Treatment of aqueous systems

Abstract

A method is described for selecting a treatment additive for aqueous systems, such as cooling towers, in which crystal habit modification properties are prioritized; for aqueously preparing a substantially poly-maleic additive through in-situ formation of maleic acid copolymer so that mono-carboxylic acids, non-ionic functional groups, and terminal hydroxyl groups are also formed during polymerization; and for applying such additives for treatment of aqueous systems. Treatment agents resulting from these processes are also described.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . (canceled) 
     
     
         3 . (canceled) 
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein the copolymer comprises at least one terminal hydroxyl group. 
     
     
         5 . (canceled) 
     
     
         6 . (canceled) 
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein the inorganic compound is selected from the group consisting of calcium carbonate, calcium sulfate, barium sulfate, strontium sulfate, calcium fluoride, calcium oxalate, calcium phosphate, iron oxides, iron hydroxides, silica, and silicates. 
     
     
         8 . A method of treating cooling towers, the method comprising
 adding a treatment composition to a cooling tower to modify a crystal habit of an inorganic compound in the cooling tower,   wherein the treatment composition comprises a copolymer having at least 5 molar % decarboxylated maleic acid repeating units.   
     
     
         9 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein in addition to crystal habit modification properties, the treatment composition further comprises one or more properties selected from the group consisting of threshold inhibition, sequestration, chelation, stabilization, and particulate dispersion. 
     
     
         10 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein the copolymer comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of monocarboxylic acids, non-ionic functional groups,terminal hydroxyl groups, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         11 . The method according to  claim 8 ,
 wherein the copolymer comprises non-ionic functional groups,   wherein the copolymer comprises carboxylate functional groups, and   wherein the non-ionic functional groups and the carboxylate functional groups are present in a ratio that provides adsorption of the copolymer on crystal surfaces in the cooling tower and also provides at least one property selected from the group consisting of threshold inhibition, chelation, and sequestration, and combinations thereof in the cooling tower.   
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein the copolymer is a polymaleic acid copolymer. 
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 12 , wherein the copolymer comprises at least one monomeric repeat unit other than maleic acid. 
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein the copolymer comprises carboxylate groups derived from at least one selected from the group consisting of acrylic acid, maleic acid, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein the copolymer comprises sulfonate functional groups. 
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 8 , wherein the copolymer comprises non-ionic functional groups.