HPAA (2-Hydroxy Phosphonoacetic Acid) Supplier South Africa

What Is HPAA?

2-Hydroxy phosphonoacetic acid (HPAA) is an organophosphonic acid scale inhibitor with a molecular structure containing both a hydroxyl group and a phosphonic acid group. It is among the most efficient low-threshold scale inhibitors in the water treatment chemical family — it prevents scale formation at concentrations far below the stoichiometric amount required to complex all scaling ions, a property known as the “threshold effect.” HPAA is particularly effective for inhibiting calcium carbonate (CaCO₃) scale — the most common scale type in cooling water systems — as well as calcium sulfate (CaSO₄) and calcium phosphate (Ca₃(PO₄)₂) scale formation in industrial water circuits.

Cooling Water and Industrial Water Applications

In open recirculating cooling water systems, HPAA is used at 2–10 mg/L to prevent calcium carbonate and calcium sulfate scale deposition on heat exchanger surfaces and pipe walls, maintaining heat transfer efficiency and preventing under-deposit corrosion. It is compatible with most commonly used corrosion inhibitors (zinc, molybdate, polyphosphate) and biocides (oxidising and non-oxidising) used in cooling water treatment programmes. HPAA is effective across a wide pH range (6–9) and at elevated temperatures (up to 70–80°C), making it suitable for both ambient and high-temperature circuit applications.

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In oilfield water injection and produced water handling, HPAA is used to prevent calcium carbonate and barium/strontium scale in injection wellbores and surface facilities. It can be used as a standalone scale inhibitor or in blended inhibitor packages. Terracore Chemicals supplies HPAA as an approximately 50% aqueous solution in 25 kg and 200 kg drums for water treatment operations across Southern Africa.