OPERATING   PRINCIPLES
 

 

The application of Scale-X fluid conditioning technology using Magnetic Fluid Conditioners (MFCs)s is dependent on a number of  factors including the type of scale, severity of the scale problem and the number of scaling points.

All water systems which involve heat transfer, evaporation or pressure reductions, (such as, heating and cooling systems, boilers, etc.), suffer from potential scale build up of mineral salts such as calcite, aragonite, gypsum and dolomite, that is, calcium and magnesium mineral salts. Steel pre-treatment fluid process systems suffer from severe scale and sludge build-up problems which are made up of a composition of the elements in the steel pre-treatment fluid, for example, zinc phosphate. The petroleum and gas industries suffer from the build up of both inorganic scale such as calcite and barium sulphate and also form organic scale such as paraffin, wax and asphaltenes. The milk processing industry has a similar problem with two forms of scale build up, these being milk stone (calcium carbonate) and the organic build-ups of protein, lactose, sucrose and fats. Scale can be very difficult to remove, and can reduce heat transfer efficiency, and/or block the flow of the fluid, resulting in equipment outages to remove the scale.

The energy cost to industry due to decreased efficiency as a result of scale build up is enormous. The increased energy consumption as a function of scale thickness.  If there is biofilm (slime) as well as scale (for example, calcium carbonate of calcium sulphate, the most common ones), reduction in efficiency takes place at a faster rate and increased energy usage is much higher.

Scale-X MFCs can stop new scale and biofilm from forming.  Scale-X can also remove pre-existing scale and biofilm. The rate of removal is dependent on the magnetic susceptibility of the scale and also the velocity of the fluid being high enough ("scouring velocity") to wash away the softened scale. This may take weeks to months.  Where the velocity through the tubes of a heat exchanger or condenser is too slow then scale deposition is unavoidable.

Scale-X MFC's produce a scale-inhibiting effect that continues down-stream of the treatment location. Where there are a number of changed conditions in a fluid process system, such as heating processes where there is evaporative concentration, or where pressure reductions occur which results in changes in the dissolved compounds content of the fluid and release of dissolved gases (for example, CO2 in crude petroleum production), multiple stages of Scale-X devices may need to be applied. An example of dissolved CO2 release is given in the accompanying graph.


 

Fluid velocity particularly in heat exchangers / condensers..

It is preferable that the designed velocity of the fluid
 through the HE tubes is a least 1.5 metes per second.

It is important that the fluid velocity in heat exchangers and condensers be maintained at greater than 1 meter per second.  This is to ensure that the softened scale particles do not begin to settle out due to slow flow.  If the velocity is allowed to fall below 0.6 meters per second then sludge will begin to accumulate in the heat exchanger tubes and elsewhere.

    

Locate the MFCs just up stream
 of the vessel with the scaling problem.

Where there is a series of minor scaling points a single MFC may cover all of them.  However, once the "magnetic energy" created by the MFC is exhausted, then scale will begin to form again.

One way of assessing the severity of a scale problem is by the rate at which the system fouls, hours, days or weeks.  Systems where the scale forms over a number of days such as air-conditioning systems, the scale problem can be totally eliminated allowing the system to then run continuously with cleaning - except for the cooling tower basin where the soft scale and sludge settles out at the slow flow point.  The basin will require regular flushing, the soft scale must be flushed out before it is allowed to dry as it will then harden again.

In systems where the scale forms within a few hours, for example, milk concentrators, the rate at which the scale forms can be slowed/reduced but not totally eliminated.  However, cleaning is usually much faster and requires less detergents as the scale that does form is reduced and soft making cleaning easier.  Also in such systems as the dairy concentrators (evaporators), thermophiles and anaerobic spores are reduced as their food source is delayed and reduced.