What Does
Lime Mean?
Lime is a naturally occurring chemical compound composed of calcium oxide or calcium hydroxide with the chemical formula CaO. It is a white crystalline solid and manufactured by heating limestone or chalk, which are mainly composed of CaCO3, at elevated temperatures.
Lime is extensively used in industrial water treatment processes to manipulate the corrosion causing potential of the water.
Corrosionpedia Explains Lime
Lime is industrially used primarily as a feed component of the water softening process. This process involves the addition of calcium hydroxide to contaminated water to remove hardness causing ions by precipitation and organic matter by flocculation.
Water hardness is the degree of bicarbonates, salts and other compounds in a water sample. Salts in lime scale deposits are a common cause of corrosion that causes damage to water pipelines and other water containing vessels.
The corrosion potential of water increases at pH levels greater than 6.5 and higher than 8.5 in the presence of dissolved solids, bacteria and/or suspended solids.