program continuous?

Are they working at a problem with unlimited possibilities

that yields valuable results from time to time? Unfortunately, the answers to
these questions are far from clear at this writing.
Thus, as a contribution toward general water planning, this book was written
because the eventual demand on the world�s total water resources will require
maximum re-use and processing efficiency. Communicating the importance of
the scaling process as it relates to the achievement of these goals is essential.
This book has been arranged, insofar as possible, in a logical manner. The
text has been written so that each section can be read or referred to in any
desired sequence. In this respect, we have attempted to prepare a handbook.
Chapter 1 briefly describes the scale problem. Chapters 2 through 4 are detailed
accounts of the three main types of scale usually associated with subsurface
brines and some surface waters. Chapter 5 discusses a number of the less common but
nevertheless important deposits of other materials. Chapter 6 is a discussion of
the mechanisms of scale deposition, and Chapters 7 and 8 describe
methods of preventing scale deposits. If deposits do occur, Chapter 9 reviews the
technology for removing them. Chapter 10 looks at comparative depositional
processes and is aimed at stimulating some different avenues of approach to the
scale deposition problem. Chapter 11 is a summary of the more important
patents related to scale.
Case histories have been included in order to emphasize the magnitude of the
problem. Some 4,000 chemical abstracts, twelve volumes of original references,
numerous books, all pertinent patents, many internal sources, and numerous
samples have been collected and reviewed for source material. Approximately
500 photographs of key mineral specimens from the Smithsonian collection
were made. The most germane of these have been used throughout the book to
relate the similarities between natural and man-made scale deposits.
We hope this book will serve as a guide to a better understanding of the scale
problem, with resultant dollar savings and increased efficiency in water usage.
Many of the failures that result from scale problems are due to a lack of
knowledge about the problem.
This book is not intended, however, to be an operating manual, but rather as a
single reference source serving as a point of departure into the literature. For
this purpose, we have attempted to write the book in a manner that will render it
a study of scale problems comprehensive enough to be of practical value to
engineers, consultants, chemists, operating personnel, and students concerned
with this aspect of water treating.
We have chosen to emphasize water-borne deposits, but deposits from nonaqueous
systems are also discussed where appropriate.
Some material may seem irrelevant on first glance; it has been included in
order to provide a more eclectic comprehension of the overall scale problem by
cross-fertilizing thought in one area of its occurrence with that in another. Due
to the complexity of the sca!e problem, we are reasonably certain that those in
one industry may not be aware of problems, or solutions to them, related to
various depositional processes occurring in other areas. We have utilized
substantial portions of related references and are deeply indebted to the many
investigators of the scale problem whom we have liberally cited