Physical water treatment using RF electric fields for the mitigation of CaCO_3 fouling in cooling water

摘要

The present study investigated the feasibility of RF electrical fields in mitigating CaCO_3 fouling in cooling water. Three different voltages and two frequencies were used for the RF electric fields produced directly in water with varying cold-side velocity. Artificial hard water was used. Fouling resistances for the PWT-treated cases decreased by 34-88% from the values for no-treatment cases, depending on the cold-side flow velocity. The results showed blunt crystal structures for the PWT-treated cases, while no-treatment cases had sharp and pointed crystal structures. The new PWT method using RF electric fields presents a valid tool to mitigate CaCO_3 fouling in cooling water.