Calcium Carbonate Scale Research Articles

Inhibition of adhesion of CaCO3 scale by polydopamine/polytetrafluoroethylene coating with stability and anticorrosion properties

AbstractReduction of calcium carbonate (CaCO3) scale formation on the equipment surface is essential in a wide variety of industrial fields. In this work, polydopamine/polytetrafluoroethylene (PDA/PTFE) coating prepared by the simple immersion on stainless steel (SS) surfaces was developed to suppress the CaCO3 scale adhesion. The PDA/PTFE‐coated surface showed the higher hydrophobicity (water contact angle = 133.50°) and lower surface free energy (11.92 mN/m) than the stainless‐steel surface. The scale inhibiting rate of the coated surface was up to 76.8% after 12‐hour immersion in the CaCO3 solution in comparison with the untreated SS. More bubbles were observed on the PDA/PTFE‐coated surfaces, and the number of bubbles increased with increasing solution temperature leading to less area for the scale adhesion. As a result, the PDA/PTFE coated surfaces have the higher antiscale ability at the higher solution temperature. Furthermore, the stripping and electrochemical corrosion tests demonstrated that the PDA/PTFE coating has the better stability and anticorrosion ability. The PDA/PTFE coating with the superior properties has potential application for the long‐lasting reduction of the scale formation.

Evaluating the Effectiveness of Red Onion Skin Extract Derivatives as Oilfield Scale Inhibitors

With growing awareness of the environmental impact of some conventional production chemicals and concerns about the depletion of non-renewable natural resources, increased efforts are being made to use renewable and non-toxic materials in the oilfield. In this study, a potential green scale inhibitor was developed from the skin of red onions and evaluated for calcium sulphate, calcium carbonate and barium scale inhibition. Based on the different extraction processes utilized, two products were obtained and characterized using FTIR and SEM and evaluated using a static jar test procedure. The FTIR results confirmed the bands that make up the major constituents (quercetin) and other important compounds, which supports the present study. Laboratory evaluation show that ROSE can efficiently inhibit calcium sulphate scale and barium sulphate scales with a good inhibition rate of greater than 75% at an optimum dosage. Effect of temperature and dosage on inhibition performance revealed that ROSE is stable at higher temperatures and can effectively inhibit calcium and barium sulphate scales at nearly the same rate without degradation but requires additional dosage to produce same result for calcium carbonate scale. Also, the effect of time reveals that scale inhibitor performs a continuous CaSO4 and CaCO3 inhibition. Not only does ROSE perform excellently in the laboratory condition as a green scale inhibitor, but it also show a relatively close performance rate when compared to an existing commercial inhibitor which indicate that ROSE has a high potential for use in the oil industry.

Calcium Carbonate Scale Inhibition with Ultrasonication and a Commercial Antiscalant

In this study, ultrasonication-assisted calcium carbonate scale inhibition was investigated compared with a commercial antiscalant ATMP (amino tris(methyl phosphonic acid)). The effects of varying ultrasound amplitude, pH, and inhibition duration were evaluated. The inhibition of calcium carbonate scale formation was measured based on the concentration of calcium in the solution after subjecting to different conditions. Scale deposits were also characterized using scanning electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction spectroscopy. Inhibition of scale formation was supported at a pH of 7 for an ultrasound amplitude of 150 W. A 94% calcium carbonate inhibition was recorded when the experiment was carried out with ultrasonication. The use of 5 mg/L ATMP achieved a 90% calcium carbonate inhibition of ATMP. The result of the characterization revealed that the morphology of the crystals was unaffected by ultrasonic irradiation. Sample treatment was performed with two different membranes to evaluate the calcium carbonate deposition, and data reveals that, at identical conditions, ultrasonication provides less deposition when compared to the control experiments.

Co-Deposition Mechanisms of Calcium Sulfate and Calcium Carbonate Scale in Produced Water

Co-precipitation of mineral-based salts during scaling remains poorly understood and thermodynamically undefined within the water industry. This study focuses on investigating calcium carbonate and calcium sulfate mixed precipitation in scaling. Scaling is often observed in the produced water supply as a result of treatment processes. Co-precipitation results were compared with experimental results of a single salt crystallization. Several parameters were carefully monitored, including the electrical conductivity, pH value, crystal morphology and crystal form. The existence of the calcium carbonate scale in the mixed system encourages the loose calcium sulfate scale to become more tightly packed. The mixed scale was firmly adhered to the beaker, and the adhesion of the co-deposition product was located between the pure calcium sulfate scale and the pure calcium carbonate scale. The crystalline form of calcium sulfate was gypsum in both pure material deposition and mixed deposition, while the calcium carbonate scale was stable in calcite form in the pure material deposition. In the co-deposition, apart from calcite form, some calcium carbonate scale crystals had metastable vaterite form. This indicated that the presence of SO42− ions reduced the energy barrier of the calcium carbonate scale and hindered its transformation from a vaterite form to a calcite one, and the increase in HCO3− content inhibited the formation of calcium sulfate scale.

