Tool and method for detecting scale components in cooling water

Abstract

The present invention provides a tool and method for preventing or suppressing scale damage and deterioration of water quality caused by scale in water in cooling equipment and facilities such as its piping and water tanks, without using chemicals. [Solution] A component carrying negatively charged clay mineral powder (clay mineral powder) on fibers is introduced into target water, such as cooling water in a cooling tower tank in an air conditioning system. The negative charge of the clay mineral powder attracts or retains calcium ions, ionic silica, and / or magnesium ions (scale components) contained in the water to the component and its vicinity, causing the scale components to precipitate on the component and its vicinity. The fibers may be hydrophilic, with their upper surfaces positioned at approximately the same height as the water surface, causing the scale components to precipitate near the water surface and / or to adhere to and precipitate on objects near the water surface.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a scale component removal device and a scale component removal method for cooling water, including cooling water and makeup water (collectively referred to as "cooling water" in this specification) in cooling towers for air conditioning systems and similar devices having a function of cooling water (collectively referred to as "cooling devices" in this specification), water tanks, pipes, piping systems, etc. used therein. [Background technology]

[0002] For example, for heat source equipment for air conditioning and production equipment in factories, etc., a cooling water piping system is used to guide cooling water to the equipment or equipment through pipes and install a cooling device such as a cooling tower outdoors as a means for releasing heat generated by the heat source equipment and production equipment into the atmosphere.Specifically, cooling water piping systems are used to cool the cooling water of heat source equipment such as turbo refrigerators and water-cooled chillers, and to supply cold heat to products and heat exchangers in manufacturing equipment.

[0003] For example, in a cooling water piping system including a cooling tower, a cooling water pump pumps cooling water into the cooling tower, sprays it into the cooling tower from the top of the cooling tower, and introduces water into the filler material. A fan installed at the top of the cooling tower brings the water passing through the filler material into contact with outside air, causing some of the cooling water to evaporate and cool the water by the latent heat of evaporation. Because the amount of cooling water decreases due to the evaporated water and water splashed to the outside, known as carryover, make-up water is introduced into the cooling tower's lower water tank to replenish the cooling water. A common method of replenishment is to install a ball tap in the lower water tank and intermittently replenish the water when the water level drops.

[0004] While tap water and groundwater are typically used as cooling water, these contain numerous impurities, albeit in trace amounts. In particular, inorganic substances such as calcium ions, which precipitate as calcium carbonate, calcium sulfate, etc., when scaling occurs, ionic silica, which precipitates as silicon dioxide (silica), etc., and magnesium ions, which precipitate as magnesium silicate, etc. (these are also referred to herein as "scale components"), are poorly soluble in water and gradually concentrate as the cooling water evaporates. When the concentration exceeds the solubility of each component, the scale precipitates. Scale deposition occurs not only in the lower water tank of the cooling tower, but also in the filler material, inside the piping, and in the heat exchangers of heat source equipment and production equipment. Scale deposition on these surfaces reduces the cooling tower's heat dissipation efficiency and the heat exchange efficiency of the heat exchanger. Furthermore, scale deposition inside the piping increases resistance. This can lead to increased pump power or the cooling water temperature rising above the target temperature range, causing the heat source equipment or production equipment to shut down (scale failure). Cleaning scale that has already formed is a time-consuming process, and it is necessary to prevent scale deposition within the cooling water piping system.

[0005] Problems caused by scale buildup also occur in water tanks and piping systems when evaporative cooling of cooling water is performed using an open water tank instead of a cooling tower, and in water tanks and piping systems when using water-cooled chiller equipment.

[0006] One method for preventing scale deposition is to use the electrical conductivity of the cooling water as a control index and forcibly blow out the water when the scale concentration becomes high. However, increasing the amount of blowout to keep the scale concentration low increases the amount of make-up water, which requires more energy.

[0007] The most common method currently used to prevent scale damage is to install anti-scale agent injection equipment in cooling tower facilities, inject the agent into cooling water piping, and circulate it to suppress scale deposition in the cooling tower, cooling water piping, heat transfer tubes of the heat exchanger, etc. Most technical proposals for preventing scale damage are premised on the use of such agents, and are directed at how to efficiently suppress scale deposition.

[0008] Patent Document 1 focuses on the issue of how to efficiently suppress the deposition of scale in the circulation flow path of circulating water for cooling the object to be cooled (paragraph

[0007] ), and proposes a cooling system that can efficiently supply a scale inhibitor to cooling tower equipment of a different system where the circulating water temperature is different (paragraph

[0008] hereinafter, claims, etc.). Specifically, a circulating water bypass flow path is provided between the first system cooling tower equipment and the second system cooling tower equipment, so that the scale inhibitor is supplied not only to the first system cooling tower equipment but also to the second system cooling tower equipment, even if the second system cooling tower equipment does not have an agent injection section.

[0009] Patent Document 2 proposes the use of a quartz crystal microbalance device that detects minute scale buildup as a scale amount meter. In this case, a scale inhibitor is injected into the circulating water according to the amount of scale detected by the quartz crystal microbalance device, thereby suppressing the generation and growth rate of scale on heat transfer tubes, etc.

[0010] However, the chemicals and chemical injection devices that are currently in common use and that are also assumed to be used in these patent documents for preventing or suppressing scale generation require large installation costs for the chemicals and devices, as well as large operating costs for maintaining and managing the cooling water piping system. Furthermore, the chemicals in question are generally chemical substances, and adding new chemical substances to air conditioning equipment and the like can be said to increase the environmental burden.

[0011] Furthermore, even when chemicals and chemical injection equipment are used, it is necessary to forcibly blow out the water if the concentration of scale components becomes high. Therefore, in principle, if the concentration of scale components exceeds the control threshold, the water is forcibly blown out and replaced with makeup water until the concentration falls within the control threshold, thereby diluting the concentration. Therefore, in this case too, the amount of makeup water increases, which requires more energy, and chemical agents are discharged, which places a burden on the environment.

