Antiscalants and Dispersants for Water Treatment

Water surface with ripple and bubble

Control scale and deposits with Brennsperse™ polymers and organic phosphonates

The Brennsperse Dispersants and Antiscalants product line delivers effective and economical treatment options for several markets:

Products from the Brennsperse portfolio help control calcium carbonate, calcium phosphate, calcium sulfate, and many other scales and deposits. High market demands for reusing water, water conservation, and the need to use water of lesser quality, all result in scale becoming more prevalent.

Major product categories include: Homopolymers, Copolymers, and Terpolymers

Uses and applications for dispersants and antiscalants

Many Brennsperse Dispersants and Antiscalants are available in various chemistries, molecular weights, percent actives, and pH ranges. Some products carry certain FDA 21CFR clearances, Kosher certifications for food, and NSF/ANSI 60 certifications for drinking water.

UsesApplications
  • Cooling and process water scale inhibition
  • Cooling and process water deposit control
  • Boiler scale and deposit control
  • Detergent anti-redeposition
  • Sequestrates
  • Drag reduction
  • Slurry stabilization
  • Viscosity improvement
  • Cooling water
  • Boiler water
  • Mining
  • Reverse osmosis
  • Detergent additives
  • Thermal desalination
  • Water reuse
  • Wastewater Treatment (Struvite control)
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These products are available in various chemistries, molecular weights, percent actives, and pH ranges. Some products carry certain FDA 21CFR clearances, Kosher certifications for food, and NSF/ANSI 60 certifications for drinking water.

Download our Dispersants and Antiscalants brochure to view the complete product offering of Brennsperse Homopolymers, Copolymers, and Terpolymers.

Download the Phosphonates brochure to view the complete phosphonate

These products are commonly used to help control calcium carbonate, calcium phosphate, calcium sulfate, and many other scales and deposits. As increasing demand for water conservation and reuse, and the need to use water of lesser quality, scales of silica, barium, strontium, and struvite are beginning to appear in cooling water and reverse osmosis. Scale is even appearing in wastewater applications.

What is scale?

A scale is soluble material in water which precipitates, becomes insoluble, and deposits on a surface. Various factors like temperature, pH, alkalinity, over saturation, or a change in water chemistry can affect the development of scale. Cooling water treatment scale can inhibit heat transfer and restrict water flow. Scale within a boiler will reduce heat transfer which reduces the boiler’s efficiency. In reverse osmosis, scale can restrict the flow and foul the membrane.

Dispersants and antiscalants for various markets

Keep scrolling to find out how dispersants and antiscalants are used in water teatment, detergents and cleaners, and mining and slurry treatment.

The presence of scale and deposits on cooling water exchangers and boiler tubes reduces heat transfer and increases energy consumption. When scale or deposits occur on reverse osmosis membranes, they hinder membrane permeation which increases energy consumption and reduces production. Struvite in wastewater treatment plants restricts water flow and results in the need for periodic cleanings.

Brennsperse Dispersants and Antiscalants are used in cooling treatment, boiler water treatment, reverse osmosis, and wastewater treatment to prevent scale formation by one or a combination of the following methods:

  • “Threshold Effect” scale inhibition: the ability of very small amounts of scale inhibitors to
    keep large quantities of scalants in solution
  • Crystal Modification: Dispersants disrupt, alter, or weaken the formation of a crystal structure.
  • Sequestration: the ability to inactivate a metal ion and keep it in solution,
    preventing its negative side-effects
  • Dispersion: prevents the agglomeration of scale particles
  • Corrosion Control: provides synergistic corrosion control when used with zinc,
    phosphates, nitrates, molybdates, and others

The need to prevent dirt, deposits, and scale from forming or redepositing during washing is essential.

Brennsperse Dispersants and Antiscalants help remove and transport dirt, deposits, and scale during the cleaning cycle, keeping them dispersed in the wash water and not redeposited.

These polymeric additives are effective in the detergents and cleaners market with multiple functions similar to their use in water treatment.

