Inhibitor Choice & Dosage
Inhibitor Choice & Dosage
Inhibitor Choice & Dosage
I. Introduction
Our challenge today is to develop chemical formulas that will control scale in cooling tower waters at the lowest total cost. Sadly and reluctantly, we learned of, and are obliged to expose, those purveyors of phosphonates and polymers who eagerly carry us over the threshold into orgies of short-lived, excessive-treatment bliss. Such high levels have negative consequences that extend far beyond the obvious economic ones and add to our mounting aversion to reckless additions A. Scale control chemicals introduced (often at high levels) to solve one problem are often seen to create new problems due to: 1. The limitations of threshold mechanisms; 2. The low solubility of certain complexes. B. High concentrations of scale inhibitors (and of corrosion inhibitors!) may cause corrosion to mild steel and copper alloys.
ICD - 1 - 10/29/07
ICD - 2 - 10/29/07
ICD - 3 - 10/29/07
Table VII Dosage for Calcium Carbonate Scale Prevention HEDP Scaling LSI RSI/PSI
None 0.0 > 5.8 Slight 0.2 5.6 - 5.7 Moderate 0.5 5.3 5.5 Strong 1.0 4.7 5.2 Very Strong 1.5 4.3 - 4.6 Severe 2.0 4.1 4.2 Very Severe 2.5 3.9 4.0 Highly Stressed > 2.7 < 3.9 Activity of Commercial Product % PO4 in Commercial Product
PBTC
PAA
(100% Active Basis) 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.2 0.1 0.5 0.5 0.3 1.0 1.0 0.5 2.2 2.0 1.2 4.0 3.0 1.8 x x 2.4 x x x x 60 50 50 55.3 17.6 x
Polyacrylates show a lower level of effectiveness than the phosphonates for calcium carbonate control. Furthermore, higher levels of polyacrylate can create an increase in scale, this time, some of it as calcium polyacrylate. Polyacrylic Acid (PAA) will hold calcium carbonate in solution or dispersion to a PSI of 4.6 at dosages of 4 ppm, but will not be effective at lower PSI values. We should note that a dosage of active HEDP very much above 3 ppm allows formation of calcium phosphonate. This establishes 4.1 as the lowest PSI we can effectively treat with HEDP When the scaling indicator is so low that HEDP can not do the job satisfactorily, or temperatures are above 140 F and alkalinities also high, replacement of HEDP with PBTC is recommended. We see that PBTC is effective at about one half the dosage of HEDP. HEDP is 18.1% P, and PBTC is 5.7% P so the replacement of AMP by PBTC on an equal weight basis reduces P content to one-third of what it was (5.7/18.1 = 0.32). This responds well to most regulations on phosphate disposal. The replacement increases the actives price by a factor of 1.53 [(92)(60)/(72)(50) = 1.53], but is still more economical because of the reduced cost of $0.77 for active PBTC replacing $1.00 worth of active HEDP [(1.53)/(2) = 0.77]. If water conditions are too severe for PAA, HEDP, and PBTC, and consequentially their salts are prone to precipitation, crystal modifiers such as copolymers and terpolymers may be needed.
ICD - 4 - 10/29/07
The phenomenon of threshold inhibition of calcium carbonate and the discovery of stable threshold inhibitors in the 1970s has led to major innovations in water treatment. Yet after more than 30 years, attempts to understand the mechanism of threshold inhibition have failed to yield a quantitative theory that explains inhibitor dose requirement. Vanderpool, as a result, proposed a method for estimating the minimum effective concentrations of phosphonates. He combines theoretical concepts of nucleation with informed observations about crystal growth inhibition and surface chemistry. The derived levels appear to be lower than most prevailing recommendations. Some cushion, however, should, in all cases, be allowed (especially at lower hardness) for the degradation of the phosphonates and for expected variations in temperature, and alkalinity. We provide the results of one set of calculations:
Part of the reason for the higher dosage for AMP is its poor performance in the presence of iron.
ICD - 5 - 10/29/07
After examining these methods for determining and applying scaling indicators, it is easy to recognize the complexities we expect to encounter. While we see some general agreement in the three approaches, we will not attempt here to evaluate or reconcile the differing results. One interesting aspect of Fergusons approach to scale abatement is that corrosion control dosages can also be determined. Corrosion inhibition and scale control models can then be integrated to arrive at a recommended formulation. The first step is to simulate the cycled water characteristics including the selection of an appropriate pH/alkalinity relationship. At each subsequent step (handling scale, preventing corrosion, solubilizing proposed additions, etc.), the simulation is repeated until a complete formula is established.
ICD - 6 - 10/29/07