Optimization and Field Test of a Chelating Acid System for Scaled Gas Wells in the Hechuan Gas Field

The Hechuan gas field is one of the tight gas reservoirs with the highest formation water salinity in China. The content of metal ions, such as calcium, magnesium, iron, and barium, is as high as 20 g/L. Severe scales in near-wellbore reservoir blocks the gas and liquid flow paths, affecting the normal production of gas wells. The analysis of scale samples shows that the scale compositions in the Hechuan gas field are complex, which are composed of calcium carbonate, calcium sulfate, barium sulfate, iron salt, silicate, and other inorganic scales. To dissolve these scales, 14 kinds of laboratory self-made chelating acids named AST-01 to AST-14, sequentially, were evaluated by the descaling rate, in which the chelating acid AST-01 was selected with a dissolution rate of 77.7%. Meanwhile, the optimal concentration and reaction time of AST-01 were investigated, and the concentrations of the corrosion inhibitor, the iron ion stabilizer, and surfactants were also optimized. Then, a chelating acid descaling formula was obtained, which was 15~20% of AST-01 chelating acid + 1.5~2.0% of corrosion inhibitor + 2.5% of iron ion stabilizer + 0.3% of drainage aid. A pilot field trial of this descaling formula was applied in a Hechuan X1 well. A remarkable result was obtained in that the shut-in tubing pressure recovery rate was increased by 14 times, the gas production was increased by 10 times, and the gas well resumed to produce continuously again.

Top-down model of calcium carbonate scale formation in turbulent pipe flows

We investigate calcium carbonate scale formation at high Reynolds numbers in a large pipe rig facility. The calcium carbonate solution is produced from the injection, at a T-joint inlet, of pH-stabilized sodium carbonate and calcium chloride aqueous solutions. A scanning electron microscopy analysis of the deposited mass along the pipe indicates that after an initial transient regime of ion-by-ion crystal growth, calcium carbonate scale is dominated by particulate deposition. While limescale formation in regions that are closer to the pipe’s entrance can be described as the heterogeneous surface nucleation of calcium and carbonate ions driven by turbulent diffusion, we rely upon turbophoresis phenomenology to devise a peculiarly simple kinetic model of deposition at farther downstream regions. Letting Φ and R be the flow rate and the pipe’s radius, respectively, the mass deposition rates per unit time and unit area are predicted to scale as Φα/Rβ (for certain modeled values of the α and β parameters) with suggestive support from our experiments.

Investigation of the Antiscaling Performance of Phosphonated Chitosan for Upstream Petroleum Industry Application

Scale deposition is one of the main water-based production problems in the upstream oil and gas industry. Few environmentally friendly scale inhibitors show good thermal stability as well as calcium compatibility. We report the synthesis of phosphonated chitosan (PCH) in a two-step route via a phosphonate ester. Chitosan is made from chitin, a natural polysaccharide. In dynamic tube blocking tests, PCH showed good performance as a calcium carbonate scale inhibitor, similar to some commercial nonpolymeric aminophosphonates. Performance was not lost even after thermal aging as a 5 wt % aqueous anaerobic solution for 1 week at 130 °C. The performance as a barite inhibitor was shown to be significantly worse. PCH showed excellent calcium compatibility from 100 to 10 000 ppm Ca2+ and 100 to 50 000 ppm PCH for 24 h at 80 °C. Density functional theory (DFT) and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations are employed to gain atomic insights into the interaction of PCH with the mineral surface as well as the polymer morphology. DFT predicts that PCH interacts as strongly as commercial scale inhibitors. MD simulations reveal a conformational contraction of PCH due to its internal hydrogen bonding network, which makes the inhibition mechanism complicated. Our simulation results bring new insights into the inhibition mechanism of polymeric inhibitors compared to small molecules. For example, a polymer with a well-defined structure such as carboxymethyl inulin (CMI) performs better than random folded polymers (PCH). The structural regularity maximizes the interaction sites of the mineral particles on the polymer surface. The compact morphology of PCH and the slow barite kinetics could be the main reason for the bad performance of PCH for barite scale inhibition.

