Netherlands-based Nouryon has been granted a U.S. patent for its LumaTreat tagged polymer products, which enable customers to measure available deposit-control agents in water treatment systems and reduce polymer and water usage during treatment.

Many essential processes at production and manufacturing sites rely on the continuous operation of water treatment systems, cooling towers and boilers. The accumulation of scale deposits degrades the overall efficiency and lifespan of these systems, potentially causing failures or shutdowns detrimental to operations in industrial facilities.

LumaTreat tagged polymers incorporate fluorescent monomers that “smart tag” the deposit-control polymers used in water treatment and prevent the buildup of calcium phosphate, calcium carbonate and other minerals that produce scale deposits. These fluorescent tagged polymers enhance system troubleshooting for water treatment professionals through remote and accurate monitoring of polymer consumption, decreasing the risk of estimation errors. They can also be used in conjunction with or as an alternative to pyrenetetrasulfonic acid (PTSA) in water treatment formulations to indicate real-time consumption rates of the active polymer. A tagged polymer that enables more precise measurements can aid in reducing polymer dosage and water usage, while remote monitoring can eliminate the need to travel to sites.

U.S. Patent No. 11,208,408, “Method of Controlling Scale in Aqueous Systems,” covers LumaTreat tagged polymer products and the fluorescent monomers used in their creation.