[0012] On the other hand, relatively few countermeasures against scale troubles that do not use chemicals have been proposed. For example, Patent Document 3 proposes a method in which a voltage is applied to an electrode immersed in water, causing hardness components contained in the water to adhere as solids to the electrode surface, and the hardness components adhered to the electrode are peeled off by reversing the polarity of the electrode, and the peeled hardness components are removed by a recovery and removal means at a subsequent stage.

[0013] However, when a voltage is applied from an external power source so that a current flows between the anode and cathode electrodes, as in Patent Document 3, there is a concern that the anode electrode itself may dissolve in the cooling water and deposit hardness components on metal structures such as heat exchangers. Furthermore, this method requires that a voltage be applied continuously to maintain a constant current value.

[0014] Furthermore, Patent Document 4 proposes preventing and removing scale by providing a fine bubble generator in the piping route upstream of the filler of a cooling tower to which scale adheres.

[0015] However, it is unclear how effective fine bubbles actually are in preventing scale problems, and even if the fine bubble generator in Patent Document 4 can prevent or remove scale adhesion to fillers, etc., the scale components themselves remain in high concentrations in the cooling water piping, so it is expected that scale will adhere to heat exchangers and piping other than the cooling tower.In addition, if the device in Patent Document 4 is applied to an existing cooling tower, it will ultimately be necessary to modify the existing equipment through construction work, etc. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0016] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2021-113665 [Patent Document 2] Patent Publication No. 2018-159516 [Patent Document 3] Patent Publication No. 2001-259690 [Patent Document 4] Patent Publication No. 2020-175380 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0017] In light of the above problems and the current situation, the present inventors have sought a water quality control means that can be easily applied to cooling devices, their piping systems, water tanks, etc., without making any changes to existing facilities through construction or introducing new equipment, while avoiding the environmental burden caused by using chemicals.

[0018] As a result, we have discovered a new method for removing scale from water by increasing the concentration of scale components contained in water at a specified location and precipitating scale such as calcium carbonate, silicon dioxide, and magnesium silicate.

[0019] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above points, and an object of the present invention is to provide a tool and method for preventing or suppressing scale damage and deterioration of water quality caused by scale, which occurs in water from cooling devices and their associated piping and water tanks, without using chemicals.A further object of the present invention is to provide a tool and method for preventing or suppressing scale damage and deterioration of water quality caused by scale, which can be easily applied to various types of cooling devices and their associated piping and water tanks, without making changes to existing equipment or introducing additional devices or external power. [Means for solving the problem]

[0020] In order to solve the above problems, the present invention proposes to maintain water quality and avoid scale problems by actively precipitating scale in cooling water at specified locations by utilizing the properties of fibers and clay minerals.

[0021] That is, the present invention provides, as a first aspect, A scale component extraction tool for precipitating scale components contained in cooling water of a cooling device that performs latent heat cooling by circulating water, It is equipped with powder (clay mineral powder) containing negatively charged clay minerals and fibers, The clay mineral powder is supported on the fibers, The scale components include at least calcium ions, ionic silica, and / or magnesium ions, When the scale component deposition tool comes into contact with the cooling water, the scale components are deposited on the scale component deposition tool and in the vicinity thereof. A scale component extraction tool characterized by to provide. According to this invention, calcium ions, ionic silica and / or magnesium ions contained in cooling water are attracted or retained by the negative charges of the clay mineral powder, and the scale components are concentrated and precipitated, thereby preventing or suppressing deterioration of the cooling water quality.

[0022] In a second aspect, the present invention provides: The scale component extraction tool described above, wherein the fibers are made of polypropylene or polyethylene. to provide. According to the present invention, polypropylene or polyethylene has water repellency, which prevents the scale component detection tool from sinking in water or to the bottom of a water tank or device.

[0023] As a third aspect, the present invention provides: The scale component extraction tool as described above, wherein the fibers have wettability. to provide. According to this invention, the scale component deposition device is positioned near the surface of the cooling water without floating above the cooling water, which causes the scale components to deposit near the surface of the cooling water and / or adhere to the inner sidewall of the water tank of the cooling device, thereby narrowing down the areas where the scale components deposit to some extent.

[0024] As a fourth aspect, the present invention provides: The scale component deposition tool described above, wherein the fibers contain a surfactant and thereby have the wettability. to provide. The present invention provides a suitable means for making the fibers wettable.

[0025] As a fifth aspect, the present invention provides: The scale component extraction tool as described above, wherein the clay mineral powder contains one or more of montmorillonite, vermiculite, mica, and chlorite. to provide. According to the present invention, a scale component extraction tool having a more suitable clay mineral powder is provided.

[0026] According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, The clay mineral powder supported on the fibers is contained in the fibers and is not exposed from the fibers. to provide. According to this invention, the clay mineral powder is not exposed from the fibers, so that the effect of removing scale damage can be maintained to a greater extent.

[0027] According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, The scale component extraction tool as described above is configured to have a thin and wide shape as a whole, and the upper surface is disposed near the water surface of the cooling water. to provide. According to this invention, the scale component removal tool can be easily positioned near the surface of the cooling water, and can be easily distributed over the entire surface of the cooling water.

[0028] The present invention provides, as an eighth aspect, The scale component extraction tool described above, in which the clay mineral powder-supported fibers are covered with a net. to provide. According to this invention, the installation location of the scale component removal tool can be maintained to some extent.

[0029] In a ninth aspect, the present invention provides: A method for separating scale components contained in cooling water of a cooling device that performs latent heat cooling by circulating water, comprising: The scale components include at least calcium ions, ionic silica, and / or magnesium ions, A powder containing a negatively charged clay mineral (clay mineral powder) supported on fibers is placed in the cooling water, The scale components are precipitated in the vicinity of the clay mineral powder. A method for extracting scale components, to provide. The present invention provides a method for the deposition of scale components.

