Effect of Ultrasound on Calcium Carbonate Crystallization

Scaling comprises the formation of hard mineral deposits on process or membrane equipment and calcium carbonate is the most common scaling salt. Especially in reverse osmosis (RO) membrane systems, scale formation has always been a serious limitation, causing flux decline, membrane degradation, loss of production and elevated operating costs. In this work a novel concept is proposed for the prediction of scale formation tendency. By enhancing the crystallization (kinetics) locally and monitoring the process itself, scaling can be predicted accurately before it occurs in the bulk solution. This will result in better scaling risk assessment, improving chemical dosage (preventing overdosing) and prevent the necessity of cleaning or membrane replacement. Ultrasound is selected as possible method for crystallization enhancement. Consequently, the topic of this research is the effect of ultrasound on crystallization of calcium carbonate.BiotechnologyApplied Science