Modeling and validation of the CO2 degassing effect on CaCO3 precipitation using oilfield data

Calcium carbonate scaling can become a challenge for Brazilian Pre-Salt oil production. The high CO2 content that makes up the gas stream in carbonate reservoirs is remarkable. The relationship between CO2 and CaCO3 is evident in the chemical balance: Ca2+(aq) + 2 HCO3–(aq) ⇆ H2O + CaCO3(s) + CO2(aq). Aqueous CO2 present in carbonate reservoir acidifies the medium and keeps CaCO3 dissolved. The head loss provided by oil production moves CO2(aq) to the gaseous state (CO2(aq) → CO2(g)). It disfavors calcium carbonate to keep dissolved, which implies CaCO3 precipitation. The two mentioned chemical reactions are closely linked and are mutually dependent. A previous thermodynamic study carried out by our group, considering a pseudo-equilibrium state, estimated that CO2 degassing is responsible for 61% to 89% of calcium carbonate scaling. However, it is not possible to carry out laboratory experiments with a pseudo-equilibrium condition. Therefore, a methodology was developed based on experimental feasibility to overcome this issue, making possible its application with computational packages. The software includes not only the aqueous solution thermodynamics but also the interaction with the hydrocarbon phases. An applied review of the role of CO2 on precipitation, considering aqueous, oily, and gaseous phases, was carried out with real-field data of Pre-Salt to support the analysis. Likewise for aqueous CO2, oily CO2 degassing (CO2(o) → CO2(g)) also implies CaCO3 scaling, and the CO2 partitioning between the three phases is a phenomenon that critically governs the precipitation. Regarding the simulation results, the percentages that we previously found were confirmed. In runs with real-field data, the results fell within the theoretical percentage range but indicated a distinct behavior from the influence of CO2 with the change in BSW. These discoveries correspond to some operational problems found in oilfields and may help to explain their still unknown causes.

Intracellular nanoscale architecture as a master regulator of calcium carbonate crystallization in marine microalgae

Unicellular marine microalgae are responsible for one of the largest carbon sinks on Earth. This is in part due to intracellular formation of calcium carbonate scales termed coccoliths. Traditionally, the influence of changing environmental conditions on this process has been estimated using poorly constrained analogies to crystallization mechanisms in bulk solution, yielding ambiguous predictions. Here, we elucidated the intracellular nanoscale environment of coccolith formation in the model species Pleurochrysis carterae using cryoelectron tomography. By visualizing cells at various stages of the crystallization process, we reconstructed a timeline of coccolith development. The three-dimensional data portray the native-state structural details of coccolith formation, uncovering the crystallization mechanism, and how it is spatially and temporally controlled. Most strikingly, the developing crystals are only tens of nanometers away from delimiting membranes, resulting in a highly confined volume for crystal growth. We calculate that the number of soluble ions that can be found in such a minute volume at any given time point is less than the number needed to allow the growth of a single atomic layer of the crystal and that the uptake of single protons can markedly affect nominal pH values. In such extreme confinement, the crystallization process is expected to depend primarily on the regulation of ion fluxes by the living cell, and nominal ion concentrations, such as pH, become the result, rather than a driver, of the crystallization process. These findings call for a new perspective on coccolith formation that does not rely exclusively on solution chemistry.

Addressing the root cause of calcite precipitation that leads to energy loss in geothermal systems

Geothermal sources are an essential energy resource in many cities around the world, in which a deep hot water reservoir has two energetic bases: thermal and hydraulic. The use of this energy can produce both electricity and heat. A geothermal well is a way in which the energy flows from the reservoir to the surface. A known operational problem can directly consume hydraulic energy and indirectly consume thermal energy. Calcium carbonate (CaCO3) precipitation and scaling can reduce and even block the flow area of a geothermal well, deferring, degrading, or even closing the production of water, steam, heat, and power. CO2 degassing, which is intrinsic to the deepwater system, is often the cause of this problem. This relationship is evident in the chemical balance: Ca2+(aq) + 2 HCO3–(aq) ⇆ H2O + CaCO3(s) + CO2(aq). With the head loss provided by the water flow, CO2(aq) changes to the gaseous state (CO2(aq) → CO2(g)), which disfavors the CaCO3 dissolution and implies its mineralization. The CO2(aq) closely links the two mentioned chemical reactions and makes them mutually dependent. Therefore, two causes favor the CaCO3 precipitation: changes in thermodynamic conditions (pressure and temperature) and CO2 exsolution. It takes place even if the hot water is not boiling or flashing. This paper aims to quantify these two causes by applying our techniques in some geothermal fields in different locations in the world. In all scenarios investigated, the release of CO2 contributes from 66.1% to 92.6% of the CaCO3 precipitation. These results can lead engineers to adequately remedy the problem and suitably design and operate a geothermal system as a whole.