[0030] In a tenth aspect, the present invention provides: the clay mineral powder is placed near the surface of the cooling water, and the scale components are precipitated in the vicinity of the clay mineral powder and on the inner side wall of the water tank of the cooling device. to provide. In this invention, scale components are added to the vicinity of clay mineral powder and are also precipitated on the inner sidewall of the water tank of the cooling device. [Effects of the Invention]

[0031] According to the present invention, it is possible to prevent or suppress scale damage that occurs in cooling devices, their piping systems, water tanks, etc., and deterioration of water quality due to scale, without causing an environmental load due to chemicals.

[0032] Furthermore, the present invention can be easily applied to various types of cooling systems without the need to install a separate chemical injection system or other device, without using external power, and even without modifying existing equipment, such as cooling towers. For example, if the present invention is implemented simply in an existing water tank, water on which scale has precipitated in the water tank will circulate through piping, cooling systems, etc., preventing or suppressing scale damage and water quality degradation due to scale throughout the cooling system without introducing new devices or chemicals, affecting existing equipment, or modifying the equipment. This reduces the costs and labor required for installing equipment or modifying equipment, thereby promoting measures to prevent scale damage and water quality degradation due to scale in cooling water. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0033] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram showing an example of a fiber carrying a clay mineral according to the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 3] FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 4] FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 5] FIG. 1 illustrates an embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 6] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an outline of the conditions for Experiment 1. [Figure 7] FIG. 1 shows the results of Experiment 1. [Figure 8] FIG. 1 shows the results of Experiment 1. [Figure 9] FIG. 1 shows the results of Experiment 1. [Figure 10] FIG. 1 shows the results of Experiment 1. [Figure 11] FIG. 1 shows the results of Experiment 1. [Figure 12] FIG. 1 shows the results of Experiment 1. [Figure 13] FIG. 1 shows an outline of the conditions for Experiment 2. [Figure 14] FIG. 1 shows an outline of the conditions for Experiment 2. [Figure 15] FIG. 10 shows the results of Experiment 2. [Figure 16] FIG. 10 shows the results of Experiment 2. [Figure 17] FIG. 10 shows the results of Experiment 3. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0034] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. (Example) In the following examples, the present invention will be described using a cooling water piping system including a cooling tower as an example. However, the present invention is not limited to cooling towers and can be similarly applied to piping systems and systems that use an open water tank or the like to perform evaporative cooling of cooling water, and piping systems and systems that use water-cooled chiller equipment. In this specification, the term "piping system" can include piping and pumps and other elements connected to the piping.

[0035] In cooling water piping systems including cooling towers in air conditioning systems, etc., the temperature of the cooling water is adjusted by the latent heat of evaporation of the water. In open cooling towers, a portion of the circulating cooling water evaporates to cool the cooling water. In closed cooling towers, cooling is performed by the latent heat of evaporation via a heat exchanger. The former is more commonly used in practice because it has higher cooling efficiency and requires less installation space, but the present invention can be applied to cooling water piping systems including either cooling tower.

[0036] In this invention, scale components contained in the cooling water in the cooling tower tank are directed or retained at specific locations by negative charge, where they are concentrated and precipitated. To achieve this, negatively charged clay minerals and fibers are used. By limiting the location where scale precipitates, scale buildup in other locations in the cooling water piping system is suppressed.

[0037] Generally, clay is a sediment made up of fine particles that is produced by secondary reactions of rock with water, and its main component is clay mineral. That is, clay minerals are the minerals that make up clay, and the main component is layered silicate minerals (phyllosilicate minerals). Clay has the property of carrying a negative charge on its surface, and negatively charged clay particles are charged with potassium (K + ), calcium (Ca 2+ ), magnesium (Mg 2+ It has the property of adsorbing and retaining positively charged components such as silica. The negative charge of the clay minerals that make up clay is a permanent charge caused by "isomorphous substitution," which is the replacement of cations electrostatically trapped between the crystalline layers.

[0038] The clay mineral of the present invention preferably contains, as its constituent components, minerals with predominant permanent charges, such as montmorillonite, vermiculite, mica, and chlorite.

[0039] In this example, heulandite ((Ca,Na)(AlSiO)) is used as an example of a clay mineral, which belongs to the heulandite group, a type of natural zeolite. 18 )·6H2O), and barrerite ((Na,K,Ca)2Al2Si7O), which is also a type of natural zeolite. 18 7H2O), and montmorillonite (Na ), a type of silicate mineral that is a type of smectite. 0.3 (Al,Mg)2SiO 10 Clay minerals containing (OH)2·4H2O) are used. These clay minerals are negatively charged. Mudstone or other materials containing such clay minerals are crushed to obtain clay mineral powder. Generally, the particle size of clay minerals is 2 μm or less, but the powder obtained by crushing may be larger than this. As described below, it is preferable for the clay mineral powder to be contained within the fibers, so in consideration of the relationship with the fiber diameter (described below), it is desirable for the particle size of the clay mineral powder after crushing to be 20 μm or less.

[0040] The fibers are manufactured using the well-known melt-blowing method (resin chips are melted and extruded, and then a high-speed thermal jet is used from a nozzle to blow the filamentous material into ultrafine fibers). In this example, polypropylene is used as the fiber material. Polypropylene is suitable for fiber manufacturing and is also suitable for processing to support clay minerals, making it an ideal fiber material. However, the fiber material is not necessarily limited to this; for example, polyethylene and bioplastic PLA (polylactic acid) materials can also be used.

[0041] The fibers may be entangled long fibers, and the fiber portion of the scale component removal device of the present invention may be composed of an aggregate of entangled long fibers.

