Development History Of Water Treatment Chemicals

In the early and middle stages of the development of water treatment technology (also known as water quality stabilization technology), the water treatment chemicals added were generally simple inorganic compounds, such as lime, carbon dioxide, sulfuric acid, chlorine, phosphate, etc. Tannin, starch, lignin, etc. are all organic water treatment chemicals that have been used for a long time. Since the 1960s, new organic corrosion inhibitors, organic scale inhibitors and organic bactericides have appeared. The overall development trend: inorganic compounds are gradually replaced by organic compounds; inorganic and organic water treatment chemicals are used in combination; natural organic compounds are used; synthetic surfactants are also gradually applied to water treatment technology as bactericidal algaecide, sludge stripping, etc.
The global sales of water treatment agents in 1992 were US$2.837 billion (excluding activated carbon, ion exchange resins, combustion additives and general inorganic coagulants), of which the United States was US$1.479 billion, Western Europe was US$483 million, and Japan was US$575 million. According to statistics, there are more than 500 companies engaged in the production and service of water treatment agents in the United States, and they mainly provide technical services. The water treatment market in Western Europe is mainly controlled by American companies, and there are only a few water treatment companies in Western European countries. Western European organic polymer flocculants, especially polyacrylamide products, have certain advantages. In addition, the production capacity of American powder products is insufficient, and most of their markets are occupied by Western European companies. In addition, several Western European companies have also taken away some markets in South Korea and the Middle East from Japanese manufacturers. There are also many companies in Japan engaged in the production of water treatment agents and technical services, among which there are more than 20 companies related to the manufacture and technical services of cooling water treatment agents.
my country's water treatment technology began in the 1950s. At the same time as the introduction of chemical technology from the former Soviet Union, inorganic phosphates were used as water treatment agents. In the 1970s, water treatment technology was introduced at the same time as the introduction of large fertilizer plants, mainly the technology of Betz Company in the United States. In the early 1980s, phosphate ester water treatment technology was introduced from Nalco Company in the United States and T-225 alkaline water treatment formula was introduced from Kurita Company in Japan. On this basis, my country has developed domestic water treatment technology and water treatment agents. Sewage treatment technology started with primary treatment in the 1960s, but now mostly uses secondary treatment. Flocculants and coagulants have been produced since the 1950s, but were not applied to industrial production until the 1960s. Many new agents were developed in the 1980s. The production of organic flocculants in my country is mainly based on polyacrylamide series products, with non-ionic and anionic types as the main varieties, and few cationic products. Among them, the manufacturer with large output and more varieties is Shandong North Jiahui Chemical Factory. By 2000, except for some varieties that have made breakthroughs in preparation technology, the varieties that have been produced and applied still dominate. The average annual growth rate of various varieties will be around 5%-6%.