Green inhibitors reduce unwanted calcium carbonate precipitation: Implications for technical settings

Mineral scale deposits in water drainage and supply systems are a common and challenging issue, especially by clogging the water flow. The removal of such unwanted deposits is cost intensive arguing for case-specific and sustainable prevention strategies. In the present study, a novel on-site approach to prevent calcium carbonate (CaCO3) scale formation was assessed in two road tunnel drainages: Application of the eco-friendly green inhibitor polyaspartate (PASP) caused (i) a significant inhibition of CaCO3 precipitation, (ii) a more porous or even unconsolidated consistence of the deposits, and (iii) a shift from calcite to the metastable aragonite and vaterite polymorphs. Even relatively low PASP concentrations (1–33 mg/l) can significantly decrease CaCO3 scale deposition, removing up to ∼7 t CaCO3/year at an efficiency up to 84%. Application of PASP for water conditioning should also consider case-specific microbial activity effects, where consumption of PASP, e.g. by Leptothrix ochracea, can limit inhibition effects.

Conductive epoxy/carbon nanofiber coatings for scale control

Calcium carbonate (CaCO3) is one of the most widespread scaling minerals and has been a long-standing problem within many industrial sectors. Scaling of calcium carbonate on conductive surfaces can be prevented electrochemically by anodic polarization. Anodic polarization, however, cannot be applied directly to metal surfaces like e.g., steel that will suffer from corrosion when polarized anodically in an aqueous environment. Thus, in this paper it is proposed to apply a conductive coating to a metal surface to allow anodic polarization and inhibit surface scaling, without corrosion of the underlying metal surface taking place. To this end an epoxy/carbon nanofiber conductive coating was developed and deposited at steel surfaces. The coating showed good adhesion to the surface and the bulk and surface resistivities were in the order of 52.80 kΩcm and 31.87 kΩ/cm2, respectively. The anti-scaling performance of the coating without- and under anodic polarization was tested upon exposure to 1.5 wt% CaCl2 solution being in contact with CO2. The coating has been tested at several different potentials to find optimal conditions for scale inhibition. Potentials above +3 VOCP caused a degradation of the coating due to oxygen evolution at the anode, as well as evolution of chlorine gas. At +1.5 and + 2 VOCP the coating remained intact and the precipitation of CaCO3 was limited. On the other hand, cathodic polarization of the coating surface enhanced scaling and no coating degradation was observed at cathodic polarization even at potentials as high as −5 VOCP. The coating has thus proven a good solution to control surface scale deposition. Both anodic scale inhibition and cathodic scale acceleration have been achieved at the coating surfaces.

A Standardized Test Protocol for Evaluation of Scale Reduction Technologies.

Precipitation of calcium carbonate (i.e., scaling) can occur in both traditional tank (electric and gas) and “green” tankless hot water systems that have implications for public health, water and energy sustainability, infrastructure damage, and consumer esthetics. There are many scale reduction devices and technologies that aim to reduce or eliminate such problems, and several standardized methods have been proposed to research their performance with scientific rigor. All of the existing approaches were inherently nonreproducible or could not quantify important aspects of scale deposition, including quantity, location, and deposit durability. Here we develop and vet a Standardized Scaling Test Protocol that overcomes many of these deficiencies, using a laboratory-scale model premise plumbing system and a synthesized synthetic scaling water that could be reproduced in any laboratory. This approach produced 25.1 g of calcium carbonate scaling (95% confidence interval of 20.3–29.8 g, n = 3) in ∼5 days. Illustrative scale reduction for a range of representative technologies, including cation exchange, electrochemical deionization, magnetism, electric field generator, media-induced precipitation, phosphate sacrificial media, and citric acid sacrificial media, ranged from 0% to 100% using the standardized protocol. The general approach was also applied to suitable local natural water with high scaling potential, and similar capabilities were observed.

