Lime Scale A Billion Dollar Problem!!!

U.S. industry spends billions of dollars each year to control and remove lime scale build-up in industrial heat exchangers, evaporative coolers, boilers, chillers and other water-fed equipment. Oil wells, too, face significant scaling problems from the highly mineralized water that’s extracted with the oil. Lime scale increases downtime, maintenance costs, and energy consumption, and leads to the early renewal of capital equipment. Scale-prevention can benefit industrial water users by minimizing or eliminating unexpected production shutdowns and generating substantial savings through water conservation.

Scale usually refers to an intimate mixture of sparingly soluble mineral salts. Mineral scale deposition occurs as a result of heat transfer or pressure changes. Calcium carbonate scaling from hard water and calcium phosphate and oxalate formation in sugar refineries are examples. Other types of fouling include growth of algae and bacteria (bio-fouling); consolidation of loose particles (particulate fouling, such as corrosion byproducts); and accumulation of coke-like deposits (chemical-reaction fouling).

Calcium carbonate is the predominant component of the hard and tenacious scale deposit from water, and is particularly apparent in processes involving heat transfer. A concentration of dissolved solids by repeated partial evaporation of the water is the main factor that causes calcium carbonate scale. Even soft water will eventually form scales when concentrated numerous times.

Common Evidence of Lime Scale

Because scales and other deposits generally form inside closed systems, it is not always evident that deposition is occurring. But certain clues can be detected. It is useful to try to answer the following questions:

The more times the answer is “yes,” the more likely it is that there is fouling. If fouling can be controlled, the potential exists to save energy, prevent equipment failure and reduce maintenance. Furthermore, a successful treatment strategy will maintain fluid flow, reduce corrosion effects and provide a safer environment, in addition to saving money.

Present/Conventional Methods Used to Remove Water Borne Sedimentation.