Treating Scale Deposits in Pipes Using Ultrasonic
Keywords:
ultrasonics, weak natural acids, pipe, heat exchanger, calcificationsAbstract
One of the most important technical and economic problems is the calcification of scales on the surface of the transport pipes and heat exchanger due to the flow of tough water. Combining ultrasound with other techniques leads to highly efficient results in treating calcification. This study combines two techniques to treat calcification: the first is physical, represented by ultrasound using an ultrasonic device with a frequency of 25 kHz, and the second is chemical, represented by adding weak acids (citric acid, salicylic acid, and ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid). We immersed the samples in the system tank containing hard water for three months, until a layer of calcifications formed on the surface. Afterwards, we treated the samples using ultrasound technology, applying concentrations of (1%, 2%, 3%, 4%, 5%, 6%) of the used acids at a temperature of 40 °C. That using ultrasonic technology in conjunction with weak acids leads to positive results in removing limescale deposits in transport pipes. Specifically, citric acid proved to be the most effective in removing limescale deposits, as it showed a long period of effectiveness. The best concentration of citric acid was applied to a sample of heat exchanger pipes that had previously been exposed to limescale deposits, which prevents the metal from corrosion.
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