Inorganic materials such as calcium carbonate or struvite (magnesium ammonium phosphate) build up as scale in marine black water collection systems, especially those using vacuum to reduce water usage. Biotal AR 3000 BW can be used in place of other acidic products, either regularly for prevention of scale build-up, or for periodic remediation of scale problems.
Strong mineral acids such as hydrochloric are effective at removing scale but are also very corrosive towards metals and require high levels of training, extensive planning and high grade personal protective equipment before use, as it causes severe burns in contact with skin. Thus, solutions of weaker acids such as sulphamic, citric and phosphoric acid are now more routinely used on board operating ships, but these are significantly less effective than hydrochloric acid and in the case of sulphamic acid, a product containing any significant concentration of this material should also be labelled as harmful to the environment according to EU rules
Biotal AR 3000 BW can be used regularly to prevent or reduce black water scale build-up, as a direct replacement for water soluble sulphamic acid sachets but it does not require environmental labelling. It dissolves more scale than phosphoric acid but it is not classified as corrosive and is also more effective than citric malic or other organic acids at an equivalent in use concentration.
A further advantage of Biotal AR 3000 BW is that it contains a powerful degreasing capability within the formulation and can therefore operate in the presence of oil and grease contamination, when other products either struggle to remove scale, or require a separate degreasing step before effective descaling can occur.
Biotal AR 3000 BW is a safer alternative to other acids for periodic use to descale toilet and black water systems.
Biotal AR 3000 BW has been successfully used in a program of periodic descaling on a RO-RO ferry, as an alternative to use of a strong mineral acid in dry dock.The system was treated via the cabin toilets working from the top deck downwards, with each toilet being treated with Biotal AR3000 BW and extra water flushing for seven days on a rolling program, giving results equivalent to a dry dock treatment, but this was carried out whilst the ship was fully operational.
