The Use of Phosphate-Silicate Inhibitor, in Corrosion Control of Drinking Water Distribution System

The chemical content of water pH, mineralization, alkalinity, hardness, calcium and magnesium compounds, carbon dioxide free provide guidance about buffering capacity of water. Therefore, if the mineralization and pH is low, the water is aggressive towards the materials used in manufacturing pipes concrete, steel, HDPE, PVC, PAX. If the mineralization is high, the pH is high, too and the water forms crust and hardness deposits on the pipe. To control corrosion in water distribution networks, the methods most commonly applied are: adjusting pH, increasing the alkalinity or hardness, adding corrosion inhibitors. The phosphate-silicate inhibitor (the Folmar technology) is a complex solution, completely soluble in water and very harmless to the human body and is used to control the chemical corrosion of pipes in water distribution system, the biological corrosion (due to iron bacteria, sulphate reducing bacteria, Pseudomonas), to control the bio-film and secondary pathogen growth in drinking water distribution system. This study presents the results for their evaluation performance in different pipes and different water chemistry content. The evaluation of Folmar technology lasted for at least minim 1 month to 1 year for each water source. The results obtained have revealed the ability of this bycomponent inhibitor type to reduce corrosive water and pipe trends.