[0042] The clay mineral powder is melted in polypropylene as a base material to produce pellets. These pellets are melted and blown using a melt-blowing method to obtain fibers containing or carrying clay minerals. Hereinafter, such fibers or fiber aggregates will also be referred to as "clay mineral-carrying fibrous material." The shape of the fibers can be, for example, long fibers. The fiber diameter can be appropriately determined within the range of 500 nm to 30 μm, but it is desirable to select it within the range of 3 μm to 30 μm taking into consideration the particle size of the clay mineral powder (described above). The clay mineral content can be appropriately selected within the range of 1 to 20% of the mass of the clay mineral-carrying fibrous material, for example.

[0043] FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram showing a state in which clay mineral powder (3) is supported on fibers (4) in a typical clay mineral-supported fiber member in the scale component extraction device of the present invention. In the present invention, the clay mineral powder is dispersed throughout the fiber and supported on the fiber. The clay mineral powder can be supported on both the inside and outside of the fiber. Retaining the clay mineral powder within the fiber (encompassing or supporting it) not only makes spinning smoother, but also prevents scale components and the like from being directly adsorbed onto the clay mineral powder, thereby prolonging the effect (lifespan), making it even more preferable. FIG. 1 illustrates a case in which clay mineral powder is supported within the fiber. FIG. 1(a) shows the appearance of the fiber with clay mineral powder supported therein, and FIG. 1(b) is a cross-sectional view taken along the line A-A' in FIG. 1(a).

[0044] An example of the scale component separation device (1) of the present invention thus manufactured is shown in FIG. 2, and a state in which it is placed in cooling water (7) in a water tank of a cooling tower (5) is shown in FIG.

[0045] When the scale component separation device (1) of the present invention is introduced into the cooling water (7) in the cooling tower water tank, the scale components contained in the cooling water are attracted and / or retained at the clay mineral-carrying fibrous member and its vicinity due to the negative charge of the clay minerals. The concentration of the scale components is concentrated at such locations, and calcium carbonate, silicon dioxide, magnesium silicate, and other scales are precipitated.

[0046] The scale component deposition device of the present invention can also deposit iron ions and copper ions, which are important for controlling the quality of cooling water, to form scale.

[0047] The deposited scale is visible to the naked eye.

[0048] If a scale component removal tool placed in the cooling water (7) in the cooling tower water tank absorbs water or is sprayed with water by the cooling water pump, the scale component removal tool may sink into the tank. If the scale component removal tool sinks into the tank, it may clog the pipes of the cooling water system, block the water flow, or cause other problems. To address this issue, the scale component removal tool may be made of water-repellent fibers such as polypropylene or polyethylene.

[0049] However, it has been found that even the use of such fibers can cause problems in some cases. High water repellency causes the scale component deposition device to float above the water surface, leaving part of the device exposed above the water surface. When the scale component deposition device floats above the water surface, not only does the water sprayed by the cooling water pump hit the device directly, causing splashes of water, but the part of the scale component deposition device that is above the water surface is unable to deposit scale components.

[0050] In this way, the inventors have found through experimental processes that it is more preferable to configure the scale component removal tool so that its upper surface (8) is positioned at approximately the same height as the surface of the cooling water.

[0051] In order to achieve this, that is, to use water-repellent fibers while preventing the scale component removal tool from floating above the water surface and ensuring that the upper surface (8) of the scale component removal tool is positioned at approximately the same height as the surface of the cooling water, the present invention provides the fibers with wettability (hydrophilicity).

[0052] One way to impart wettability to a fiber is to attach a hydrophilic compound to the fiber surface or to form a film thereon. However, to impart wettability to water-repellent fibers and ensure that the top surface (8) of the scale component removal device is positioned at approximately the same height as the cooling water surface, it is preferable to incorporate a surfactant into the fiber raw material, such as polypropylene or polyethylene. Incorporating a surfactant into the fiber raw material, for example, increases the surface free energy of the polypropylene or polyethylene fiber, thereby reducing the contact angle with water (liquid) that contacts the fiber and making the fiber more easily wettable by water. In other words, by providing water-repellent fibers that are the material for the scale component removal device and incorporating an appropriate surfactant into the fibers, the top surface (8) of the scale component removal device is positioned at approximately the same height as the cooling water surface. Neutral surfactants, such as those derived from plant-derived oils, can be used, but they can be selected appropriately, and the amount of surfactant used can also be determined appropriately.

[0053] In addition, "the upper surface (8) of the scale component removal tool (1) being at approximately the same height as the surface of the cooling water" means that the upper surface (8) of the scale component removal tool (1) is approximately at the same height as the surface of the cooling water within a certain range, and the upper surface (8) of the scale component removal tool (1) may be located slightly above or below the surface of the cooling water.

[0054] By positioning the upper surface (8) of the scale component detection device (1) at approximately the same height as the cooling water surface, the scale component detection device will not sink into the water tank even if the fibrous member containing clay minerals absorbs water. Furthermore, even when the cooling water pump is operated and water is sprayed from the filler into the lower water tank, the sprayed water from above will not fall onto the water surface at the same height and directly hit the scale component detection device, causing it to splash. Therefore, the force of the sprayed water falling will not distort or sink the scale component detection device, and problems such as clogging or blocking the piping of the cooling water system will not occur. In addition, this prevents parts of the scale component detection device from floating up and being located above the water surface, eliminating or reducing parts where scale components cannot be precipitated. That is, if the upper surface of the scale component deposition device is positioned at approximately the same height as the cooling water surface, concentrated scale components can be effectively deposited near the device and on the inner sidewall of the cooling tower tank, causing calcium carbonate, silicon dioxide, magnesium silicate, etc. In this way, by concentrating the scale components in the cooling water piping system in specific locations and actively depositing the scale, the quality of the cooling water can be maintained.

