spare UF module. To change modules, the end user empties concentrated residual from the washer's process tank, explains Graffia, and "uses a small wrench to loosen two fittings, switch modules, retighten, refill the process tank and keep on going." The replacement procedure takes less than five minutes.

Arbortech also will service fouled modules under contract using delivery services such as UPS or FedEx to ship elements back and forth. The dirty module is sent to Arbortech, and after performance restoration, the same module is sent back, to be stored until the next required exchange.

Contact: Ray Graffia, Jr. Arbortech Corp., 3607 Chapel Hill Road, McHenry, IL 60050-2502

Telephone 815-385-0001 ext. 224