Plating Solution Recovery Apparatus and Plating Solution Recovery Method

A plating solution recovery apparatus for electroplating, the apparatus comprises a circulation tank; a sludge removing device; a concentrating device; an iron compound crystallizing device; an iron compound separating device; an iron compound redissolving device; an iron ion removing device; pipelines sequentially connecting the circulation tank, the sludge removing device, the concentrating device, the iron compound crystallizing device, the iron compound separating device, the iron compound redissolving device, and then the iron ion removing device in a downstream direction from a base point coincident with the circulation tank; a pipeline connecting from the iron ion removing device to the circulation tank; a pipeline connecting from the iron compound separating device to the circulation tank; and a flow path changing device connecting to the circulation tank and provided in at least one portion selected from a group of portions, respectively, between the sludge removing device and the concentrating device, between the concentrating device and iron compound crystallizing device, and between the iron compound crystallizing device and the iron compound separating device. With the apparatus being used, the plating solution can be recovered in the manner that sludge and iron are removed from the plating solution used for electroplating of a steel strip. Further, with the apparatus being used, even when stopping the operation of a device(s) related to iron removal, a continuous electroplating operation can be maintained without reducing the operation rate of the sludge removing device.