Benefits for the detergents & cleaners market include:

  • Anti-redeposition: Dispersants keep removed soils entrapped in the wash water, preventing
    the soil from redepositing back onto the clothing and preventing residues (spots) from
    forming on hard surfaces.
  • Sequestrates: Dispersants prevent precipitation of inorganic salts such as carbonates,
    phosphates, and silicates on the fabric or surface.
  • Spray Drying Additives: Dispersants improve the process of spray dry detergents by
    reducing slurry viscosity, improving slurry (crutcher) homogeneity, and increasing solids of the
    crutcher mix, reducing dusty fines, and increasing bead strength

When mining , the extraction of calcium, phosphate, kaolin, and sand often requires the minerals to be mixed with water to form a slurry.

A slurry is a mixture of a solid and liquid which has a natural tendency to separate. If separation does occur several transportation, storage, and manufacturing problems can arise, including difficulty pumping or problems with production.

Brennsperse Dispersants help with the free flow of slurries by dispersing the slurry solids to slow or prevent separation. As a result, this yields a more consistent slurry.

Four positive things happen when using dispersants in your mining and slurry treatment processes:

  • Drag Reduction: Dispersants reduce turbulence to allow for a more even flow.
  • Slurry Stabilization: Dispersants yield a more evenly mixed slurry.
  • Viscosity Improvement: Dispersants stabilize the overall viscosity of a slurry preventing
    high and low viscosities.
  • Scale Control: Dispersants prevent scale formation which hinders operation.

Homopolymers

BrennsperseChemistryMwpHApplications
Brennsperse 1005PAA Acid Form4000 - 50002.0 - 3.0General scale inhibition and dispersion
Brennsperse 4817PAA Acid Form11000 - 130002.0 - 3.0Mineral scale and deposits
Brennsperse 123PAA Partially Neutralized1500 - 25002.5 - 4.0General scale inhibition and dispersion
Brennsperse 4041PAA Partially Neutralized1500 - 25002.5 - 3.0General scale inhibition and dispersion
Brennsperse 4002PAA Partially Neutralized1500 - 25004.0 - 5.0General scale inhibition including CaCO3,CaSO4, BaSO4 and CaF2
Brennsperse 1201PAA Partially Neutralized2000 - 30003.7 - 4.0General scale inhibition and dispersion
Brennsperse 1105PAA Partially Neutralized6000 - 70002.5 - 4.0Scale inhibitor for Carbonate, Sulfate, and highly insoluble salts
Brennsperse 4123PAA Fully Neutralized1500 - 25007.0 - 9.0General scale inhibition and dispersion
Brennsperse 4004PAA Fully Neutralized1500 - 25007.0 - 7.5General scale inhibition and dispersion
Brennsperse 4011PAA Fully Neutralized3000 - 40007.0 - 8.0General scale inhibition and dispersion
Brennsperse 4106PAA Fully Neutralized6000 - 70007.0 - 9.0Effective anti redeposition detergents and cleaners
Brennsperse 1007PAA Fully Neutralized6000 - 70006.0 - 6.5General scale inhibition and dispersion
Brennsperse 4006PAA Fully Neutralized7000 - 75006.5 - 7.5General scale inhibition and dispersion
Brennsperse 8201PolymaleicN/A< 2.0Excellent calcium carbonate inhibitor
Brennsperse 1140Phosphinocarboxylic Acid PCA1500 - 25002.5 - 4.0Scale inhibitor for Carbonate, Sulfate, and highly insoluble salts. Improved
Brennsperse 4140Phosphinocarboxylic Acid PCA1500 - 25007.0 - 9.0Scale inhibitor for Carbonate, Sulfate, and highly insoluble salts. Improved thermostability and iron tolerance
Brennsperse 1103Phosphinocarboxylic Acid PCA4000 - 50002.5 - 4.0Scale inhibitor for Carbonate, Sulfate, and highly insoluble salts. Improved
Brennsperse 4103Phosphinocarboxylic Acid PCA4000 - 50007.0 - 9.0General purpose dispersant, improved thermostability and iron tolerance
Brennsperse 1012PAA Ammonium3500 - 45007.0 - 7.5Mineral scale
Brennsperse 6100PAA Ammonium4000 - 50006.5 - 7.5Mineral scale and clays
Brennsperse 7000PAA Dry4000 - 50007.0 - 8.0Powdered dispersant various applications
Brennsperse 5010Polymethacrylate16000 - 180009.0 - 10.0General scale inhibition and dispersion
LumaTreat FA-140AA:AMPS5,0004.4Calcium phosphate scale and iron deposit control, and zinc stabilization polymer performs to 150C
LumaTreat FA-210PAA2,6002.9General purpose antiscalant/ dispersant, meets 21 CFR 173.310 and 21 CFR 176.170
LumaTreat FB-150AA:AMPS≥ 9,9002.5-3.5Cooling water treatment, Boiler water treatment, Pulp and Paper

