Method of tracing corrosive materials

Abstract

A method of using an inert fluorescent tracer in an industrial water system wherein the water of said industrial water system contains a certain amount of a corrosive material, is described and claimed, as is a method of using an inert fluorescent tracer to trace the corrosive material itself. Combinations of inert fluorescent tracers in corrosive materials are also described and claimed.

1 . The method of using an inert fluorescent tracer in an industrial water system wherein the water of said industrial water system contains a certain amount of a corrosive material, comprising the steps of: 
 A) providing an industrial water system wherein the water of said industrial water system contains a certain amount of a corrosive material;    B) adding to the water of said industrial water system a treatment chemical wherein said treatment chemical includes an inert fluorescent tracer in a known proportion;    C) providing a fluorometer capable of detecting the fluorescent signal of said inert fluorescent tracer, wherein said fluorometer has a sample cell that corrosive materials can be placed in without rendering the sample cell unusable;    D) using said fluorometer to detect and measure the fluorescent signal of said fluorescent tracer in the water of said industrial water system;    E) using the detected and measured fluorescent signal to determine how much of the treatment chemical is present in the water of said industrial water system; and optionally;    F) adjusting the operating parameters of said industrial water system such that the amount of treatment chemical present is optimal for the operating conditions of said industrial water system.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  in which said corrosive material is selected from the group consisting of concentrated HCl, Concentrated H 2 SO 4 , Glacial Acetic Acid, Concentrated H 3 PO 4 and dimethylformamide, wherein said concentrated HCl is at least about 37 wt. % HCl in water, said concentrated H 2 SO 4  is at least about 98 wt. % H 2 SO 4  in water, wherein said concentrated H 3 PO 4  is at least about 85 wt. % H 3 PO 4  in water; wherein said glacial acetic acid is at least about 100 wt. % acetic acid in water and wherein said dimethylformamide is about 100 wt. % dimethylformamide.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein when said corrosive material is concentrated HCl, said inert tracer is selected from the group consisting of 
 (a) 1,5-naphthalenedisulfonic acid and the known salts of 1,5-naphthalenedisulfonic acid,    (b) 1,3,6,8-pyrenetetrasulfonic acid, and the known salts of 1,3,6,8-pyrenetetrasulfonic acid, and    (c) isomers of anthracene disulfonic acid and salts thereof.    
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein when said corrosive material is concentrated H 2 SO 4 , said inert tracer is 1,3,6,8-pyrenetetrasulfonic acid, tetrasodium salt.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein when said corrosive material is concentrated glacial acetic acid said inert tracer is 1,3,6,8-pyrenetetrasulfonic acid, tetrasodium salt.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein when said corrosive material is concentrated H 3 PO 4 , said inert tracer is selected from the group consisting of 
 (a) 1,5-naphthalenedisulfonic acid and the known salts of 1,5-naphthalenedisulfonic acid,    (b) 1,3,6,8-pyrenetetrasulfonic acid and the known salts of 1,3,6,8-pyrenetetrasulfonic acid, and    (c) isomers of anthracene disulfonic acid and salts thereof.    
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 2 , wherein when said corrosive material is dimethylformamide, said inert tracer is selected from the group consisting of 1,3,6,8-pyrenetetrasulfonic acid, the known salts of 1,3,6,8-pyrenetetrasulfonic acid, isomers of anthracene disulfonic acid and salts thereof.  
     
     
         8 . A method of tracing a corrosive material, comprising the steps of: 
 (a) providing an industrial water system and a corrosive material that will be present in the water of the industrial water system;    (b) placing in said corrosive material an inert fluorescent tracer which has a detectable fluorescent signal when placed in said corrosive material, wherein said inert fluorescent tracer is added to said corrosive material in a known proportion;    (c) adding said corrosive material containing an inert fluorescent tracer to the water of said industrial water system;    (d) providing a fluorometer capable of detecting the fluorescent signal of said inert fluorescent tracer, wherein said fluorometer has a sample cell that corrosive materials can be placed in without rendering the sample cell unusable;    (e) using said fluorometer to detect and measure the fluorescent signal of said fluorescent tracer in the water of said industrial water system;    (f) using the detected and measured fluorescent signal to determine how much of the corrosive material is present in the water of said industrial water system; and optionally    (g) adjusting the operating parameters of said industrial water system such that the amount of corrosive material present is optimal for the operating conditions of said industrial water system.    
     
     
         9 . A composition of matter comprising 
 a) from about 0.01 ppm to about 10,000 ppm of a compound selected from the group consisting of 1,3,6,8-pyrene tetrasulfonic acid and the known salts of 1,3,6,8-pyrene tetrasulfonic acid.    b) a corrosive material, wherein said corrosive material is selected from the group consisting of concentrated HCl, concentrated H 2 SO 4 , glacial acetic acid, concentrated H 3 PO 4  and dimethylformamide; wherein concentrated HCl is at least about 37 wt. % HCl in water, concentrated H 2 SO 4  is at least about 98 wt. % H 2 SO 4  in water, wherein concentrated H 3 PO 4  is at least about 85 wt. % H 3 PO 4  in water; wherein glacial acetic acid is at least about 100 wt. % acetic acid in water and wherein dimethylformamide is about 100 wt. % dimethylformamide.    
     
     
         10 . The composition of  claim 9  wherein the compound is 1,3,6,8-pyrenetetrasulfonic acid, tetrasodium salt.  
     
     
         11 . A composition of matter comprising 
 a) from about 0.01 ppm to about 10,000 ppm of a compound selected from the group consisting of 1,5-naphthalenedisulfonic acid and the known salts of 1,5-naphthalenedisulfonic acid, and    b) a corrosive material, wherein said corrosive material is selected from the group consisting of concentrated HCl and concentrated H 3 PO 4 ; wherein concentrated HCl is at least about 37 wt. % HCl in water and wherein concentrated H 3 PO 4  is at least about 85 wt. % H 3 PO 4  in water.    
     
     
         12 . The composition of  claim 11  wherein the compound is 1,5-naphthalenedisulfonic acid, disodium salt.  
     
     
         13 . A composition of matter comprising 
 a) from about 0.01 ppm to about 10,000 ppm of a compound selected from the group consisting of isomers of anthracene disulfonic acid and salts thereof, and    b) a corrosive material, wherein said corrosive material is selected from the group consisting of concentrated HCl, concentrated H 3 PO 4  and dimethylformamide; wherein concentrated HCl is at least about 37 wt. % HCl in water, wherein concentrated H 3 PO 4  is at least about 85 wt. % H 3 PO 4  in water and wherein dimethylformamide is about 100 wt. % dimethylformamide.    
     
     
         14 . The composition of  claim 13  wherein the compound is about a 2:1 mixture of 1,5-anthracene disulfonic acid, disodium salt and 1,8-anthracene disulfonic acid, disodium salt.