The hydrodynamic effect on silicate scale growth in microscopic flow inferred from numerical simulation

Abstract

Mineral scaling is a key process for various geophysical phenomena. Especially it is well known that silica scale is the most difficult one to control. The evaluation of the contribution of the chemical kinetic or the hydrodynamic process on the silica scaling is of importance towards the control of membrane scaling. To meet this goal, we compare the simulation result of the amount and the distribution of silica deposition predicted by the chemical kinetic and the hydrodynamic deposition process and the data from a laboratory or a field experiment. We solve the fluid, temperature and the dissolved silica concentration field by using the lattice Boltzmann method. From our simulation result, it is found that the kinetic process is not sufficient for representing the real silica deposition and that the hydrodynamic effect on growth of silica scale is important for both qualitatively and quantitative evaluations. It is, therefore, necessary to emphasize the physical adhesion should be taken into account for reproducing the process of silica scaling. To further predict the physical adhesion of silica particles, we need to analyze various interaction forces among silica particles in flow, membrane, wall, etc. and to establish the simple silica scale growth microscopically.