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[oletrucks] Cleaning rust from inside of tank and hydrogen embrittlement

To: oletrucks@autox.team.net
Subject: [oletrucks] Cleaning rust from inside of tank and hydrogen embrittlement Q's
From: CLLLSLS@aol.com
Date: Tue, 2 Nov 1999 22:58:26 EST
Hi,

This isn't exactly oletruck related, but I figured I might get some good 
suggestions from this list. 

I'm building a huge pressure feed sand blaster for very fast paint removal 
with plastic blast media. The pressure blaster consists of a tank 18" in 
diameter by 5' long and all the various pipes, fittings and ball valves to 
make it go. However, The inside of the tank I'm using is very rusty. I'ts 
rated for 3000 PSI and it's got 1/2" thick walls so I'm not worried about the 
tank rupturing at 150 PSI, but I need to get all the scale out of the tank, 
and if possible, every bit of the rust so it won't clog the pipes or prevent 
the media from settling. The only access I have to the inside of the tank is 
through the 2" FPT bungs on each end. I first thought of filling the tank 
with acid to dissolve the rust, but then I realized that Hydrogen 
embrittlement might make the tank prone to rupturing. I've heard about, but 
never tried, using a solution of molassas and water to dissolve rust and I'm 
wondering if this too causes hydrogen embrittlement? Will the molassas 
work/got any other suggestions for removing the rust by physical, chemical, 
telekinetic means? Let me know.

Dustin
50 & 53 GMC 1/2 tons ( Both too rusted for plastic media to even scratch, but 
it'll make me some extra money for buying old truck parts)
oletrucks is devoted to Chevy and GM trucks built between 1941 and 1959

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