Thermodynamic modeling of calcium carbonate scale precipitation: aqueous Na+-Ca2+-Cl–-HCO3–-CO32–-CO2 system

To allow for accurate calculations of calcium carbonate scaling in highly saline produced waters, we present a comprehensive thermodynamic model based on the electrolyte nonrandom two-liquid (eNRTL) activity coefficient equation for the aqueous Na+-Ca2+-Cl–-HCO3–-CO32–-CO2 system. The eNRTL binary interaction parameters for the H2O:(Na+-CO32–) pair, the H2O:(Na+-HCO3–) pair, the (Na+-Cl–):(Na+-CO32–) pair, and the (Na+-Cl–):(Na+-HCO3–) pair are identified in this work via the regression of thermodynamic, calorimetric, and phase equilibria experimental data. The binary interaction parameters associated with the H2O:(Na+-Cl–) pair, the CO2:(Na+-Cl–) pair, the H2O:(Ca2+-Cl–) pair, and the (Na+-Cl–):(Ca2+-Cl–) pair are retrieved from the literature. The remaining binary interaction parameters are retrieved from Aspen Plus or set to zero. In addition, the solubility product constants are identified for Na2CO3•10H2O(s), Na2CO3•7H2O(s), Na2CO3•H2O(s), Na2CO3•NaHCO3•2H2O(s), Na2CO3•3NaHCO3(s), and CaCO3(s) via regression of solubility data. The model is capable of accurately calculating all phase equilibria and calorimetric properties at temperatures up to 473.15 K and salt concentrations up to saturation.

Effect of LEO (Lycium Essential Oils) as Green Inhibitors of Calcium Carbonate Scale on Nanoparticles-Doped Ultrafiltration Membrane (UFM) and Water Treatment

Effect of LEO (Lycium Essential Oils) as Green Inhibitors of Calcium Carbonate Scale on Nanoparticles-Doped Ultrafiltration Membrane (UFM) and Water Treatment

Geological and Geochemical Characteristics of the Geothermal Resources in Rucheng, China

Abstract The development of geothermal energy promotes the changing of energy consumption structure in China. A series of experiments were performed to evaluate the geothermal resources of Rucheng County, which is the largest geothermal field in Central South China. The experiments include geothermal exploration, apparent resistivity, and determining the geochemical characteristics of the geothermal water. The experimental results show that the F3 fault zone and F1 hanging wall secondary fault are the main thermal control, heat conduction, water diversion, and thermal storage structures. The pH, EC, and Eh of the river water, shallow groundwater, and geothermal water exhibit seasonal changes. The pH and EC of the geothermal water are higher than those of the river water and shallow groundwater, while the Eh is lower. In addition, the corrosivity coefficient Kk and the Ryznar index are used to evaluate the corrosivity and calcium carbonate scaling of the geothermal water, and it is found that the geothermal water has no corrosiveness or calcium carbonate scaling, which indicates that the geothermal energy in Rucheng County has wide application prospects.

Mixed scaling control technology of produced water in different layers of the Dingbian oil production plant

Water injection is a common method for enhancing oil recovery in oilfield production processes. However, in the process of water injection development, the incompatibility between injected and formation water can easily cause formation pores and wellbore scaling problems, which compromise the oilfield production process. Considering a scaling well area in northern Shaanxi as example, scaling mechanism analysis and scale inhibition technology research were performed. The scale samples were subjected to water quality testing by total ion analysis and static compatibility experiment, in addition to scaling trend prediction and X-ray diffraction analysis. The calcium carbonate scale was found to be the main scale in this region and the main reasons for scale formation were: high content of CO32- and HCO3- in reinjection wastewater, high content of Ca2+ and Mg2+ in the produced water of the oil well, and poor compatibility between the formation water and reinjection wastewater. The formation of calcium carbonate scale was prevented by chemical scale inhibitor compounding and good chelation. Hence, the screened inhibitor showed good scale inhibitory effect and can provided technical support for the water injection process.

