Method for determining the dissolution rate of a solid water treatment product

• US 20030141258A1
• Filed: 01/31/2002
• Published: 07/31/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ecolab USA Incorporated (Ecolab, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Nalco Company (Ecolab, Inc.)
• Inventors: Hatch, Steven R.
• Granted Patent: US 6,685,840 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 210/745
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/50 by addition or application of a germicide or by oligodynamic treatment C02F1/4606, C02F1/467, C02F1/76 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/688 Devices in which the water progressively dissolves a solid compound
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2103/023 Water in cooling circuits
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2303/04 Disinfection
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2305/14 Additives which dissolves or releases substances when predefined environmental conditions are reached, e.g. pH or temperature

Abstract

A method of making a solid water treatment product with an optimal rate of dissolution is described and claimed. A fluorescent tracer is used to determine the rate of dissolution of the solid water treatment product and the composition and method of manufacturing the solid water treatment product are adjusted as needed to make the rate of dissolution optimal. The solid water treatment product can be used in many industrial water treatment systems. When the solid water treatment product is used, the amount of solid water treatment product present in the water of the industrial water system can be determined, and adjusted, by using a fluorometer to measure the fluorescent signal of the fluorescent tracer present in the product and relating that measurement to the amount of product in the water itself.

Claims

1. A method of making a solid water treatment product, wherein said solid water treatment product has an optimal dissolution rate, comprising the steps of:

1) providing the ingredients to make a solid water treatment product, wherein said ingredients are selected from the group comprising;

a) Active Ingredients;

b) Optional Inactive Ingredients; and

c) Fluorescent Tracer, wherein said Fluorescent Tracer is selected from the group consisting of inert fluorescent tracers and active fluorescent tracers;

wherein said solid water treatment product consists essentially of from about 10% to about 99.99% of said Active Ingredients, from about 0% to about 98% of said Optional Inactive Ingredients and from about 0.01% to about 10% of said Fluorescent Tracer;

2) preparing the solid water treatment product;

3) placing the solid water treatment product in test water;

4) providing a fluorometer;

5) using said fluorometer to measure the fluorescent signal of said fluorescent tracer in said test water;

6) repeating the measurement of fluorescent signal from Step

     5) at regular intervals;

7) determining the rate of dissolution of solid water treatment product by analyzing the increase in fluorescent signal measured in Step

     5) with time;

wherein if said rate of dissolution of solid water treatment product is optimal, then Steps

     8) and

     9) are optional, if said rate of dissolution of solid water treatment product is not optimal, then Steps

     8) and

     9) are required;

8) optionally adjusting the preparation of said solid water treatment product, based on the rate of dissolution determined in Step

     7), in order to prepare a solid water treatment product with an optimal dissolution rate;

9) optionally repeating Steps

     3),

     4),

     5),

     6),

     7) and

     8) as necessary in order to obtain a solid water treatment product with an optimal dissolution rate.

4. The method of claim 1 in which said industrial water system is a cooling water system.

7. The method of claim 1 in which said industrial water system is a boiler.

2. A method of treating the water in an industrial water system with a solid water treatment product wherein said solid water treatment product has an optimal rate of dissolution, comprising the steps of:

a) providing an industrial water system;

b) providing a solid water treatment product, wherein said solid water treatment product has an optimal rate of dissolution;

c) adding from about 1 ppb to about 10,000 ppm of said solid water treatment product, wherein said solid water treatment product has an optimal rate of dissolution, to the water in said industrial water system;

d) allowing said solid water treatment product to dissolve and treat the water in said industrial water system.

5. The method of claim 2 in which said industrial water system is a cooling water system.

8. The method of claim 2 in which said industrial water system is a boiler.

3. A method of controlling the amount of solid water treatment product present in an industrial water system, wherein said solid water treatment product has an optimal rate of dissolution, comprising the steps of:

a) providing an industrial water system;

b) providing a solid water treatment product, wherein said solid water treatment product has an optimal rate of dissolution, wherein said solid water treatment product comprises a fluorescent tracer;

c) adding from about 1 ppb to about 10,000 ppm of said solid water treatment product, wherein said solid water treatment product has an optimal rate of dissolution, to the water in said industrial water system;

d) allowing said solid water treatment product to dissolve and treat the water in said industrial water system;

e) providing a fluorometer;

f) using said fluorometer to measure the fluorescent signal of said fluorescent tracer;

g) correlating said fluorescent signal of said fluorescent tracer with the amount of fluorescent tracer present in the water of said industrial water system;

h) correlating the amount of fluorescent tracer present in the water of said industrial water system with the amount of water treatment product present in said industrial water system;

i) comparing the amount of water treatment product present in the water of said industrial water system with the amount of water treatment product that is optimally present;

j) adjusting the feedrate of solid water treatment product to the water of said industrial water system such that the amount of water treatment product present in the water of said industrial water system is optimal.

6. The method of claim 3 in which said industrial water system is a cooling water system.

9. The method of claim 3 in which said industrial water system is a boiler.