Overview
ARBOK-GALVANIX is a closed-loop water system for continuous, reagent-free treatment of industrial wastewater from electroplating, metallization, photochemistry, dyeing, tanning, and metalworking. It recycles contaminated water back into production to precise spec, eliminating discharge and cutting operating cost. The whole process uses electricity only — no filters, no reagents, no chemical waste — with very low specific energy consumption, among the lowest reported for the sector, and up to 90 % OPEX savings versus conventional treatment.
Applications
Primary use cases: closed-loop water reuse in electroplating and metal-finishing; heavy-metal/acid/emulsion effluent treatment; zero-discharge compliance.
Industries and users: electroplating shops, PCB and photochemical plants, metal finishing, leather tanning, coating factories.
Scale: compact modular units, scalable by water volume and plant size.
Operating Principle
Vacuum-driven molecular (physical) separation: contaminated water is processed under vacuum so clean technical-grade water is recovered for reuse, while heavy metals, acids, dyes, and emulsions concentrate into an inert, non-toxic solid. No reagents, no filters; continuous 24/7 with no regeneration downtime.
Limitations: inert sludge handling; output spec tuned per process line.
Key Parameters
Energy: very low specific consumption, electricity-only, among the lowest reported for comparable treatment routes. Tap-water consumption: sharply reduced versus conventional operation — only a small fraction of fresh water is drawn in, cutting procurement costs substantially. Wastewater discharge: none — a true zero-discharge process. Chemicals: none. Water-treatment OPEX: down to 10–15 % of conventional cost (up to 85–90 % savings).
Sludge: non-toxic, inert (construction-grade). Operating mode: 24/7 automated; tolerant of inflow surges/halts. Water footprint reduced several-fold versus conventional treatment.
Architecture and Components
Vacuum separation unit; clean-water recovery/recycle loop; inert-solids extraction; integrated Water Quality Lab AI for remote monitoring and automatic control. Compact, modular, scalable; solar/wind compatible.
Advantages
Technical: reagent-free, filter-free; continuous operation; safe inert sludge; AI quality control.
Economic: 95–98 % of operating cost = electricity only; up to 90 % savings on water procurement and discharge fees; CAPEX payback 5–7 years.
Environmental: zero discharge, no chemical residues, no emissions, no hazardous sludge.
Strategic: closed water cycle; energy independence via renewables; no discharge-permit exposure.
Integrations
Plug-and-play with existing production lines (no core-process changes); SCADA/PLC + Water Quality Lab AI; compatible with solar, wind, and ARBOK-TURBIO power.
Deployment & Operation
Steps: effluent assay → unit sizing → plug-in install (minimal downtime) → commissioning. Continuous, automated; remote diagnostics and maintenance.
TRL
TRL 7. Industrial deployment has been validated through independent third-party testing and field operations, demonstrating stable performance under continuous production conditions. Advancing to TRL 8–9 requires additional long-term operating references across a broader range of industrial sites.
Market Potential
Electroplating and metal-finishing face strict heavy-metal discharge limits and rising water/effluent fees worldwide. Strong fit in industrial clusters under zero-discharge mandates (EU, US, East/South Asia).
Typical Project Economics
OPEX 95–98 % electricity (≤ 1 kWh/m³); up to 90 % savings on water + discharge fees; CAPEX payback 5–7 years depending on water volume. Inert sludge avoids hazardous-disposal cost.
Risk Factors
Conservative metal-finishing operators; per-line output-spec tuning; needs documented industrial reference for TRL claim; inert-sludge offtake.
Related Technologies
ARBOK TEXTILE-WASTE · ARBOK-CHLORIDE · ARBOK-VC (Vacuum Cracking) · Vacuum Osmosis