how to form the water pipe scale faster

[wuchaoqun]

As we know, it takes months to form the water pipe scale in the piping system. is there any easy way to form the water pipe scale faster (in a day or several hours)

 

[bimr]

Not really. Why are you trying to do this?

 

[TBP]

What kinds of water lines always "scale-up"? I know of many applications where water lines have been in various services for literally decades, and there's no scale, corrosion, or deposits of any kind in them.

 

[djack77494]

Though I can't imagine why you'd want to form pipe scale, try heating the pipe to promote scale growth on the inside.

 

[sshep]

Scale in the conventional sense of "hardness" which plates out on hot surfaces could be simulated by boiling your water down to solid residue. In many plants the presence of "chip scale" in cooling water systems is actually corrosion products- I am not sure how to generate this in a laboratory.

A bit more definition of your ultimate goal may be helpful.

best wishes,
sshep

 

[wuchaoqun]

thank you for your answers.
As we know, there are calcium carbonate and Mg(OH)2 in the water. when the water pass through a pipe, it will form a cake layer (water scale) inside of the pipe. it often takes months. Now I wish remove the water scale from the pipe by vibration. and i want validate whether this method is good or not . so i want form this kind of water scale in hours .

 

[bimr]

Now that you have explained what you are trying to do it is simple.

All you have to do is increase the dissolved solids. You can either use a RO unit to concentrate the background salts or you can add lime to the raw water.

Another way to increase the encourage the formation of scale is to increase the water temperature. You can also calculate the expected scale using the langelier index.

It will probably be helpful to you to review the link below as it was a study of scaling. You may find some ideas in the link.

http://www.hnd.usace.army.mil/techinfo/CPW/PWTB/082201_PWTB 420-49-34 Magnetic%

 

[Ashereng]

Would using a smaller diameter pipe (versus a larger diameter pipe) get you there faster? As a percentage of blockage, I would think you would foul a smaller diameter faster?

"Do not worry about your problems with mathematics, I assure you mine are far greater."
Albert Einstein
Have you read FAQ731-376 to make the best use of Eng-Tips Forums?

 

[bimr]

I just noticed the link was incorrect. Here is the correct one:

http://www.hnd.usace.army.mil/techinfo/CPW/PWTB/082201_PWTB 420-49-34 Magnetic Water Treatment1.pdf

PUBLIC WORKS TECHNICAL BULLETIN 420-49-34
15 June 2001
MAGNETIC WATER TREATMENT

 

[thermcool]

you might give a try to get an already scaled pipe in some water treatment or household facility. In turn you can replace it with the new pipe in which you are trying to generate scales.

Just an idea!!

 

[m777182]

Make a closed loop system of an aggitated vessel, a circulating pump and two heat exchangers.Take finely ground lime and marble or any other mineral source of CaCO3 and MgCO3, aggitate it in cold water. Pump it to the first heat exchanger where you heat the suspension. In this exchanger you will grow deposits. You may add NaOH dropwise before entrance into the exchanger to increase pH.In the second exchanger you have to cool it down to the vessel temperature. With good aggitation you will dissolve athmosferic CO2 to balance NaOH addition.
M777182

 

[BenThayer]

raise the pH and it should happen faster.

we've had leaks where the pH was raised and had trouble in days if not hours.

 

[thermcool]

Contrary to the interesting proposals (like the one given by the m777182), I think even if you are able to accelerate the scale deposition process inside the pipe. you might find problem with the genuine attachement of the scales to the pipe surface. I would say the scale deposition inside the pipe is a prolonged process and effect (corrodes, rust etc) a pipe that in turn improve the attachement of the scales with the pipe surface.

As the main aim of the experiment is to test the removable of the scales from the surface by vibration. The scales generated by the accelerate mode might be reliably removed with the help of this method whereas the prolonged generated scales might prove this method to be not as reliable as the other technique,

So clearly you will introduce a subjective conclusion from this experiment. Might be if you can get a already scaled pipe from some junk dealer or other piping company, that will be make your experiment more realistic.