Immersion-treating tubular elements

A method of continually treating the interior and exterior surfaces of tubular elements, comprising the steps of:

• providing a first bath containing a cleaning agent, a second bath containing a rinse agent, and a third bath containing a coating agent comprising an aqueous solution of a corrosion inhibitor and a film forming polymer;
• supplying a plurality of tubular elements comprising galvanized conduits of discrete length;
• conveying said tubular elements in spaced, substantially parallel relation to each other about a first arcuate path through each bath in a first rotational direction for a predetermined immersion time;
• conveying the tubular elements emerging from each bath about a second arcuate path disposed above each bath in a second rotational direction opposite to said first rotational direction;
• substantially minimizing the carryover of said agents between successive baths by inclining said tubular elements in said second arcuate path, the inclination of said tubular elements and the path traveled by said tubular elements about said second arcuate path being effective to drain excess agent from the interior and exterior of said tubular elements and into the bath associated with said excess agent and by air blasting the interior of said tubular elements after said tubular elements depart the second arcuate path associated with said first and second baths.