The function and principle of scale inhibitors

Scale inhibitors are a type of chemical used in water treatment, primarily to prevent and control the formation of scale. The following are the functions and principles of scale inhibitors:

Function:

Scale inhibitors play the following roles in water treatment:

Inhibiting the formation of scale: Scale inhibitors can combine with metal ions in hard salts (such as calcium and magnesium salts) in water to form stable complexes, thereby preventing the formation of hard scale.

Disperse scale particles: Scale inhibitors can also disperse the formed scale particles into smaller particles through dispersion, preventing their deposition and aggregation.

Inhibiting crystal growth: Scale inhibitors can interfere with the crystallization process of scale particles, reducing their crystallization rate and crystal size, making it difficult to deposit.

Principle:

The working principle of scale inhibitors is mainly based on the following aspects:

Chelating complexation: The active components in scale inhibitors can form complexes with metal ions in water, hindering the aggregation and deposition of metal ions, thereby preventing the formation of scale.

Ion exchange effect: Some chemical components in scale inhibitors have ion exchange ability, which can undergo ion exchange reactions with metal ions in water, converting ions that can generate scale into relatively stable complexes.

Surface active effect: Some surface active substances in scale inhibitors can coat the surface of scale particles, forming a protective film to prevent particle deposition and aggregation, thereby slowing down the formation of scale.

It is necessary to use scale inhibitors at appropriate doses and conditions based on specific water quality conditions and application requirements. At the same time, regular monitoring and maintenance of the water quality of the water system is an important measure to ensure the effective operation of scale inhibitors.