Our water is “hard” and we encounter scale buildup on the packing after only a few months of service. How do we clean the packing and what can we do to prevent scale formation?
The scale to which you refer is usually composed of insoluble metal salts. These can be removed effectively by treatment with 10% hydrochloric acid or citric acid. The usual procedure involves recirculating the acid solution and monitoring its pH. When the pH rises to approximately 5, the acid solution is spent. The column is drained and refilled with new acid, and the procedure repeated. The acid wash is either repeated a fixed number of times or until the pH of the acid solution stays near its initial value. Oftentimes, an effective method for circumventing scale buildup on the packing involves the addition of a sequestering agent to the water. The dosage required is usually quite small and the effects can be dramatic. Jaeger offers a complete line of sequestering agents. Contact us for further information.
