A Model for the Deposition of Scale Crystals on the Surface of Clay Particles

Abstract

Abstract Deposition and aggregation of scale on microbial surface leads to poor stabilization of the treatment of oilfield high-scale oily wastewater. To study the deposition characteristics of scale on the surface of microbial particles, we perform the deposition and aggregation of calcium sulfate on the surface of clay particles as simulators of microbes and establish the deposition-aggregation process model. According to the theory of crystal growth, the diffuse electric double layer theory for clay, and the charged colloid theory, the scale deposition model can be divided into induction period, formative period of scale crystal nucleation, and crystal growth period. When calcium sulfate crystals deposit and aggregate on the surface of clay particles, the zeta potential and the average particle size on the surface of the clay particles increase continuously over time and tend to increase and decrease in cycles. The scale crystals are wrapped divergently around the surface of the clay particles in a needle-like form, such that the clay suspension is in a state of high aggregation. Logarithmic value of the conductivity in the formation of scale crystal has a good linear relationship with time, which conforms to the first-order rate equation. Conductivity curves can better reflect the deposition course of scale crystal on the surface of clay particles, which is divided into the induction period (6 min), transition period (1.5 min), formative period of scale crystal nucleation (10.75 min), rapid growth period of scale crystal (8.5 min), slow growth period of scale crystal (14.75 min), and stationary phase (4.75 min), and with the formation of the scale crystal, the deposition rate constant decreases gradually from 0.00945 min−1 to 0.0001 min−1. The results uncovered that Deposition and aggregation rules of scale on the surface of clay particles and the basis for further studying on microbial surface.