HiSiaddi is an innovative foreign trade service provider driven by dual engines of technology transformation and foreign trade services, with a service system of "1+2+3+4=1" and access to original supplies of polyepoxysuccinic acid from multiple well-known manufacturers.
As a foreign trade enterprise with independent R&D capabilities, HiSiaddi has repeatedly proposed PESA formula optimization schemes and application improvement suggestions through technology transformation cooperation with manufacturers and accurate market insight. The following is a consulting case of PESA formula optimization from HiSiaddi.
If you need formula optimization consulting services, please contact HiSiaddi customer service.
Headquartered in Milan Industrial Park, Italy, ItalWater has 25 years of R&D and production experience in seawater desalination chemicals for the Mediterranean coast, high-temperature industrial closed circulating water scale inhibition concentrates and bottled compound eco-friendly water treatment stock solutions. Its finished chemical products serve southern Italian coastal seawater desalination plants, fine chemical circulating water projects in Milan Industrial Zone and geothermal power stations in the Alps. All finished chemicals are filed with the Italian Ministry of Environment, complying with EU REACH, OECD readily biodegradable standards and Italian drinking water additive access specifications. ItalWater long purchased original modified PESA scale inhibitor from Arkema of France.
Due to surging raw material prices and production line overhauls leading to supply shortages in Europe, import costs rose by 38% and delivery cycles were extended to 85 days. In 2025, ItalWater launched a China raw material replacement project, planning to purchase a total of 192 tons of PESA for the whole year, divided into three categories: 82 tons for seawater RO reverse osmosis systems, 65 tons for high-temperature geothermal circulating water, and 45 tons for compounded concentrated scale inhibition stock solutions.
The client previously independently contacted two domestic mass PESA manufacturers and purchased standard national standard full-sodium PESA (molecular weight 1100~1350, 40% solid content, conventional catalytic synthesis process). After the first batch of 35 tons of goods was put into production, three compounding production lines simultaneously suffered abnormal operation. Domestic suppliers could only issue national standard factory inspection reports, claiming product indicators were qualified and attributing malfunctions to the client’s own formula and processes, lacking downstream application R&D capacity and unable to deliver rectification solutions. Multiple batches of semi-finished chemicals were scrapped, and production lines operated under reduced load. The client suspended original cooperation and fully entrusted HiSiaddi’s foreign trade technical team with sampling analysis, fault troubleshooting and full-chain technical optimization solution delivery. The client benchmarked internal control standards of Arkema France: silica scale inhibition rate for seawater systems ≥90%, scale inhibition attenuation ≤5% after 168h constant temperature storage at 92℃, no stratification after 90 days normal temperature storage when compounded with PASP/organic phosphonate, and product biodegradation rate ≥72% within 28 days.
The client’s Mediterranean raw seawater contains high calcium, magnesium and silicate ions. Following the original Arkema dosing ratio of 0.022%, concentrated compounded liquid with domestic PESA exhibited upper-lower stratification and flocculent precipitation at the bottom after 28 days normal temperature storage. Continuous magnesium silicate scaling occurred on the concentrated water side of RO systems: the original imported chemical allowed a 180-day membrane cleaning cycle, while domestic raw materials reduced the cycle to only 52 days requiring offline chemical cleaning. Seven tons of semi-finished chemicals failed factory standards and were scrapped. Root cause: standard PESA features broad molecular weight distribution and excessive residual free epoxy succinic acid monomers, triggering flocculation when mixed with anionic dispersants in the system. It lacks silica scale modified structures and only delivers effective inhibition against calcium carbonate with poor silicate ion control capacity.
The client’s geothermal units operate continuously at 86~92℃ with system pH 8.9~9.4. At identical dosing amounts, massive calcium carbonate scaling formed on heat exchanger pipe walls after 30 days of production, with scale inhibition performance dropping by 55% compared with imported products. Conventional full-sodium PESA suffers poor high-temperature resistance; molecular chains break and degrade under high-temperature strong alkali environments. Domestic manufacturers only calibrate scale inhibition data under normal temperature pure water conditions without stability testing matching high-temperature working conditions.
The client’s mature formula requires ternary compounding of PESA with polyaspartic acid and low-phosphorus organic phosphonate to produce finished concentrated agents. Local agglomeration and flocculation occur during stirring and dosing of domestic raw materials, resulting in turbid liquid after 7 days of static storage in cans. Standard products contain high residual by-products and fixed neutralization degrees, leading to insufficient compatibility with compound additives. Restricted by Italian regulations, the client cannot widely adjust raw material ratios in filed formulas and cannot cover raw material defects by increasing additive dosage.
Leveraging CNAS testing resources, HiSiaddi conducted full physical, chemical and molecular structure comparison testing benchmarking original Arkema samples, confirming that standard domestic mass-produced PESA is designed for municipal sewage and low-end industrial cooling water markets, only meeting basic national standard indicators without adaptation to refined European compounding, high-temperature and high-silica water quality working conditions:
1. Extensive molecular weight control: Conventional processes lack precise polymerization regulation, with molecular weight ranging 700~1500 and distribution coefficient PDI＞1.9. Mixed high and low molecular chains lead to insufficient dispersion stability in high silicate water.