Assessment of Corrosion and Scale forming Potential of Groundwater Resources: Case Study of Dire Dawa City, Ethiopia

Almost 100% of the water supply of Dire Dawa City is from groundwater (including boreholes, dug wells, and springs). Recently, groundwater cause corrosion and scale problems to water distribution systems due to its content of dissolved ions that can cause public health and economic issues. The present paper investigates the corrosion and scale-forming potential of the groundwater in the city and visualizes it with mapping. Spectrophotometer, EDTA/Acid titration with calculation methods were used for water quality parameters analysis. GW Chart Calibration plot applied for the Piper diagram to categorizes the water types. Langelier saturation (LSI), Ryznar (RSI), aggressive (AI), Puckorius Scale (PSI), and Larson-Skold (LRI) indices were manipulated with Excel ® and visualized their spatial distribution using ArcGIS 10®. The mean values of LSI, RSI, PSI, AI, and LRI obtained were 0.29 ± 0.28, 6.4 ± 0.5, 5.10 ± 0.48, 12.20 ± 0.24, and 1.4±1.57 respectively. LSI and RSI results indicate moderate to low scale-forming tendency of groundwater in most parts except the northeastern part with corrosive groundwater. Based on the AI value, the groundwater ranges low corrosion in almost all zones except the edge of the northeast and northwest region. PSI indicated the water tends to form salt-scale at a medium rate. The LSI results showed that chloride and sulphate are unlikely to interfere with the formation of protecting film except in northwestern and northeastern regions where localized corrosion might occur. In conclusion, in almost all distribution system of the city is affected by calcium carbonate scale formation. The groundwater in the northwest and northeast resulted in localized corrosion because of relatively high contents of chlorides and sulphates.

Experimental investigation and molecular dynamic simulation of Tannic acid as an eco-friendly inhibitor for calcium carbonate scale

The present study aims to assess the performance of Tannic acid (TA), a natural polyphenol, as a new eco-friendly inhibitor on the deposition scale of calcium carbonate. The conductivity test and the Laboratory of Chemistry and Genie of the Environment (LCGE) technique are used to evaluate the anti-scaling property of TA. The dispersion property of CaCO3 is also investigated using UV–visible method. To characterize the morphology and crystal structure of the formed scale during the LCGE tests, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses are utilized. Then, Molecular dynamic simulations are carried out to prove theoretically the ability of TA molecule to inhibit CaCO3 scaling. Results show that the addition of a low concentration of TA (7.8 mg L −1) inhibits completely the precipitation of calcium carbonate of calco-carbonic solution with a hardness of TH = 40 ° F (1 ° F = 4 mg L −1 of calcium ions) at 25 °C. We recorded also that TA has a good dispersion property of CaCO3. It was observed that the scales formed in the absence of TA are regular rhombohedral forms. However, in the presence of a low concentration of TA (2 mg L −1) the significant modification in the crystal morphology and the crystal sizes are noted. XRD diffractogram reveals that CaCO3-calcite is the main polymorph formed during the tests without inhibitor. Nevertheless, in the presence of inhibitor, a mixture of vaterite and calcite was obtained. The geometrical and energetic analyses of the interfacial interactions of TA inhibitor with calcite (110) and (104) surfaces proved its enhanced capacity to interact with calcite crystals. These findings explain the good obtained scale inhibition efficiency of TA. Consequently, we suggest the use of TA as a new eco-friendly inhibitor for calcareous scaling.

Synthesis and property study of a polyether tercopolymer scale inhibitor with carboxyl and sulfonic acid groups

AbstractA new environment‐friendly hydrophilic terpolymer of PAA‐AEO‐SAS was synthesized by free radical polymerization using acrylic acid (AA), aliphatic alcohol polyoxyethylene ether (AEO) and sodium allyl sulfonate (SAS). The structure and molecular weight were characterized by FTIR, 1H‐NMR and GPC. The optimal monomer ratio, initiator level, reaction temperature and time for the synthesis of PAA‐AEO‐SAS were determined by the controlled variable method, and the inhibition performance on calcium carbonate (CaCO3) scale at different water bath temperature, pH, Ca2+ concentration and time were investigated by the static scale inhibition method. And the scales were analyzed by XRD and SEM. The results showed that the inhibitor had the best performance when the molar ratio of AA‐AEO/AA/SAS was 1:5:1, initiator was 4 mol%, the polymerization temperature was 85°C, and the reaction time was 2 h. Under the optimal synthesis conditions, the maximum inhibition efficiency was 90% (18 mg/L) and the Mw and Mn of PAA‐AEO‐SAS were 1546 and 1326, respectively. In addition, the surface morphology of calcium scale with the inhibitor was significantly changed from the characterization results. In short, the combination of multiple functional groups allowed the application of PAA‐AEO‐SAS in the complicated and challenging circumstances.