Scale-X Fluid Conditioning Technology

    



   INDUSTRIAL,  MINING  &  REFINERY  PROCESSES
 
Scale-X is an environmentally
friendly and safe solution

 



 
  Industrial, mining and refinery processes can involve various chronic scaling substances such as zinc phosphate which are contained  in solutions that are on the edge of supersaturation.  

Industrial, refinery and mining fluid process systems cover a multitude of different fluids, not only water.  The Scale-X magnetic fluid conditioner MFC is effective in treating fluids and substances that are diamagnetic.  Included in this category is a large range of fluids which have a tendency to block the process system vessels, pipes, pumps, valves and tanks with scale build up that is hard to remove.  Some of the solutions operate on the edge of super saturatio such as zinc phosphate for steel pretreatment. 

Two of the very common scale build ups found in water and other industrial and mining process fluids are the inorganic scales of gypsum (calcium sulphate) and calcite (calcium carbonate). These are commonly treated by magnetic fluid conditioners (MFCs) and can be totally eliminated.  Diamagnetic organic scaling compounds are also common in industrial and mining systems and are treatable by magnetic fluid conditioners.


 
  Installation of MFCs  

Steel pre-treatment systems vary in complexity and size from small dip tanks to very large automobile body dip tanks and sprays and also to continuous sheet steel production runs in large steel mills.




 Schematic of a zinc phosphate car body treatment plant


The Scale-X magnetic fluid conditioners can be installed externally or internally to the process piping and are installed at, or just prior to, identified scaling points, usually just before entry to tanks, sprays (nozzles) and troublesome piping. The Scale-X MFC is maintenance free.  A typical steel pre-treatment system may have many scaling points and may require the application of multiple stages of Scale-X MFC's.



 

 

 
  Cause of scale build up  

Zinc phosphate is an inorganic mineral scale and is very scaling.  Also, these systems operate on the edge of precipitation (super saturation) and severe scaling takes place throughout the system.  At the spray nozzles, there is a pressure reduction and the solution saturation levels are disturbed.  The nozzles typically need to be dismantled and cleaned on a weekly basis.  Also zinc phosphate tends to form heavily scale on the walls of the tanks.  The piping sometimes requires weekly cleaning.  In addition to these problems, it is difficult to ensure that the steel product, when exiting the pre-treatment process, is free of small pieces of the zinc phosphate scale which has broken loose in the system thus reducing quality of final product.  With a fully functional MFC system the process becomes free of these troublesome particles.


 
  Plant maintenance shutdowns to de-scale can be eliminated  

Regular maintenance and down time is required to maintain these systems.  Application of Scale-X MFC's can eliminate this scale build doing away with the need for regular maintenance.  The scale stays soft and settles out in the low velocity locations such as the clarifier and the dip tank.

A typical example is a Ford Motor Company car body steel pre-treatment plant that required the exit spray nozzles to be cleaned every week due to scale blockages.  After installation of the Scale-X MFC's, the spray nozzles did not require de-scaling again and stayed clean on a continuous basis.  Also, the paint finish was improved as the zinc phosphate solution stayed cleaner without the previous clumps of scale depositing on the car bodies.

Similar results were achieved at a Bedford plant where calcium phosphate was used and the scale build up was eliminated.


 
  Scale-X MFCs reduce production losses due to shutdowns  

Scale-X MFC's keep the fluid clean and free of stray pieces of scale that has broken free thus ensuring a higher quality finished product.  Maintenance down time for some factories is carried out on weekends, however, for steel mills and other production lines that run continuously, down time is very costly in production output.  As Scale-X MFC's can eliminate the maintenance down time and maintenance costs, they pay for their installation many times over each year through saved maintenance costs and increased production.