Aqueous system containing a synergistic combination including polyether polyamino methylene phosphates for controlling calcium carbonate and calcium phosphate scale

• US 5,702,634 A
• Filed: 10/06/1995
• Issued: 12/30/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Calgon Carbon Corporation (Kuraray Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Calgon Carbon Corporation (Kuraray Company Limited)
• Inventors: Gill, Jasbir S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Diamond, Alan
• Assistant Examiner(s): Toomer, Cephia D.
• Application Number:
  US08/540,271
• Time in Patent Office: 816 Days
• Field of Search: 252/180, 252/181, 252/80, 252/82, 210/699, 210/700, 562/10
• US Class Current: 252/180
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 5/10 using organic substances
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 5/12 containing nitrogen C02F5/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 5/14 containing phosphorus

Abstract

An aqueous system containing scale forming salts including both calcium carbonate and calcium phosphate and characterized by high pH and high calcite concentrations which further contains a synergistic effective amount of a combination comprising (A) a polyether polyamino methylene phosphonate, and (B) a terpolymer comprising the monomers of acrylic acid, sulfophenomethallyl ether and maleic acid, is disclosed. A method for inhibiting the formation, deposition and adherence of such scale forming salts in the aqueous system employing the synergistic combination is also provided.

Claims

1. An aqueous system containing scale forming salts and wherein the pH of said system is at least 8.5 and the calcite saturation level of said system is at least 100 times the solubility limit of calcium as calcite, which further contains a synergistic effective amount of a combination comprising:

(A) a polyether polyamino methylene phosphonate of the formula;

##STR11## where n is, or on average is, from about 2 to about 12, inclusive;

M is hydrogen or a cation of an alkali metal salt; and

each R may be the same or different and is independently selected from hydrogen and methyl; and

(B) a terpolymer comprising the monomers of acrylic acid, sulfophenomethallyl ether and maleic acid, wherein the weight average molecular weight for said terpolymer is in the range from about 4,000 to 10,000.

2. The aqueous system of claim 1 wherein for said polyether polyamino methylene phosphonate, M is hydrogen, each R is methyl, and n is from about 2 to 4.

3. The aqueous system of claim 2 wherein n is about 2.6.

4. The aqueous system of claim 3 wherein the aqueous system is a cycled up cooling tower.

5. The aqueous system of claim 1 wherein said terpolymer is about 84 weight average molecular weight percent acrylic acid, about 8 weight average molecular weight percent sulfophenomethallyl ether, and about 8 weight average molecular weight percent maleic acid.

6. The aqueous system of claim 1 wherein the weight ratio of (A):

(B) ranges from about 1;

2 to about 5;

2.

7. The aqueous system of claim 1 wherein said (A) polyether polyamino methylene phosphonate is present in said aqueous system to establish a concentration of at least 6.0 mg/L.

8. The aqueous system of claim 1 wherein said (B) terpolymer is present in said aqueous system to establish a concentration of at least 4.0 mg/L.

9. The aqueous system of claim 8 wherein said (A) polyether polyamino methylene phosphonate is present in said aqueous system to establish a concentration of at least 25 mg/L, wherein said aqueous system is characterized by a calcite saturation level of at least 150 times the solubility limit of calcium as calcite.

10. The aqueous system of claim 1 additionally including a stabilizer for preventing decomposition of said (A) polyether polyamino methylene phosphonate.

11. The aqueous system of claim 10 wherein said stabilizer is monoethanolamine.

12. The aqueous system of claim 1 additionally including a corrosion inhibitor.

13. The aqueous system of claim 12 wherein said corrosion inhibitor is a copper corrosion inhibitor.

14. The aqueous system of claim 13 wherein said copper corrosion inhibitor is tolyltriazole.

15. The aqueous system of claim 13 additionally including a stabilizer for preventing decomposition of said (A) polyether polyamino methylene phosphonate.

16. The aqueous system of claim 15 wherein said stabilizer is monoethanolamine.