Abstract: A method to prevent cladding or plating of metals, such as nickel or iron in a continuous production of alkali metal hydroxides which involves several steps: electrolyzing an aqueous alkali metal salt solution forming hydrogen, chlorine and an at least 10% caustic solution at a temperature of from about 75 to about 100 F; and treating said at least 10% caustic solution to create a more concentrated caustic solution while continuously and magnetically removing up to 33% of the metals present in the solution from the at least 10% caustic solution using a first magnet prior to evaporation, flashing and cooling of the at least 10% caustic solution, and then magnetically removing an additional amount of metals from the resultant more concentrated caustic solution again with a second magnet prior to filtration of the more concentrated caustic solution.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method to control of the presence of nickel and/or iron in a caustic solution using at least two magnets to remove about one third of the nickel and/or iron present in a caustic solution. The method involves passing cell liquor through a first magnet at a flow rate of about 600-900 gallons per minutes removing a significant amount of nickel and/or iron from the cell liquor forming first fluid, then evaporating a significant amount of water out of that first fluid and raising the temperature of that first fluid to above 330 F., then cooling the more concentrated caustic solution to a temperature of between about 75 and 100 F.

Abstract: A method to process waste water by removing metals, such as nickel or iron during the production of alkali metal hydroxides comprising the steps of: mixing the waste water with a cell liquor and blending the two fluids, magnetically removing up to 33% of the metals present in the solution from blended fluids using a first magnet prior to evaporation, flashing and cooling of the blended fluids, and then magnetically removing an additional amount of metals from the resultant more concentrated caustic solution using with a second magnet prior to filtration of the more concentrated caustic solution.

Abstract: The method involves the steps of: exposing a cell liquor containing metal to a first magnet, magnetically removing up to about one third of said metal present in the cell liquor, evaporating a significant amount of water out of that fluid, and raising the temperature of that fluid to above 220 Fahrenheit and adding a small amount of sodium borohydride (NaBH.sup.4) to suppress the reaction of the caustic solution with metal in the manufacturing process, evaporating and flashing off more water from the caustic solution, cooling the solution after evaporation and then flowing it through and around a second magnet to magnetically removing an additional amount of metal the solution, filtering the solution and then magnetically removing an additional amount of metal from said solution forming a final caustic solution having 40-55% by weight caustic.