Scale Formation by Calcium-Precipitating Bacteria in Cooling Water System
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Published:2019
Abstract
This study examines the role of calcium-precipitating bacteria (CPB) in heat exchanger tube failures. Several types of bacteria, including Serratia sp. (FJ973548), Enterobacter sp. (FJ973549, FJ973550), and Enterococcus sp. (FJ973551), were found in scale collected from heat exchanger tubes taken out of service at a gas turbine power station. The corrosive effect of each type of bacteria on mild steel was investigated using electrochemical (polarization and impedance) techniques, and the biogenic calcium scale formations analyzed by XRD. It was shown that the bacteria contribute directly to the formation of calcium carbonate, a critical factor in the buildup of scale and pitting corrosion on heat exchanger tubes.
S. Maruthamuthu, P. Dhandapani, S. Ponmariappan, S. Sathiyanarayanan, S. Muthukrishnan, N. Palaniswamy, Scale Formation by Calcium-Precipitating Bacteria in Cooling Water System, Handbook of Case Histories in Failure Analysis, Vol 3, Edited By Larry Berardinis, ASM International, 2019, p 120–130, https://doi.org/10.31399/asm.fach.v03.c9001769
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