Systems, methods, and anodes for enhanced ionic liquid bath plating of turbomachine components and other workpieces

A method carried-out utilizing an ionic liquid bath plating system including a plurality of cell vessels fluidly coupled to a gas-purged reservoir tank having a headspace, the method comprising:

• placing workpieces in the plurality of cell vessels such that the workpieces are at least partially submerged in plating solution baths, which are retained within the cell vessels when the ionic liquid bath plating system is filled with a selected non-aqueous plating solution;
• positioning plating anodes adjacent the workpieces in the plating solution baths;
• after positioning the plating anodes adjacent the workpieces, enclosing the plurality of cell vessels with lids such that the plurality of cell vessels contain vessel headspaces above the plating solution baths;
• after enclosing the plurality of cell vessels with lids, injecting a first purge gas into the plurality of cell vessels to purge the vessel headspaces;
• energizing the workpieces and the plating anodes to deposit metallic layers on selected surfaces of the workpieces utilizing an ionic liquid bath plating process;
• and
• purging the headspace of the gas-purged reservoir tank with a second purge gas different than the first purge gas.