Modelling of hydrochemical and hydromechanical parameters’ synergism in the process of solid deposit creation in geothermal and other hard waters

Abstract

This paper presents the experimental research results, regarding the effect of hydromechanical parameters and based on the relative reduction of the starting hardness of geothermal water of Sijarinska Banja and Niška Banja as well as the water from the Medijana spring in Niš. The measurements were conducted on a laboratory pilot plant/ facility with glass pipes of diameter 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 mm and with water flow controlled by a digital peristaltic pump with a flow interval from 2 to 5000 ml min-1. The effect of the hydrodynamic parameters on the change of input hardness of geothermal and other hard waters and the process of solid deposit creation were modelled by an empirical model based on simple linear regression analysis, multiple linear regression model and the neural network. The high accuracy of all applied models unequivocally proves that a synergism of hydrochemical and hydrodynamic parameters exists in the process of creation of solid deposit – limescale, thanks to which the starting hypothesis is confirmed.

Keywords

• water hardness
• deposit and scale formation
• hydrochemical and hydromechanical parameters