Copolymers

BrennsperseCommon NameMwpHApplication
Aquatreat® AR-888 Patented CopolymerNA2.9Multiple scale control in high LSI water
Brennsperse 2008Copolymer2000 - 3000< 1.0General scale inhibitor, great for Barium Sulfate scale
Brennsperse 2009Neutralized Copolymer2000 - 30007.0 - 8.0Struvite control
Brennsperse 2180Copolymer2000 - 30006.0 - 8.0Scale inhibition in cleaners and detergents, particularly automatic dishwashes
Brennsperse 2164Copolymer2500 - 35006.5 - 7.5Dispersant for TiO2 and minerals slurries
Brennsperse 2145Copolymer3000 - 40003.5 - 5.5Phosphate and Zinc stabilizer for antiscale/anticorrosion formulations, dispersant of inorganic particles and resistance to pH upsets
Brennsperse 2150Copolymer11000 - 130003.5 - 5.5Phosphate and Zinc stabilizer for antiscale/anticorrosion formulations, dispersant of inorganic particles and resistance to pH upsets
Brennsperse 2040Copolymer17000 - 190003.0 - 3.5Dispersant and general scale control. Silica Scalecontrol
Brennsperse 2070Copolymer2000 - 25008.0 - 9.0Unique acrylic/acrylamide formula dispersant
Brennsperse 2065Copolymer15000 - 250004.0 - 4.5Dispersant and general scale control
Brennsperse 6255Copolymer10000 - 200003.0 - 3.5Dispersant, general scale control and Calcium Phosphare scale control
LumaTreat FB-242Patented CopolymerN/A3Multiple scale control in high LSI water

Terpolymers

BrennsperseCommon NameMwpHApplication
Brennsperse 3046TerpolymerN/A2.5 - 4.0Phosphate and Zinc stabilizer in stressed cooling water systems and excellent Iron and sludge dispersant in Boilers
Brennsperse 8200TerpolymerN/A2.5 - 4.0Phosphate, Iron, and Zinc stabilization. SilicaControl
Brennsperse 3076Terpolymer2000 - 25003.5 - 5.5Removes existing CaCO3 and CaSO4 scales
Brennsperse 6213Terpolymer3500 - 45003.0 - 4.0Calcium Phosphate control, iron oxide dispersant/zinc
Brennsperse 3047Terpolymer3500 - 45006.0 - 7.5Calcium Phosphate control, iron oxide dispersant and Barium Sulfate control

LumaTreat™ Tagged Polymers

Product NameChemistryMwpHApplication
LumaTreat FA-140AA:AMPS5,0004.4Calcium phosphate scale and iron deposit control, and zinc stabilization polymer performs to 150C
LumaTreat FA-210PAA2,6002.9General purpose antiscalant/ dispersant, meets 21 CFR 173.310 and 21 CFR 176.170
LumaTreat FB-150AA:AMPS≥ 9,9002.5-3.5Cooling water treatment, Boiler water treatment, Pulp and Paper
LumaTreat FB-242Patented CopolymerN/A3Multiple scale control in high LSI water

Contact us for your dispersant and antiscalant needs

We have the expertise and products you need for any water treatment, cleaning, or mining application to treat scale. Let our water experts help you find the right product for your needs. We offer a wide range of water treatment chemicals to facilities across the United States and Canada.

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