How Are Antiscalants Simplifying Water Treatment?

Water contamination of freshwater sources and the rampant release of effluents by industries has led to the storage and packaging of clean water being the need of the hour. In order to ensure longevity without the attack of any pathogens or the deposition of minerals in packaging water, water treatment needs to be carried out. This is where antiscalants come to the rescue. Antiscalants have widespread use in reverse osmosis water treatment facilities, where they help improve efficiency, reduce costs, and extend equipment life.

Are you eager to know more about antiscalants? This blog will cover what makes antiscalants relevant and the major companies helping in the expansion of this market. Continue reading!

What Exactly Are Antiscalants?

Antiscalants are special chemicals added to water in order to prevent the formation of mineral salts that are suspended in the water and their deposition on water storage surfaces such as cooling pipes and water tanks. Antiscalants are mostly used in water filtration processes, specifically to prevent the deposition of scale on the reverse osmosis separation membrane.

Quick Overview of Reverse Osmosis

Reverse osmosis process is paramount in order to obtain water free from suspended salts of minerals or even particles from effluents. In this technique, the solution side, which has minerals dissolved in water separated from the pure water side using a mesh-like semi-permeable membrane. High pressure is applied on the solution side, which allows only small water molecules to pass through while the large particles, such as mineral deposits and salts, are left behind.

During this process, mineral salts or scales accumulate on the surface of the membrane over time, making it difficult to remove mechanically. Antiscalants play an important role in maintaining the continuous flow of water molecules by attacking the scale and preventing nucleation of the deposits by preventing crystal growth and propagating dispersion of the colloidal particles due to their high negative charge.

Benefits of Using Antiscalants

Maintain continuity

Antiscalants allow easy flow of water molecules through the semi-permeable membrane in processes like nanofiltration (NF). Uncontrolled deposition of mineral salts may encourage fouling, leading to further accumulation of unwanted and harmful colloidal particles.

?Inhibit Replacement of Membrane

The membrane undergoes immense stress due to the high pressure applied during reverse osmosis treatment of water, necessitating frequent replacement. The addition of antiscalants can limit this by preventing the fouling of salts on the surface of the membrane.

?Environment friendly

Antiscalants inhibit the nucleation of crystals and encourage the dispersion of these deposits by breaking them down to their high anionic charge. By targeting the source of these deposits, the unnecessary use of chemicals for the same function can be decreased. Lower application of pressure also reduces fuel consumption of equipment as membranes are no longer clogged.

?Major Companies in Antiscalant Market

?Water consumption has increased due to the growing population and demand for clean packaged water. With waterborne diseases on the rise and reckless dumping of waste in potable water sources, the antiscalants market has seen many companies entering and establishing themselves.

1.?Ecolab

Ecolab is an American research company dedicated to providing the latest technology in the field of water hygiene, purification, and treatment. Since its inception in 1923, Ecolab has been at the forefront of providing services to help with the treatment of water in various industries such as food and beverage and healthcare industries.?

2.?Clariant AG

Clariant AG is a Swiss multinational corporation founded in 1995 in Switzerland. It is an offshoot of Novartis and has since established itself as a company involved in the production of various specialty chemicals. Clariant’s waste management and wastewater treatment sector provides services that adhere to the regulations set forth by governments, all the while minimizing the environmental impact of untreated sewage water.

?3. BWA Water Additives UK Ltd.

BWA, also known as Advanced Water Solutions, is a branch of its parent company, Italmatch Chemicals, which produces a wide range of specialty chemicals used in the treatment of waste water. It encompasses many sectors, such as solvent extracts in mining, water treatment services for efficiency in harvesting geothermal energy, and thermal desalination of fresh water.

?4.?Solenis

Solenis is an American specialty chemical manufacturing company founded in 2014. Its water treatment branch has innovative products such as sludge dewatering polymers, scale inhibitors, and bioaugmentation technologies, giving it an edge over its competitors. By characterizing microorganisms and using technologies to differentiate between organic and inorganic deposits, water treatment can be streamlined and worked on effectively.

?Wrapping Up

The antiscaling market has gained traction and will see major expansion in the coming years. With companies investing in improving existing products and upgrading to the latest technologies, antiscaling agents prove as simple and effective solutions to improve the quality of water.