2. Single neutralization system: Full sodium salt structure without partial acidification modification processes, creating an innate weakness of easy molecular hydrolysis under high-temperature strong alkali environments.
3. Lack of refining procedures: No vacuum monomer removal and by-product stripping sections, resulting in high residual free monomers and synthetic impurities that induce flocculation and stratification during compounding.
4. Undifferentiated formulas: One single national standard grade for all scenarios, unable to conduct side-chain molecular modification targeting three working conditions of seawater, high-temperature geothermal and compound stock solutions.
1. Precise narrow molecular weight polymerization: Adopt staged temperature-controlled polymerization processes, adjust catalyst ratios to lock molecular weight at 780±40 for seawater grade and 1050±50 for geothermal grade, narrowing PDI to below 1.3 to boost magnesium silicate dispersion and scale inhibition capacity.
2. Neutralization system modification: Abandon 100% full sodium salt production; adopt partially neutralized acid-modified PESA for geothermal products, introduce a small number of hydroxyl side chains on main chains to enhance thermal stability and control molecular degradation under long-term 92℃ operation.
3. Add impurity removal refining sections: Install vacuum monomer removal and activated carbon decolorization procedures at the end of synthesis to reduce free monomers to below 0.2% and chroma APHA ≤55, eliminating inducing factors for compound flocculation.
4. Category-specific customized products: Add trace silica scale modified structures to seawater grade, strengthen heat-resistant structures for geothermal grade, and optimize carboxyl distribution for compounding grade; separate production scheduling for three dedicated grades.
1. Seawater RO chemicals: Adjust PESA dosing amount from 0.022% to 0.020%, add trace chelating additives to complex trace metal ions in water and prevent storage stratification.
2. Geothermal circulating water chemicals: Maintain original 0.028% dosing ratio unchanged; pre-dilute PESA with a small amount of deionized water before feeding to avoid accelerated decomposition caused by excessive local concentration.
3. Compounded concentrated stock solutions: Adjust dosing sequence – add organic phosphonate first, then slowly feed modified PESA to reduce instantaneous local high concentration and flocculation.
1. Control reactor temperature: Feed PESA only when reactor temperature is below 50℃ to avoid premature degradation of active ingredients caused by high-temperature dosing.
2. Optimize stirring parameters: Implement two-stage low-speed – medium-speed stirring during compounding and extend pre-mixing time to guarantee uniform dispersion of additives.
3. Finished product storage management: Circulate finished product storage tanks at low speed once every 10 days to prevent local sedimentation and stratification from long-term static storage.
1. Sample testing: HiSiaddi sent customized samples of three grades to Milan laboratories, passing triple testing including 90℃ accelerated storage, high-temperature aging and simulated seawater working conditions. Full indicators of modified PESA matched original Arkema products; all three finished chemical types remained free of stratification and high-temperature failure, with silica scale inhibition meeting EU standards.
2. First batch mass production delivery: The first 48 tons of modified products were shipped to Italy in three specifications. After full-line production launch by the client, RO membrane cleaning cycles for seawater desalination recovered to 175 days, scaling rate of geothermal units dropped by 89%, and clear and stable compounded stock solutions passed Italian environmental spot checks.
3. Phased delivery of full-year orders: The remaining 144 tons were shipped in three quarterly batches, cutting comprehensive domestic procurement costs by 33.2% compared with original French imports.
4. Long-term renewal: In the following year, ItalWater renewed the annual procurement framework for 245 tons of PESA, and fully entrusted HiSiaddi with full responsibility for model selection and technical coordination of polyaspartic acid and organic phosphonate series scale inhibitors.
1. Product Stratification Status: Domestic PESA mass production falls into two categories: low-cost national standard general sodium grades for low-end sewage with poor adaptability; high-end modified narrow molecular weight and partially neutralized grades suitable for refined European and American chemical formulations. Most domestic manufacturers lack R&D investment for customized modification and only sell mature off-the-shelf products. Low-end purchasers can significantly adjust formulas to adapt to raw material defects, while mid-to-high-end European clients face extremely high formula modification costs due to environmental filing restrictions and must rely on raw material modification to resolve issues.
2. Core Service Value of HiSiaddi: Connect upstream synthetic process optimization with downstream terminal formulas and production processes, identify faults via third-party testing, and deliver product solutions through technical rectification instead of requiring clients to adjust formulas or manufacturers to cut prices. Deeply bind high-quality European mid-to-high-end clients through technical services.
3. Mid-to-High-End Client Procurement Logic: Leading European and American water treatment enterprises prioritize raw material working condition adaptability and supporting application technical support, with product cost-performance as secondary consideration. Full-process technical solution capacity is the key to securing large annual framework orders.
If you need formula optimization consulting services, please contact HiSiaddi customer service.
+86-13120989737 
info@hisiaddi.com 
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