Abstract
A non-phosphorous program employing an alkyl epoxy carboxylate (AEC) has been successfully applied to petrochemical and other large industrial open recirculating cooling water systems. AEC is a patented non-phosphorous calcium carbonate scale inhibitor that has demonstrated better scale inhibition abilities than traditional organic phosphonates. In addition to its antiscalant properties, AEC inhibits carbon steel corrosion when used at high dosages. AEC can be combined with zinc to form a non-phosphorous program with very low levels of phosphate to provide an environmentally acceptable program. In actual applications, the total phosphate developed in the cooling system from cycling the makeup is below 1 ppm as $PO_4$. This level has complied with the highest standards of wastewater discharge limitations. The performance of two AEC/Zinc applications is reviewed. In both cases excellent corrosion and scale control were achieved with AEC/Zinc programs. One case history details the performance with a low hardness water (100 ppm calcium, as $CaCO_3$) operating at 8-10 cycles of concentration. The corrosive nature of the water and the long retention time of the system stressed both the corrosion and scale control capabilities of the program. The second case history demonstrates the performance of the program with a moderate hardness water (400-600 ppm calcium, as $CaCO_3$), but under harsh conditions of high temperature and low flow. The AEC/zinc combination has been found to be highly effective in controlling the corrosion of ferrous metals. AEC can provide good corrosion inhibition at high concentrations, while zinc is known to be an excellent cathodic inhibitor. The combination of the two inhibitors not only provides a synergistic blend that is effective over a wide range of operating conditions, but also is environmentally friendly.