Scale and Corrosion Prevention in Cooling Water Systems Part II: Calcium Sulphate
This paper describes an experimental study on calcium sulphate scaling and prevention by newly treated poly- acrylamide in a laboratory model. In order to study the inhibiting capacity of the chemical used, experiments were per- formed in solutions involving treatment of synthetic sea water with different concentrations of the polymer. Polyacryla- mide gave significantly lower precipitation rate compared to the treatment in absence of inhibitor. The inhibitor probably is adsorbed on the active growth sites of the initially formed crystals. The performances of scale inhibitor with different concentrations were analyzed in terms of the amount of soluble calcium ions in solution. The results showed that the amount of scale was reduced to 0.00%, with, 10-15 ppm polymer additions, after 1 day incubation at 90°C. Antiscale agents specific to calcium sulphate deposits have recently been developed and tested on a laboratory scale. The work was also extended to study the corrosion inhibition of polyacrylamide to both C-steel and copper specimens in contact with synthetic cooling water environment. Electrochemical polarization techniques reveal that the inhibitor acts as anodic type with respect to C-steel and mixed type for copper. Corrosion current jcorr and corrosion rate CR were reduced and inhibi- tion efficiency IE% increases with polymer additions. The inhibition effects are due to the formation of protective film. Morphological investigation for CaSO4. 2H2O gypsum crystals formed in synthetic sea water indicate reduction of cal- cium sulphate crystals in the presence of the polymer as indicated by scanning electron microscopic (SEM) studies.
The threshold scale inhibition phenomenon
Abstract The precipitation of calcium carbonate has been studied in the absence and presence of hydroxyethylidene-1, 1-diphosphonic acid (HEDP). At ambient temperatures, a stable, threshold inhibited solution of calcium carbonate can be made in the presence of HEDP. However, this solution is thermally unstable and its calcium ion activity is abnormally low indicating the formation of ion pairs or embrionic crystals. Heated, HEDP containing calcium bicarbonate solutions are stabilised by a different mechanism. The rate of carbon dioxide evolution (and hence of calcium carbonate precipitation) is reduced because of a pH rise caused, indirectly, by the inhibitor.
Experimental investigation of the geotechnical properties and microstructure of lime-stabilized saline soils under freeze-thaw cycling
Abstract The Song-Nen Plain in northeastern China holds one of the three largest expanses of soda saline-alkali soil in the world. Due to its disadvantageous geotechnical properties, the saline soil in this area is unable to meet the needs of construction projects. This study evaluates the stabilizing effect of adding lime to such soils. Specifically, it investigates how the physicochemical and mechanical properties and microstructure of soda saline-alkali soil are altered by lime and how these changes are affected by both freeze-thaw cycling and the duration of curing. The results reveal that adding lime to saline soil transforms clay particles into sand and silt particles and causes the pore size distribution (PSD) to become bimodal, with small-pore and macropore populations. An increase in lime content leads to an increase in the unconfined compressive strength (UCS) but a gradual decrease in both the cation exchange capacity (CEC) and plastic index. Freeze-thaw cycles break up coarse particles and aggregate finer particles, increasing the diameter of macropores and decreasing the USC; however, the effect on specimens with >9% lime is negligible. It is further shown that the geotechnical properties of the soil change immediately after the addition of lime, indicating that the cation exchange reaction takes place very quickly. Furthermore, the pozzolanic reaction leads to an increase in the percentage of sand-sized particles and a decrease in porosity after 28 days of curing. Overall, these results indicate that it is feasible to use lime to improve the engineering properties of soda saline-alkali soil in this area.