[0055] The scale components or scale deposited on the inner sidewall of the cooling tower tank as described above can be removed by cleaning the inner sidewall of the cooling tower tank using a normal cleaning method. Scale components or scale that have fallen to the bottom of the cooling tower tank can be similarly cleaned, and scale components or scale that have adhered to the surface of the clay mineral-supported fiber member can also be easily washed away as described below. This makes it extremely easy to manage the quality of the cooling water and the cooling tower tank.

[0056] The surfactant used to make the fibers hydrophilic may be in the form of pellets which are added to the fiber material for processing.

[0057] Taking advantage of the fact that the upper surface of the scale component removal tool or clay mineral-carrying fibrous member can be configured to be positioned at approximately the same height as the cooling water surface, it may be disposed entirely near the surface of the cooling water in the cooling tower tank. If the upper surface of the scale component removal tool or clay mineral-carrying fibrous member is maintained almost at or slightly lower than the water surface throughout, direct sunlight will not reach the cooling water or the inside of the cooling tower tank, preventing the growth of algae and biofilms in the tank and further maintaining water quality.

[0058] Furthermore, by disposing the scale component extraction device or clay mineral-carrying fiber member over the entire surface of the cooling water near the water surface, evaporation of the cooling water from the water tank is suppressed, which makes it possible to reduce the amount of make-up water.

[0059] The scale component extraction device or clay mineral-supported fibrous member can be formed into various shapes. For example, the clay mineral-supported fibrous member can be formed into a cocoon-shaped or cocoon-shaped form. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 4(a), the scale component extraction device or clay mineral-supported fibrous member may be formed into a thin, wide, sheet-like shape (e.g., about 50 mm thick). The thickness (numerical value) can be selected appropriately. Forming it into such a thin, wide, sheet-like shape makes it easy to position it near the surface of the cooling water and to distribute it over the entire surface of the cooling water. FIG. 4(b) shows an example of a scale component extraction device of the present invention formed into a thin, wide, sheet-like shape and placed near the surface of the cooling water (7). The scale component extraction device can be distributed over the entire surface of the cooling water.

[0060] If it is desired to maintain the installation location of the scale component extraction device to some extent, the present invention can be configured so that the clay mineral-carrying fibrous member is placed in a protective net. Figure 5 shows an example of the water quality maintenance device of the present invention, in which a sheet-shaped clay mineral-carrying fibrous member is placed in a protective net (9). Securing the protective net to surrounding equipment such as a cooling tower with, for example, wire or string, makes it easier to manage this water quality maintenance device. As just one example, the protective net can be made of polyethylene with a mesh size of 1.8 mm and a thickness of 1 mm.

[0061] When a protective net is used, it is preferable that the upper part (10) of the protective net is positioned at approximately the same height as the surface of the cooling water. Here too, it is sufficient that the upper surface (10) of the scale component removal tool equipped with the protective net is at approximately the same height as the surface of the cooling water to a certain extent, and the upper surface (10) may be positioned slightly above or below the surface of the cooling water.

[0062] It is preferable that the clay mineral be encapsulated in the fibers and not exposed on the outer surface of the clay mineral-loaded fiber member (i.e., not supported on the outer surface). When negatively charged clay minerals are supported on the fiber surface, scale components or scale directly adsorb to the clay minerals. While the adsorbed scale components can be removed from the cooling water, the clay minerals with adsorbed scale lose their charging effect. Therefore, even if all the clay minerals are adsorbed, the charging effect is lost. In other words, when negatively charged clay minerals are supported on the fiber surface, the effect of removing scale damage is only maintained for a short period of time, especially when the water contains a large amount of scale. By encapsulating negatively charged clay minerals within the fibers, scale components are not directly adsorbed to the clay minerals. When the concentration becomes high, crystallization becomes rate-limiting, resulting in the precipitation of scale, which is then removed from the pipe water. As described above, clay minerals possess a permanent charge due to their nature, thereby maintaining a sustained effect of preventing scale damage. Even if the precipitated scale adheres to the surface of the fiber, it is not adsorbed, so the scale can be separated by simply cleaning the clay mineral-supported fiber member (by washing with water or rubbing), and the member can be reused. If the clay mineral is supported by being encapsulated in the fiber and is configured so that it is not exposed on the outer surface of the clay mineral-supported fiber member, the effectiveness of preventing scale damage can be improved by about 5 to 10 times compared to when the clay mineral is supported on the outer surface.

[0063] The melt-blowing method is a suitable method for producing a clay mineral-supported fiber component so that the clay mineral is not supported on the outer surface of the fiber. Electrospinning has a small nozzle diameter, making it difficult to release the clay mineral. Furthermore, methods that vapor-deposit the support component in a later step result in the support component (clay mineral) being supported on the outer surface of the fiber, which results in direct adsorption of scale components and the like, shortening the effectiveness (lifespan).

[0064] Antibacterial materials, silver zeolite, etc. may also be supported on the fibers. This allows the clay mineral-supported fiber component to have antibacterial properties. One method of supporting the materials is to mix the antibacterial material into the above-mentioned manufacturing process and then process it into fibers. When manufacturing using the melt-blowing method, all materials can be processed into pellets and then mixed into them.

[0065] The above description has been given mainly with reference to an example in which the device is used in a cooling tower, but as mentioned above, the present invention is not limited to cooling towers and can be similarly applied to, for example, cases in which evaporative cooling of cooling water is performed using an open water tank or the like, or cases in which a water-cooled chiller system is used. For example, in systems in which an open water tank or the like is used, the scale component detection device of the present invention can be simply introduced into the water in the open water tank. In other cases, the scale component detection device of the present invention can also be used by appropriately introducing it into the target water.

[0066] (Experiment 1) In simulated cooling water containing scale components, the difference in scale deposition between the presence and absence of the scale component deposition device of the present invention was observed, and it was confirmed whether scale components were deposited on or near the scale component deposition device.

