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Role of Citric Acid in Delaying Gypsum Precipitation
Author(s) -
Prisciandaro Marina,
Santucci Armando,
Lancia Amedeo,
Musmarra Dino
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
the canadian journal of chemical engineering
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.404
H-Index - 67
eISSN - 1939-019X
pISSN - 0008-4034
DOI - 10.1002/cjce.5450830325
Subject(s) - citric acid , supersaturation , induction period , chemistry , nucleation , gypsum , precipitation , nuclear chemistry , mineralogy , materials science , physics , biochemistry , metallurgy , catalysis , organic chemistry , meteorology
The comprehension of the mechanisms of nucleation and growth that regulate the gypsum (calcium sulfate dihydrate) precipitation is fundamental to prevent scaling problems. The present paper reports measurements of the induction period for gypsum nucleation when citric acid is added in solution as an additive to retard scale formation. The supersaturation ratio was varied in the interval 2.3‐6.0, the concentration of citric acid ranged from 0.01 to 0.30 g/L, while in all experiments the temperature was fixed to 25°C. The induction period values were compared to those previously obtained, by using the same experimental technique, in the absence of foreign ions in the mother liquor, showing that the citric acid has a strong retarding effect towards gypsum nucleation.