Flocon®885

Biodegradable Antiscalant

for Reverse Osmosis

Flocon® 885 – General information

• Flocon® 885 is a unique, biodegradable & Phosphorus free antiscalant

for Reverse Osmosis systems

• Based on Polycarboxylic chemistry

• Neutralised for easy handling & transportation

• It enables RO facilities to easily comply with effluent discharge limits

& offers an environmentally friendly treatment solution for the

elimination of a range of inorganic fouling problems

Regulatory & Biodegradation Information

• Flocon® 885 is certified to NSF/ANSI Standard 60 for use in reverse osmosis

systems producing potable water

• Studies commissioned by BWA demonstrate that Flocon® 885 is readily

biodegradable in salt water conditions & inherently biodegradable in fresh

water conditions

• Overall it can be concluded from testing performed with Flocon® 885 that its

probable environmental fate involves adsorption onto particulate matter

followed by degradation to non-toxic metabolites, with no bioaccumulation

in food chains, nor any toxic effect to aquatic species

Laboratory &

Pilot Tests

Calcium 250 ppm as Ca2+

Chloride 16589 ppm as Cl-

Sodium 10775 ppm as Na+

Carbonate 396 ppm as CO32-

pH 10.75

Temperature 40oC

Duration 3h

Additive dose level 10 ppm (as product)

LSI > +4

SDSI > +4

Calcium Carbonate Test

Measure the amount of soluble calcium ions remaining at the end of the test.

The higher the level maintained the better the inhibition of calcium carbonate.

0

20

40

60

80

100

5 10 15 20 25

% I

nh

ibit

ion

Dose level (ppm)

Inhibition of calcium carbonate with Flocon 885

NB: For reference, 10 ppm of Flocon 190 (phosphonate)

gives 38% inhibition in this severe test

Calcium 4500 ppm as Ca2+

Sulfate 10800 ppm as SO42-

Sodium 12677 ppm as Na+

Chloride 324246 ppm as Cl-

Magnesium 1611 ppm as Mg2+

pH 8.1

Temperature 40oC

Duration 3h

Calcium 4500 ppm as Ca2+

Sulfate 10800 ppm as SO42-

Calcium sulfate SI 6.6

Calcium Sulfate Test

Measure the amount of soluble calcium ions remaining at the end of the test.

The higher the level maintained the better the inhibition of calcium sulfate

0

20

40

60

80

100

0 5 10 15 20

% I

nh

ibit

ion

Dose level (ppm)

Inhibition of calcium sulfate with Flocon 885

NB: For reference, 15 ppm of Flocon 190 (phosphonate)

gives 8% inhibition in this test

RO Pilot Plant Tests

Schematic of RO Pilot Plant

Pin Pout

Permeate

flowmeter

Reject

flowmeter

Feed Tank

Low pressure

pump

High pressure

pump

Feed line

Membranes

Reject

line

Permeate

line

Feed flowmeter

Membranes

Membranes

Seawater Chemistry

Calcium 450 ppm

Magnesium 1250 ppm

Total Alkalinity 150 ppm

TDS 29400 ppm

pH 8.6

Operating Conditions

Feed Flow 1 m3/h

Recovery 35%

Pressure 51 barg

Permeate Flow 0.36 m3/h

Membranes Filmtec SW (2.5x40 inch)

Temperature 30oC

Duration 312h

SDSI (Concentrate) 1.53

Flocon 885 dosed into the feed at 1 ppm

0

10

20

30

40

50

0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180 200 220 240 260 280 300 320

Re

cove

ry (

%)

Time (h)

Seawater Test Percent Recovery (Flows)

400

600

800

1000

1200

1400

1600

1800

2000

0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180 200 220 240 260 280 300 320Ca

/Mg

co

nce

ntr

ati

on

(pp

m)

Time (h)

Seawater Test Ca & Mg concentration in feed & reject

Mg2+ rejectCa2+ rejectCa2+ feed Mg2+ feed

• Cleaning – circulation of citric acid (5%)

• Determine deposition rate from the

concentration of calcium & magnesium in

the cleaning solution at the end of the test

Cleaning procedure

Calcium

(mg/h)

Magnesium

(mg/h)

%

Inhibition

of CaCO3

%

Inhibition of

Mg(OH)2

Blank 44.1 3.4 - -

Flocon 885 0.55 0 98.8 100

This test demonstrates that 1 ppm of Flocon 885 in the feed can effectively control

the deposition of calcium carbonate & magnesium hydroxide at SDSI of 1.53

Deposition rate on the membrane

Brackish Water Chemistry

Calcium 61 ppm

Magnesium 20 ppm

Total Alkalinity 171 ppm

TDS 1761 ppm

pH 8.06

Operating Conditions

Feed Flow 1 m3/h

Recovery 80%

Pressure 56 barg

Permeate Flow 0.8 m3/h

Membranes Filmtec SW (2.5x40 inch)

Temperature 30oC

Duration 312h

LSI/SDSI (Concentrate) 2.4/2.24

Flocon 885 dosed into the feed at 2 ppm

50

60

70

80

90

100

0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180 200 220 240 260 280 300 320

Re

cove

ry (

%)

Time (h)

Brackish Water Test Percent Recovery (Flow Rates)

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

0 20 40 60 80 100 120 140 160 180 200 220 240 260 280 300 320Ca

/Mg

co

nce

ntr

ati

on

(pp

m)

Time (h)

Brackish Water TestCa & Mg Concentration in the feed & reject

Ca2+ conc. tank, ppm Mg2+ conc. reject, ppm

Mg2+ feed Mg2+ rejectCa2+ rejectCa2+ feed

Calcium

(mg/h)

Magnesium

(mg/h)

%

Inhibition

of CaCO3

%

Inhibition of

Mg(OH)2

Blank 15.4 0 - -

Flocon 885 0.68 0 95.6 100

Deposition rate on the membrane

This test demonstrates that 2 ppm of Flocon 885 in the feed can effectively control

the deposition of calcium carbonate & magnesium hydroxide at SDSI of 2.24

Performance profile of Flocon® 885

0

20

40

60

80

100

CaCO3 (LSI or SDI = 1.65

/ 1.75)

CaCO3 (LSI or SDI = >+4)

CaSO4 (SI = 6.6)Biodegradability (OECD

306 test)

% Phosphorus free

realtive to P191

Flocon 885 Phosphonate

• Excellent Calcium Carbonate inhibitor

• Excellent Barium Sulfate inhibitor

• Excellent Magnesium Hydroxide inhibitor

• Good Calcium & Strontium Sulfate inhibitor

• Good Calcium Fluoride inhibitor

Summary – Antiscalant properties of Flocon® 885

CONCLUSIONS

• Flocon® 885 is a high performance antiscalant

•Good Biodegradation Profile

• Phosphorus & Nitrogen free

• Neutralised for ease of handling & transportation

• NSF certified for potable water use at 10 ppm

• Compatible with membranes