FAQ

Can I clean anything using HydroBreak®?

HydroBreak® has been designed to clean most materials without causing any damage.

What will HydroBreak® clean?

HydroBreak® is primarily a degreaser and as such will give the best results when dealing with oils, greases and hydrocarbons.

How do I know that HydroBreak® won’t cause any damage to the surface I wish to clean?

If you are concerned that HydroBreak® might have an affect on what you wish to clean, try cleaning a small section first of all.

Does that mean that the other dirt will be left behind?

No, most other dirt will have been held in place by the oil and grease and when HydroBreak® is applied then the dirt will be washed away.

Will HydroBreak® remove baked or burnt on carbon?

HydroBreak® has been designed to be safe to use and there are limitations as to what the product can actually clean. In the case of burnt on carbon it is recommended to use a more aggressive product.

Does that mean that HydroBreak® is not powerful?

HydroBreak® is actually a very powerful and effective degreaser, giving outstanding cleaning results.

Is one application enough?

Normally one application is sufficient to remove all contamination, in the case of heavy or aged contamination it may be better to allow the HydroBreak® to soak for a period before washing away.

There is a range of HydroBreak® products, which is best for me?

As a simple guide you should refer to the product selector chart. If you still can’t decide then the TechnoSol agent will be happy to discuss your particular applications and recommend one of the products from the range.

Okay I’ve picked my product from the range. What’s the best way to apply it?

HydroBreak® can be applied in many ways using different equipment; it is always best to use the most powerful means of application in order to achieve maximum effectiveness and efficiency.

What do you mean by that?

To achieve the best results, the use of heat, agitation and pressure is recommended.

How do I get all of those?

The simplest way is to use a steam cleaning machine, floor scrubbing machine, ultrasonic bath, aqueous spray washing machine or a Butterworth spray washing system, using whichever apparatus that is best suited to your specific application.

I haven’t got any of those what should I use.

Don’t worry HydroBreak® will give impressive results by hand application.

What do you mean by hand applications?

Hand applications are when you use HydroBreak® without a machine i.e. with a brush or mop and bucket, rag or cloth or perhaps by a hand or backpack sprayer.

How do I mix the HydroBreak®?

Always add the water to the HydroBreak® in order to achieve a good mix.

Do I just use fresh water?

Where possible use hot water, this can be fresh or seawater.

When I’m cleaning using HydroBreak® where do I start?

It is always best to start cleaning at the furthest point from the drain, or if it is a vertical surface to be cleaned always start at the top and work your way down.

When I’m finished what do I do?

The first thing to do is to rinse away all wastewater to a suitable foul drain, interceptor, effluent treatment plant or holding tank. All wastewater must be disposed of in accordance with local regulations.

You state that HydroBreak® is environmentally friendly and that it will not cause any damage to the environment.

This is true, but like any product it must not be allowed directly into surface water.

What do you mean by that?

This simply means that any product entering surface water will have an impact, with HydroBreak® however it is possible to reduce this impact by passing the HydroBreak® and contaminants through a system allowing time for breakdown.

What do you mean by breakdown?

By breakdown we mean the breakdown of the resultant waste into acceptable components.

How can I achieve this?

To achieve breakdown of the contamination, HydroBreak® requires the presence of oxygen and bacteria.

Where do I get these from?

Firstly the bacteria required are found everywhere in the environment so they are already present, and secondly oxygen is also present in the environment so it is also available.

What if there are not enough bacteria?

This is a good point and one, which is very important. One of the main properties of HydroBreak® is its ability to stimulate the rapid growth of available bacteria in order for the bacteria to degrade the contaminants. HydroBreak® provides an initial food source for the bacteria and in doing so the bacteria will consume the HydroBreak® before turning their attention to the contamination.

Okay you also said, that oxygen is required, what if there is not enough?

Again this is an important point, as without oxygen we will get very little if any, breakdown. Oxygen is available in the air and also in water, but what we need is a constant supply in order for the bacteria to perform.

How can I ensure a constant supply?

The easiest way is to aerate the water into which the contamination passes.

How do I do this?

A very simple way is to feed a compressed airline into any holding tanks or interceptors, this will provide enough aeration for breakdown to occur.

How long does it take for breakdown to take place?

This is a very difficult question to answer, as it is dependent on several factor i.e. ambient temperature, available oxygen, available bacteria, and quantity of contamination and time. We suggest that once all the wastewater reaches a suitable holding tank, give as much time as possible prior to discharge.

How can I check that the wastewater is ready for discharge?

Take a reading of the free oils and greases prior to discharge.

You have only dealt with cleaning and degreasing applications I want to use HydroBreak® in my effluent treatment plant to help reduce my free oil and grease levels. How do I do this?

You are right, we now need to focus on some specific applications such as effluent treatment plants. The first thing to note is that the use of HydroBreak® at the source of contamination will have a positive effect on reducing the free oils and greases passing through the system.

What does this mean?

Well if we use HydroBreak® as the cleaner/degreaser in the factory the wastewater arriving at the effluent plant will have already been pre-treated, with the hydrocarbons in a much better state for degradation as they pass through the effluent plant.

So all I have to do is change my degreasing products in the plant?

To gain the best results we would also recommend the addition of HydroBreak® into the effluent plant.

How would I do this?

The best way to do this is by using a dosing pump at the inlet point to the effluent plant.

Will this lead to an immediate reduction on my free oil and greases discharges?

Initially it should be expected to see a rise in these levels, this is quite normal, as the introduction of HydroBreak® will clean out the system.

How long will this rise continue?

The rise should only occur for a short period of time as the system is cleaned.

What sort of reduction should I look for?

A free oil and grease reduction of 50% is possible; this is providing everything else in the system is functioning efficiently.

Can you provide technical assistance for dealing with effluent systems?

We have a network of organizations with which we have professional relationship who specialize in effluent treatment that will be able to offer technical support and assistance.

I notice in your information that HydroBreak® can be used for the clean up and remediation of soil and land.

Yes, this is another area where we involve specialist companies in order to develop particular clean up and remediation protocols.

Is it always a complicated process when it comes to cleaning up soil?

No, in some instances a very simple procedure can be implemented.

What types of problems can be dealt with using HydroBreak®?

HydroBreak® can be coupled with specific bacteria to deal with most types of organic contamination.

Okay you’ve answered my questions I now want some product but how much do I need?

With all the above information you probably realize that it is very difficult to give exact figures for products, as each situation is unique. For more detail information you can contact your local dealer.

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