[0067] [Conditions for Experiment 1] For the four patterns (Cases 1 to 4) shown below, the same amount of commercially available mineral water (CONTREX (registered trademark) was used in this experiment) with a high calcium carbonate content was placed in four small water tanks (of the same size) as simulated cooling water (11) containing a large amount of scale components, and the scale formation state due to natural evaporation was compared. The initial water quality values ​​of this simulated cooling water are shown in Table 1.

[0068] [Table 1]

[0069] In cases 1 and 3, the scale component extraction device of the present invention was not placed, while in cases 2 and 4, it was placed in simulated cooling water. Furthermore, in cases 1 and 2, no stirring was performed by a pump, while in cases 3 and 4, it was performed. See Table 2 for the above.

[0070] [Table 2]

[0071] The scale component extraction device of the present invention used in Cases 2 and 4 was the same as that described in the above examples, but with hydrophilic fibers. The clay mineral was supported by being encapsulated in the fibers, and the clay mineral-supported fibrous member was formed so that it was not exposed on the outer surface of the clay mineral-supported fibrous member (i.e., was not supported on the outer surface).

[0072] In Case 2, the scale component detection tools were placed near the surface of the simulated cooling water, along the inner wall of the tank, and were not placed in the center, but were left open. In Case 4, the scale component detection tools were placed all over the surface of the simulated cooling water (including the center). All tanks were placed in the same room, and the air temperature, humidity, and water temperature were the same. After the experiment began, water evaporated from the surface of the tank, causing the water level to gradually drop, so mineral water was periodically replenished to maintain the water level at the start of the experiment. This caused the scale component concentration in the tank to gradually increase. Over the course of the experiment, the amount of water replenished was approximately the same in Cases 1 and 2, and in Cases 3 and 4.

[0073] Schematic diagrams outlining the experimental conditions for cases 1 to 4 are shown in Figures 6(a) to 6(d).

[0074] [Results for Cases 1 and 2] 54 days after the start of the experiment, (1) the transparency of the simulated cooling water (Figure 7), (2) the state of scale components adhering to the inner walls (sides) of the tank (Figure 8), and (3) the state of the surface of the simulated cooling water (Figure 9) were visually checked.

[0075] First, regarding (1) above, it was confirmed that the simulated cooling water in Case 1 was cloudy, while the simulated cooling water in Case 2 was highly transparent.

[0076] Regarding (2) above, it was confirmed that in Case 2, more scale adhered to the evaporation surface of the side wall than in Case 1. That is, as the ion concentration increases due to natural evaporation of the simulated cooling water, scale gradually appears. In Case 2, it was confirmed that the scale components migrated toward the scale component extraction device of the present invention and became highly concentrated in the vicinity (the surface of the simulated cooling water), exceeding the solubility of the ions, causing scale to preferentially precipitate near the water surface and adhere to the inner wall surface of the water tank. As a result, the difference in (1) above occurred. In Case 1, scale formation was random, occurring on the bottom of the water tank and other surfaces, and small scales were confirmed floating in the water.

[0077] Furthermore, regarding (3) above, in Case 1, scale components were scattered and floating on the water surface, whereas in Case 2, scale components were confirmed to have precipitated on the scale component deposition tool and in its vicinity.

[0078] Thus, in Case 2, unlike Case 1, scale components are attracted to the scale component extraction tool and its vicinity, and as the scale components become highly concentrated, the solubility of the ions is exceeded, causing scale to preferentially precipitate near the water surface and adhere to the inner wall surface of the tank and the scale component extraction tool of the present invention.

[0079] [Results for Cases 3 and 4] Cases 3 and 4 are comparisons of cases where simulated cooling water was circulated using a pump (the difference being the presence or absence of the scale component extraction tool of the present invention). 15 days after the start of the experiment, (4) the transparency of the simulated cooling water (Fig. 10), (5) the state of scale component adhesion to the inner wall (bottom) of the tank (Fig. 11), and (6) the state of the pump suction filter (Fig. 12) were each visually checked.

[0080] Regarding (4) above, it was confirmed that the simulated cooling water in Case 3 was cloudy, while the simulated cooling water in Case 4 was highly transparent.

[0081] Regarding the above (5), it was confirmed that in Case 4, more scale adhered to the evaporation surface of the side wall than in Case 3. That is, as the ion concentration increases due to natural evaporation of the simulated cooling water, scale gradually appears. In Case 4, it was confirmed that the scale components migrated toward the scale component desorption device of the present invention and became highly concentrated in the vicinity (the surface of the simulated cooling water), exceeding the solubility of the ions, causing scale to preferentially precipitate near the water surface and adhere to the inner wall surface of the water tank and the scale component desorption device of the present invention. As a result, the difference in (4) above occurred. In Case 3, scale formation was random, occurring on the bottom of the water tank and other surfaces, and small scale particles were confirmed floating in the water.

[0082] Regarding (6) above, in Case 4, no scale was found to have built up on the pump suction filter or the bottom of the tank. On the other hand, scale was found to have built up on the pump suction filter in Case 3. That is, referring to Figure 12, in Case 4 the suction filter (charcoal gray as the background color) is visible as is, whereas in Case 3, scale can be seen to have built up over the entire suction filter in a gray to whitish color.

[0083] Thus, in Case 4, scale components are attracted to the scale component extraction tool and its vicinity, and as the scale components become highly concentrated, the solubility of the ions is exceeded and scale is preferentially precipitated near the water surface, adhering to the inner wall surface of the tank and the scale component extraction tool of the present invention.As a result, it was confirmed that scale no longer floats in the simulated cooling water or adheres to the pump suction filter or the bottom of the tank.

