Silica scale control by non-ionic polymers: The influence of water system impurities

• Z. Amjad

School of Arts and Sciences, Walsh University, N. Canton, Ohio, 44720, USA

Abstract: Silica and metal silicate are perhaps the most undesirable deposit encountered in industrial water systems including cooling, desalination, and geothermal. Conventional anionic scale and deposit control agents are not effective in controlling silica-based scales. The complexity of controlling silica laden waters stem from the limited solubility of both amorphous (polymerized) silica and metal silicates. Once formed, silica scale is extremely difficult to remove and often requires the use of mechanical and/or chemical methods. Several laboratory evaluations were conducted to better understand the performance of non-ionic polymers as silica polymerization inhibitors. The impact of system impurities such as trivalent metal ions (Al³⁺, Fe³⁺) and suspended matter (clay) on the performance of silica inhibitors was also evaluated.

Keywords: silica, scaling, polymerization, inhibition, non-ionic polymers, trivalent metal ions, suspended matter

Int. J. Corros. Scale Inhib., 2016, 5, no. 2, 100–111 PDF (211 K)
doi: 10.17675/2305-6894-2016-5-2-1

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