Original scientific paper

Synergistic Application of Chemical and Electromagnetic Water Treatment in Corrosion and Scale Prevention

Miroslav Čolić ; R&D Division, ZPM Inc., 5770 Thornwood Dr., Suite C, Goleta, CA 93117, USA
Allen Chien ; Materials Department, UC Santa Barbara, CA 93106, USA
Dwain Morse ; R&D Division, ZPM Inc., 5770 Thornwood Dr., Suite C, Goleta, CA 93117, USA

Abstract

The costs of damage caused by scale and corrosion worldwide in cooling towers, boilers and pipes escalated to more than an annual $100 billion in recent years. Neither classical chemical prevention methods nor new alternative electromagnetic water treatment methods have yielded satisfying solutions. We have used a combination of chemical and electromagnetic technologies to prevent scale and corrosion of galvanized zinc coated cooling towers with great success in the last three years. This manuscript describes the physicochemical principles of the approach we employed. Zinc surfaces were coated with the diaminosilane reagent. This increased a positive charge of the zinc surface and significantly reduced adsorption of calcium cations. Silane coating also protected zinc from corrosion. It was also found that electromagnetic water treatment splits water into atomic hydrogen and hydroxyl ions and acts as a water clusters structure breaker. This prevented buildup of silicate or carbonate scale by increasing the diffusivity of water and ions. When high quantities of calcium and hydrogencarbonate were present, small amounts of partially hydrolyzed polyacrylamide polymeric descalant were added to cooling tower water to prevent calcium carbonate scale buildup through modification of crystal growth. Such synergistic use of chemical and electromagnetic water treatment resulted in no corrosion or scale buildup after three years of plant studies in twenty cooling towers in California.

Keywords

Hrčak ID:

132428

URI

https://hrcak.srce.hr/132428

Publication date:

1.12.1998.

Visits: 1.923 *