[0084] Table 3 shows a comparison of the water quality (analysis results of major components) between Cases 3 and 4. Compared to Case 3, Case 4 had lower electrical conductivity and total evaporation residue values, and higher acid consumption, but no inferiority in water quality was observed compared to Case 3. Note that while Table 3 shows that the turbidity of the water in Cases 3 and 4 is similar, as noted above, a clear difference in water transparency can be seen between the two. This is because the water in Case 3 contains fine scale that cannot be measured by turbidity measurement, which reduces the water transparency, whereas in Case 4, this fine scale in the water is attracted to and precipitated around the scale component deposition tool as scale components, resulting in higher water transparency.

[0085] [Table 3]

[0086] From a comparison of the scale deposition conditions in both cases, comparative photographs of water transparency, and the results of water quality analysis in these experiments, it was confirmed that in Case 4, unlike Case 3, scale adhered to the inner walls of the water tank and the scale component extraction tool of the present invention, and as a result, scale did not float in the simulated cooling water, and the water quality was maintained.

[0087] [summary] Applying the above experimental results to a typical cooling water piping system, when the scale component separation device of the present invention is not used (Pattern A), the locations where scale components in the cooling water are concentrated and precipitate as scale are not consistent but random. Based on the fact that the scale separation and growth process are similar to the mechanism of crystallization, it is assumed that in Pattern A, secondary nuclei that grow by colliding with impurities, walls, obstacles, etc. are mainly formed, whereas when the scale component separation device of the present invention is used (Pattern B), scale components gather at the scale component separation device and its vicinity, forming clusters to form primary nuclei. In both Patterns A and B, once a nucleus crystal (scale) appears, the crystal grows from this as a base point.

[0088] (Experiment 2) It was confirmed whether the clay minerals contained in the water quality maintenance tool of the present invention have the effect of attracting scale components in the water and causing the scale to precipitate in the vicinity of the tool.

[0089] [Conditions for Experiment 2] Two small water tanks (same size) were filled with CONTREX (same amount), which has a high calcium carbonate content, as simulated cooling water (12) containing a large amount of scale components, and the scale formation conditions were compared by natural evaporation. In Case 5, hydrophilic polypropylene (PP) fiber (corresponding to the wettable or hydrophilic fiber in this invention, without clay minerals) was placed in the simulated cooling water, and in Case 6, the scale component extraction device (1) of this invention was placed in the simulated cooling water. In both Cases 5 and 6, the simulated cooling water was stirred and circulated using a pump. See Table 4 for details.

[0090] [Table 4]

[0091] The scale component extraction tool of the present invention used in Case 6 was the same as that described in the above examples, but with hydrophilic fibers. The clay mineral was supported by being encapsulated in the fibers, and the clay mineral-supported fibrous member was formed so that it was not exposed on the outer surface of the clay mineral-supported fibrous member (i.e., was not supported on the outer surface).

[0092] The hydrophilic PP fiber used in Case 5 corresponds to the fiber that is a component of the scale component extraction tool used in Case 6, and was identical in material, fiber diameter, weight, and hydrophilicity. Case 5 differs from Case 6 in that clay minerals are not supported on the hydrophilic PP fiber.

[0093] In Case 5, hydrophilic PP fiber (13) was placed near the surface of the simulated cooling water (including the center), and in Case 6, a scale component analysis tool (1) was placed over the entire surface. Both tanks were placed in the same room, and the air temperature, humidity, and water temperature were the same. As in Experiment 1, after the start of the experiment, water evaporated from the surface of the tank, causing the water level to gradually drop. Therefore, mineral water was periodically replenished to maintain the water level at the start of the experiment. This resulted in a gradual increase in the scale component concentration in the tank. Over the course of the experiment, the amount of water replenished in Cases 5 and 6 was approximately the same.

[0094] Schematic diagrams outlining the experimental conditions for Cases 5 and 6 are shown in Figures 13(a) and 13(b). Figure 14 shows the situation at the start of the experiment. Figure 14(a) shows Case 5 as seen from the front, Figure 14(b) shows Case 5 as seen from above, Figure 14(c) shows Case 6 as seen from the front, and Figure 14(d) shows Case 6 as seen from above.

[0095] [Results for Cases 5 and 6] Three days after the start of the experiment, (7) the condition of the pump suction filter (Figure 15) and (8) the condition of scale components adhering to the bottom of the tank (Figure 16) were visually inspected.

[0096] The results were generally similar to those of Cases 3 and 4. Regarding (7) above, in Case 5, scale was confirmed to have adhered to the pump suction filter (Figure 15(a)). On the other hand, in Case 6, no scale was observed to have adhered to the pump suction filter (Figure 15(b)). That is, referring to Figure 15, in Case 6, the suction filter (charcoal gray background color) is visible as is (Figure 15(b)), whereas in Case 5, scale adhesion can be confirmed as a gray or whitish color on the surface of the suction filter (Figure 15(a)).

[0097] Furthermore, regarding (8) above, it was confirmed that precipitated scale had accumulated on the bottom of the container in Case 5 (Fig. 16(a)). On the other hand, it was confirmed that no scale had accumulated on the bottom of the container in Case 6 (Fig. 16(b)). That is, referring to Fig. 16, precipitated scale had accumulated on the bottom of the container in Case 5, making the water slightly cloudy (Fig. 16(a)), but it can be confirmed that almost no scale had accumulated on the bottom of the container in Case 6, and the water was highly transparent (Fig. 16(b)).

[0098] From a comparison of photographs of the scale deposition conditions and water transparency in both cases in Experiment 2, it was confirmed that in Case 6, unlike Case 5, scale did not float in the simulated cooling water, and scale deposition on the bottom of the water tank and the pump suction filter was suppressed, maintaining water quality and transparency. In other words, it was confirmed that the particularly remarkable effects described above can be achieved by forming the clay mineral-supported fibrous member so that the clay mineral is supported by being encapsulated in the hydrophilic fibers in the scale component extraction device of the present invention and is not exposed on the outer surface of the clay mineral-supported fibrous member (is not supported on the outer surface).

