Scale Inhibitor Selection & Testing
Clear solutions for water treatment
Presentation Outline
• Introduction to scale
– Definition
– Scale formation
– Inhibition mechanisms
• Test methods
• Predictive scale modeling
• Conclusions
Definition of Scale
• Deposition of sparingly soluble minerals onto metal
or other surfaces in contact with water.
• Common scales
– Calcium carbonate
– Calcium sulfate
– Barium sulfate
Precipitation of Scale
Controlling parameters
SOLUBILISATION
Time
Temperature
SUPERSATURATION
Pressure
SUSPENDED SOLIDS
pH
NUCLEATION Particle size
Agitation/Velocity
CRYSTAL GROWTH
Flow velocity
Temperature
Composition
SCALE Surface
Scale Formation Process
M+
X- M+ X-
X-
X- M+ X-
M+ X- M+ X- M+ X- M+ X-
X- M+
X- M+ X- M+ X- M+ X- M+
X-
M+ M+
M+
M+ X-
M+ X- M+ X- M+ X- M+ X-
M+ X- M+ X- M+ X- M+ X-
Scale M+ X- M+ X- M+ X- M+ X-
M+ X- M+ X- M+ X- M+ X-
M+ Cation
X - Anion
Scale Inhibition Mechanisms
Threshold Effect
M+
X- M+ X-
X-
X- M+ X-
M+ X- M+ X- M+ X- M+ X-
X- M+
X- M+ X- M+ X- M+ X- M+
X-
M+ M+
M+
M+ X-
M+ X- M+ X- M+ X- M+ X-
M+ X- M+ X- M+ X- M+ X-
Scale M+ X- M+ X- M+ X- M+ X-
M+ X- M+ X- M+ X- M+ X-
M+ Cation
X - Anion Polymeric Additive
Scale Inhibition Mechanisms
Crystal Growth Inhibition
M+
X- M+ X-
X-
X- M+ X-
M+ X- M+ X- M+ X- M+ X-
X- M+
X- M+ X- M+ X- M+ X- M+
X-
M+ M+
M+
M+ X-
M+ X- M+ X- M+ X- M+ X-
M+ X- M+ X- M+ X- M+ X-
Scale M+ X- M+ X- M+ X- M+ X-
M+ X- M+ X- M+ X- M+ X-
M+ Cation
X - Anion Polymeric Additive
Scale Inhibition Mechanisms
Crystal Distortion
M+ X- M+ X- M+ X- M+ X-
M+ X- M+ X- M+ X- M+ X-
M+ X- M+ X- M+ X- M+ X-
M+ X- M+ X- M+ X- M+ X-
M+ X- M+ X- M+ X- M+ X-
M+ X- M+ X- M+ X- M+ X-
M+ X- M+ X- M+ X- M+ X-
M+ X- M+ X- M+ X- M+ X-
M+ X- M+ X- M+ X- M+
M+ X- M+ X- M+ X- M+ X-
M+ X- M+ X- M+ X- M+ X-
(i) Crystal Lattice (ii) Distorted Crystal Lattice
Lat
Hard scale Soft scale
Good adherence to surfaces Less adherent to surfaces
Scale Inhibition Mechanisms
Crystal Distortion
SCALE INHIBITOR TEST METHODS
Bottle Testing
• Relatively simple and easy test
• Only assesses threshold inhibition mechanism so
doesn't give a complete picture of an additive’s
performance
Dynamic Testing
Dynamic Testing
• Requires sophisticated equipment
• More comprehensive test since it assesses all scale
inhibition mechanisms - threshold inhibition, crystal
growth inhibition, and crystal distortion
Bottle vs Dynamic Testing
Bottle Test - Threshold Dynamic Test - Crystal
Inhibition) Growth Blocking
• Disrupt clusters before Blocks further growth at crystal
reaching critical size for faces
nucleation prior to
crystallization Inhibition of growth at crystal
• Low dose levels, typically face leads to distortion to non-
phosphonates & some low adherent form
molecular weight polymers Specialty carboxylic polymers
• Fail drastically once crystal found to be above industry
formed standards
Threshold Inhibition Example*
100
90
80
70
% Inhibition
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
PCA Polymer Phosphonate
ppm 2.5 ppm 5 ppm 7.5 ppm 10
* Barium Sulfate Inhibition
Crystal Growth Blocking Example*
3
10ppm DETPMP
fails at 120 minutes
∆ Pressure (psi)
4ppm PCA Polymer
1
A <1 psi increase means crystal
growth blocking occurs
0
0 50 100 150
Time in minutes
PCA polymer outperforms phosphonate as a crystal growth blocker
*Barium sulfate inhibition
PREDICTIVE SCALE MODELING
Modeling Starts with a Water Chemistry
• Very high sulfate concentration in the fresh water
• High barium and strontium concentration in produced water
‘Fresh’ water Produced
source water Blending these waters is
mg/L mg/L likely to cause severe
Na+ 1171 38,829 sulfate scale issues
Ca2+ 460 16,893
Mg2+ 85 1734
K+ 0 566
Ba2+ 5.0 836
Sr2+ 0 2727
Fe2+ 0 143
SO42- 2083 5.0
HCO3- 404 0
Cl- 1100 101,269
TDS 5500 162,394
pH 6.40 5.90
What Modelling Can Tell Us
• What is the scaling risk with an 80:20 Fresh:Produced water mix?
• How does the scaling risk change with produced water?
• Are there any inhibitors that can reduce or eliminate scale formation?
• Scale modelling performed using ScaleSoftPitzerTM
– Saturation index
– Amount of precipitate expected
Saturation Index
Negative Under-saturated No scale precipitation
0 At equilibrium No scale precipitation
Positive Supersaturated Potential for scale to precipitate
Modelling Results
• High severity BaSO4
• Modelling helps you understand where you can operate
• 20% produced water feasible to treat but needs a high performing
scale inhibitor.
Scale Inhibitor Performance
Tests run at 60°C
Polymer A = Sulfonated phosphinocarboxylic acid
Summary
• Scale inhibitors work by different
mechanisms:
– Phosphonates – threshold inhibition
– Polymers - threshold inhibition, crystal growth
inhibition, and crystal distortion
• Dynamic scale inhibitor testing is more
comprehensive and a better predictor of
field performance
• Predictive scale modeling can highlight
scaling issues when using recycled water
Thank you
Questions?