nickel plating for a food processing unit

[offonoff]

We have a carbon steel vessel that will contain a food grade process. Also, there is significant acidity that would corrode the steel. Enameling sounds like a finiky process, though we are considering it. electro and electroless nickel plating sound potentially useful.


the vessel is several gallons. It has grooves for o-rings, and the o-rings have surface flatness requirements. There are external threads on inlet and outlet ports (not in contact with the solvent). water, acid, alcohols and solvents etc will be in contact with the surface in question. The container may suddenly drop to negative temperatures (-10C) in certain types of misuse.

are either of these nickel plating processes useful for us? which is the least 'impactful', both economically and environmentally? which is the easiest for amature nickel platers to utilize?

much thanks.

(also, We're open to suggestions other than enameling and nickel plating)

 

[offonoff]

also, electroplating silicon and then anodizing may be possible. I've seen anodized silicon cookware, but doubt this process is superior to nickel plating.

 

[unclesyd]

Based on your OP I believe that you would be better served by making your vessel from a corrosion resistant alloy. As per your post you are asking a lot from a plating point of view in that you require a corrosion resistant coating for the wetted surfaces which will be fairly thick and a very thin coating for the other surfaces, not impossible but highly impractical.

In general I've never seen a food processing vessel plated in it's entirety as normally only certain components will be plated. And all the surfaces that contact the process have to FDA approved like the Electroless NI has to be Lead and Cadmium Free.

 

[offonoff]

A corrosion resistant alloy would be ideal. I was quoted 110 dollars for a 900# carbon steel flange and 1,100 for a 304L stainless one. Building the entire reactor from stainless would be 10 fold the price. So, if it costs $2,000 to do an unusual plating process, the vessel is still much less expensive than making the whole thing from stainless.

I am unfamiliar with the different duplex and exotic alloys, but would be open to sourcing some parts in less expensive alloys, if they exist. the plumbing will be stainless, because standard sized stainless pipes are much more reasonably priced.

A fully nickel plated food vessel is unusual, but so is a food processing unit built to withstand thousands of psi. and though the plating process may be impractical, it seems the most practical solution to this unusual situation.

Also, I am hoping to find exactly what part of the current design makes plating difficult, and engineering around that.