[0099] (Experiment 3) The total amount and location of scale deposition in Case 6 were compared with those observed when no scale component deposition equipment (test materials) was added to the tank (Case 7, the same conditions as Case 6, except for the absence of test materials). Two small tanks (approximately 3.6 liters, 17 cm long x 17 cm wide x 12.5 cm deep) were filled with the same amount of CONTREX, a calcium carbonate-rich product, as simulated cooling water (12) containing high levels of scale components. The scale formation patterns were compared through natural evaporation. The simulated cooling water in each tank was stirred and circulated using a pump for 52 days, after which the pump was stopped. The amount of water replenished to both tanks due to evaporation during the experiment was approximately the same. Next, for Case 6, the test materials were carefully removed from the tank and collected in a container. Afterwards, the water in the tank was drained from the top using a cup or other container, taking care not to mix with the scale deposited on the bottom and sides. After drying the test materials and experimental equipment, scale was collected from three locations for each case: (1) the surface and interior of the test materials, (2) the bottom and sides of the tank, and (3) the pump parts, and measured using a precision balance. The results are shown in Table 5.

[0100] [Table 5]

[0101] Table 5 shows that in Case 7 (without scale component removal equipment), scale components were deposited on (2) the bottom and sides of the tank and (3) the pump parts, amounting to 2.81 g and accounting for 100% of the total, whereas in Case 6 (with scale component removal equipment), scale components were deposited on (1) the surface and interior of the test material, amounting to 0.60 g and accounting for 22.7% of the total, and the total proportion of scale components deposited on (2) the bottom and sides of the tank and (3) the pump parts was only 77.3%. In particular, the effect of reducing scale on (3) the pump parts was significant, with a simple weight comparison showing a reduction of approximately 40%.

[0102] FIG. 17 shows the front view of the water tank after drying in Case 6 (the image on the left side of FIG. 17) and Case 7 (the image on the right side of FIG. 17).

[0103] As shown in Table 5, the total reduction rate for the amount of scale components adhering to the inner surface of the tank was about 10%, but as is clear from Figure 17, in Case 6, the scale components were concentrated on the upper side of the tank, with little scale adhering to other parts. In Case 7, scale was adhering to the entire tank, and it is clear that the scale adhesion conditions are different.

[0104] As described above, it has been confirmed that the present invention can deposit scale components on the scale component deposition tool and in its vicinity. [Industrial Applicability]

[0105] According to the present invention, since no chemicals are used to burden the environment, it is easier to take measures against scale problems that occur in cooling water piping systems from the environmental consideration perspective.

[0106] Furthermore, the present invention can be easily applied to various types of cooling systems and other facilities without the need for the introduction of a separate chemical injection system or other equipment, the use of external power, or even for application to existing cooling towers, without the need for any modifications to the facilities. Therefore, it is easy to take measures against scale problems that occur in cooling water piping systems, even from the perspective of reducing the costs and labor involved in introducing equipment or modifying facilities. As a result, for example, it becomes easier to ensure that the cooling water for cooling towers complies with the water quality control standards (Japan Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Industry Association Standards, Cooling Water Quality Standards for Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Equipment (JRA GL-02-1994)).

[0107] Furthermore, the present invention can be applied to various piping systems other than cooling water piping systems, water tanks, and even ponds and lakes, etc., where the effects are similarly manifested and the water contains scale components.

[0108] Thus, the present invention promotes the prevention or suppression of scale damage, but does not endanger the environment regardless of the amount of use, and therefore has extremely great industrial applicability. [Explanation of symbols]

[0109] 1 Scale component analysis tools 2. Clay mineral-supported fiber material 3. Clay mineral powder 4. Fiber 5 cooling tower 6 Cooling tower tank 7 Cooling water 8 Top surface of scale component extraction tool 9 Protective Net 10 Top of the protective net 11, 12 Simulated cooling water 13 Hydrophilic PP fiber

Claims

1. A scale component extraction tool for precipitating scale components contained in cooling water of a cooling device that performs latent heat cooling by circulating water, The device comprises powder containing negatively charged clay minerals (clay mineral powder) and fibers, The clay mineral powder is supported on the fibers, the clay mineral powder supported on the fibers is contained in the fibers and is not exposed from the fibers, The scale components include at least calcium ions, ionic silica, and / or magnesium ions, When the scale component deposition tool comes into contact with the cooling water, the scale components are deposited on the scale component deposition tool and in the vicinity thereof. A scale component extraction tool characterized by:

2. 2. The scale component extraction tool according to claim 1, wherein the fibers are made of polypropylene or polyethylene.

3. The scale component extraction tool according to claim 2 , wherein the fibers contain a surfactant.

4. 4. The scale component extraction tool according to claim 1, wherein the clay mineral powder contains one or more of montmorillonite, vermiculite, mica, and chlorite.

5. 4. The scale component extraction tool according to claim 1, wherein the entire tool is configured to have a thin, wide shape, and the upper surface of the tool is disposed near the surface of the cooling water.

6. 4. The scale component extraction tool according to claim 1, wherein the clay mineral powder-supported fibers are covered with a net.

7. A method for separating scale components contained in cooling water of a cooling device that performs latent heat cooling by circulating water, comprising: The scale components include at least calcium ions, ionic silica, and / or magnesium ions, A powder containing a negatively charged clay mineral (clay mineral powder), which is supported and encapsulated in fibers and is not exposed from the fibers, is placed in the cooling water; The scale components are precipitated in the vicinity of the clay mineral powder. A method for removing scale components, comprising:

8. 8. The method for separating scale components according to claim 7, wherein the clay mineral powder is placed near the surface of the cooling water, and the scale components are precipitated in the vicinity of the clay mineral powder and on the inner side wall of the water tank of the cooling device.

9. A method for extracting scale components as described in claim 7 or 8, wherein the fibers contain a surfactant.

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