Don’t Give Chromium(VI) a Chance!DEENNLFRFIPLDetecting | Mastering | Preventing
KavarClean®
Mastering Chromium(VI)

Chromium(VI) Neutralizer? Why KavarClean® Cleans and Does Not Neutralize

Anyone searching for a chromium(VI) neutralizer is looking for an agent that renders chromates on engines, exhaust systems and turbines harmless. What such agents can and cannot do depends on the chemistry and on the cause of chromate formation.

Cleaners

Why do we call our products cleaners and not neutralizers?

Our active ingredient system, consisting of an organic reducing agent and a complexing acid, reduces chromium(VI) compounds to a considerable extent to chromium(III) compounds and enables their removal. However, it does not achieve a permanent “neutralization” as claimed by some suppliers.

As long as the calcium-containing insulation remains in place, the cause of chromate formation also persists. One would therefore above all have to “neutralize” the calcium-containing thermal insulation, and that is only possible by replacing the insulation material itself.

Under operating conditions, chromium(VI) can therefore form again. Only cleaning and replacement provide a lasting solution.

The cycle on the hot component

1

Chromate forms

CaO and Na₂O from the insulation material react with the Cr(III) passive layer.

2

KavarClean® reduces and binds

Chromium(VI) is reduced to chromium(III), and the dust is bound and removed.

3

Operation, heat, new chromate

If the calcium source remains on the component, chromate forms again the next time the operating temperature is reached.

4

The way out: substitution

Insulation material without basic oxides, for example VitroSilK®.

Spraying and its limits

What a chromium(VI) neutralizer from a spray bottle cannot technically achieve

01

Stirring up

Spraying can wet and bind respirable dust, but the spray jet itself can initially stir up or blow away loose particles.

02

Spray shadows

Spray shadows occur on round, irregularly shaped or hard-to-reach components. Complete wetting and reliable dust binding are therefore not ensured.

03

Dripping

Simply applying the solution leads to uncontrolled dripping, which is an environmental risk. By-products and end products must not enter the sewer system without a protection concept.

The “neutralizer” is credited with properties that, on closer inspection, it cannot technically fulfill. Always bear in mind, therefore, that every process, with all suppliers and methods, involves cleaning only and not the suggested elimination. Since the calcium-containing insulation material remains on the vehicle, chromates may have formed again by the next workshop visit.

Frequently asked questions

Neutralizing chromium(VI): questions and answers

What is a chromium(VI) neutralizer?
This is the colloquial term for agents that treat chromium(VI) compounds on surfaces. No neutralization in the chemical sense takes place. The agents reduce chromium(VI) to chromium(III) and make the residues removable.
Can chromium(VI) on hot components be neutralized permanently?
No. As long as the calcium-containing insulation material remains on the component, the cause of chromate formation persists. The next time the operating temperature is reached, chromate forms again. Only replacing the insulation material with a material without basic oxides has a lasting effect.
What does KavarClean® do chemically?
The active ingredient system, consisting of an organic reducing agent and a complexing acid, reduces chromium(VI) compounds to a considerable extent to chromium(III) compounds and binds contaminated dust. We do not guarantee complete conversion.
Is a negative rapid test after cleaning proof of clearance?
No. A negative rapid test is not proof that chromium(VI) is absent. Reliable certificates of analysis based on wipe samples and material samples are issued by the laboratory of SEEF B.V. in the Netherlands.
Why cloths instead of spraying?
The spray jet can initially stir up or blow away loose particles. Spray shadows occur on round, irregular or hard-to-reach components, and simply spraying the solution on leads to uncontrolled dripping. Damp KavarWipe® cloths, by contrast, bind the dust immediately when they are applied.
Does KavarClean® replace the risk assessment or the protective equipment?
No. KavarClean® does not replace the risk assessment, the personal protective equipment or the substitution. It is an aid for maintenance, repair and remediation.
Where can I get a chromium(VI) neutralizer from Kavarmat®?
The products often searched for as chromium(VI) neutralizers are available from us as KavarClean®Redox Powder, KavarClean® Powder & Spray and KavarWipe® at Kavar.Shop under www.kavar.shop.

KavarClean® application Kavar.Shop