CA2996063C

Fluro-inorganics for inhibiting or removing silica or metal silicate deposits

Abstract

The present invention generally relates to a method for reducing the pH of an aqueous system comprising contacting an acid composition with an intemal surface of a piece of equipment, wherein the acid composition comprises a salt of a nitrogen base having a fluoro-inorganic anion, wherein the piece of equipment is an evaporator or a steam generator used in a geothermal surface system, a thermal recovery system, a sugar production system, or an ethanol production system.

CA2996063C, drawing sheet 1
Sheet 1 of 17

Term

8.9 yearsleft in the term

Expires 27 August 2035.

  1. Priority and filed
  2. Granted
  3. Today
  4. Expires

29 claims: 20 independent, 9 dependent

  1. 1
    WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:1. A method for reducing the pH of an aqueous system comprising contacting an acid composition with an internal surface of a piece of equipment, wherein the acid composition comprises a salt of a nitrogen base having a fluoroinorganic anion, wherein the piece of equipment is an evaporator or a steam generator used in a geothermal surface system, a thermal recovery system, a sugar production system, or an ethanol production system.
  2. 4
    The method of any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the piece of equipment is a pipe, a drain line, or a fluid transfer line.
  3. 5
    The method of any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising pigging a pipe, line, or tube bundle of the piece of equipment.
  4. 6
    The method of any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the fluoro-inorganic anion is a borate or a phosphate anion.
  5. 9
    The method of any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the nitrogen base is urea, biuret, an alkyl urea, an alkanolamine, an alkylamine, a dialkylamine, a trialkylamine, an alkyldiamine, an alkyltriamine, an alkyltetramine, a polyamine, an acrylamide, a polyacrylamide, a vinyl pyrollidone, a polyvinyl pyrollidone, or a combination thereof.
  6. 11
    The method of any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the fluoro-inorganic anion comprises tetrafluoroborate and die nitrogen base comprises urea and the molar ratio of urea to tetrafluroboric acid used to prepare the salt is 1:3 to 3:1.
  7. 12
    The method of any one of claims 1 to 11, wherein the acid composition further comprises water.
  8. 13
    The method of any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the concentration of the salt of a nitrogen base having a fluoro-inorganic anion in the acid composition is from about 5 wt.% to about 85 wt.% based on the total weight of the acid composition.
  9. 14
    The method of any one of claims 1 to 13, wherein the aqueous system has a basic PH-
  10. 15
    The method of any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the acid composition reduces corrosion of the internal surface of the piece of equipment as compared to the same method using a conventional acid.
  11. 16
    The method of any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the acid composition reduces metal loss from die internal surface of the piece of equipment as compared to the same method using a conventional acid.
  12. 17
    The method of any one of claims 1 to 16, wherein the acid composition further comprises a surfactant Date Reçue/Date Received 2022-07-22
  13. 19
    The method of any one of claims 1 to 18, wherein the acid composition farther comprises a corrosion inhibitor.
  14. 21
    The method of any one of claims 1 to 20, wherein the acid composition farther comprises a chelating agent.
  15. 23
    The method of any one of claims 1 to 22, wherein the acid composition removes an inorganic deposit
  16. 24
    The method of any one of claims 1 to 23, wherein the acid composition farther comprises sodium chlorite, sodium chlorate, or an additional acid.
  17. 26
    The method of any one of claims 1 to 25, wherein the method is performed when the piece of equipment is off-line.
  18. 27
    The method of any one of claims 1 to 25 wherein the method is performed when the piece of equipment is on-line. Date Reçue/Date Received 2022-07-22
  19. 28
    The method of any one of claims 1 to 27 wherein the method inhibits silica or silicate deposition.
  20. 29
    The method of any one of claims 1 to 28 wherein the concentration of the acid composition is from about 5 wt.% to about 30 wt.% based on the total weight of an aqueous mixture injected. Date Reçue/Date Received 2022-07-22
Independent claims20