In thermal power plants, circulating water systems, boilers, and cooling towers constantly face the threat of scale formation. Hard water minerals such as calcium carbonate, calcium sulfate, and silica precipitate under high temperature and pressure, forming stubborn scale layers on heat exchangers, pipes, and boiler tubes. This reduces heat-transfer efficiency, increases energy consumption, triggers localized corrosion, and can even lead to forced outages.
This is where scale inhibitors play a critical role. Modern scale inhibitors (often phosphonate-based, polymer-based, or green biodegradable formulations) work by three main mechanisms:
- Threshold inhibition – preventing crystal nucleation even at very low dosages
- Crystal distortion – deforming scale crystals so they cannot adhere to metal surfaces
- Dispersion – keeping tiny particles suspended and easily flushed out
For power plants requiring simultaneous protection against both scaling and corrosion, corrosion and scale inhibitors are the preferred choice. These multifunctional products combine scale-inhibition polymers (e.g., PPCA, AA/AMPS) with corrosion inhibitors (zinc salts, azoles, or organic phosphonates), delivering comprehensive protection in one formulation and significantly reducing chemical consumption.
When existing scale has already built up and is affecting performance, operators turn to scale removers or scale removal agents. These are usually chelant-based (EDTA, NTA) or low-pH acidic formulations designed to dissolve carbonate, sulfate, and silicate deposits quickly and safely during scheduled cleaning. After mechanical or chemical scale removal with a dedicated scale removal agent, re-applying a maintenance dose of scale inhibitor prevents rapid re-formation.
Leading power plants now adopt a combined strategy: continuous low-dose injection of advanced corrosion and scale inhibitors during normal operation, supplemented by periodic offline cleaning with high-performance scale removers when required. This approach can extend equipment life by 5–15 years, cut fuel consumption by 1–3 %, and dramatically reduce unplanned downtime.
Choosing the right scale inhibitor formulation—tailored to water chemistry, temperature, and system metallurgy—is key to achieving maximum plant reliability and cost efficiency.
As a professional chemicals manufacturer in the water treatment Industry, Sanmei have helped more than 5,000 plants with process solutions and helped them improve production efficiency, reduce costs, and optimize profit plans. Our main goal is to assist you in optimizing production efficiency and profitability in a sustainable way. Welcome to consult us and get a free wastewater treatment solution by filling in the form below or email to brian@san-mei.com.
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