Scale Inhibitor 4300 Rx is a high performance polymer based scale inhibitor, specifically developed to prevent both calcium carbonate and calcium sulfate salt deposits in water systems. The unique feature of Scale Inhibitor 4300 Rx is the improved overall performance for inhibiting these calcium scales over conventional polymaleic acids, acrylate polymers and phosphonates. This product, a maleic multipolymer, will also prevent the formation of other scales such as calcium oxalate. Scale Inhibitor 4300 Rx will also disperse colloids and fine particles such as clay.
Technical Bulletin
Description :
Scale Inhibitor 4300 Rx is a high performance polymer based scale inhibitor, specifically developed to prevent both calcium carbonate and calcium sulfate salt deposits in water systems. The unique feature of Scale Inhibitor 4300 Rx is the improved overall performance for inhibiting these calcium scales over conventional polymaleic acids, acrylate polymers and phosphonates. This product, a maleic multipolymer, will also prevent the formation of other scales such as calcium oxalate. Scale Inhibitor 4300 Rx will also disperse colloids and fine particles such as clay.
Mechanism of Action
Maleic polymers are known to be excellent calcium carbonate inhibitors and crystal modifiers but many exhibit only fair calcium sulfate deposit control. A new polymer, Scale Inhibitor 4300 Rx, has been developed to overcome this problem. Scale Inhibitor 4300 Rx contains maleic polymer and a unique combination of other functionalities to provide both superior calcium carbonate and calcium sulfate inhibition, also outperforming HEDP. Preventing calcium sulfate scale is important in water systems treated with sulfuric acid for pH control or if using seawater or briny waters. Also removing sulfur oxide gases in scrubbing systems can result in sulfur containing calcium deposits.
Scale Inhibitor 4300 Rx polymer inhibits scale buildup on surfaces through at least three mechanisms:
- Solubility enhancement or threshold effect, which reduces precipitation of low solubility inorganic salts.
- Crystal modification, which deforms the growing inorganic salt crystals to give small, irregular, readily fractured crystal that do not adhere well to surfaces.
- Dispersing activity, which prevents precipitated crystals or other inorganic particles from agglomerating and depositing on surfaces.
Typical Properties :
Appearance | Liquid clear |
Type | Maleic Multipolymer |
Odour | Odourless or Mild odor |
Molecular weight¹ |
2000 |
pH | 6.5 – 7.50 |
% Total solids | 50 |
% Actives | 60-90 |
Viscosity, as is, mPa.s/cps² | 400-1200 |
Performance Advantages with Scale Inhibitor 4300 Rx Polymer Scale Inhibitor
The following tables compare the product efficacy of Scale Inhibitor 4300 Rx polymer with other scale control agents for inhibiting calcium salts and dispersing solids. The higher the performance value (% inhibition or NTU), the better the scale inhibitor and dispersant. Test conditions represent various salt levels found in cycled cooling water.
Calcium Carbonate Inhibition :
Polymers were tested for preventing the precipitation of calcium carbonate under highly stressed conditions. The “High Salt” conditions used for these evaluations contain chloride levels typical of seawater or very briny waters. The “High Calcium” conditions contain calcium and carbonate levels typical of highly cycled cooling water. In Table 1, Scale Inhibitor 4300 Rx provided excellent performance for inhibiting calcium carbonate under both test conditions. Scale Inhibitor 4300 Rx , HEDP and polymaleic acid were the best inhibitors in the “High Salt” test while Scale Inhibitor 4300 Rx and pAA were the best inhibitors in the “High Calcium” test. Note that a competitive polymer, V1, performed poorly in
the “High Salt” test for inhibiting calcium carbonate.
Table 1 – Scale Inhibitor 4300 Rx- Calcium Carbonate Scale Inhibitor
Additive | MW | % CaCO3 Inhibition – High Salt |
% CaCO3 Inhibition -High Calcium |
Scale Inhibitor 4300 Rx | 2000 | 84 | 96 |
HEDP | 206 | 86 | 90 |
Polymaleic Acid | 750 | 86 | 82 |
Polyacrylic Acid | 2000 | 10 | 96 |
Polyacrylic Acid | 4000 | 8 | 95 |
AA/Sulfonate Copolymer | 4500 | 6 | 85 |
Competitive Polymer V1 | 6700 | 10 | Not Tested |
None | —- | 3 | 63 |
CaCO3 Inhibition (%) (High Salt): 20 ppm polymer solids/200 ppm Ca+2 as CaCO3/3500 ppm
M-Alkalinity as CaCO3/30,000 ppm NaCl/pH 9/38°C/20 hours.
CaCO3 Inhibition (%) (High Calcium): 10 ppm polymer solids/600 ppm Ca+2 as CaCO3/300 ppm Mg+2 as CaCO3/600 ppm
M-Alkalinity/pH 9/54°C/20 hours.
Calcium Sulfate Inhibition :
Scale Inhibitor 4300 Rx is also an excellent calcium sulfate inhibitor as demonstrated in Table 2. Many conditions were evaluated at different temperatures, pH and polymer levels. Scale Inhibitor 4300 Rx provided excellent performance similar to pAA in the longer term tests but was the best performer for inhibiting calcium sulfate in once-thru conditions where induction time is under an hour. Scale Inhibitor 4300 Rx excelled over polymaleic acid and HEDP for inhibiting calcium sulfate.
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