Patent ID: 6881231

Claim:
A method of reducing deposition of mineral salts from an aqueous supersaturated solution onto a solid surface in contact with the aqueous supersaturated solution which method consists essentially of: (a) forming a composition comprising a dispersion of either (i) seed crystals of the mineral salt in an aqueous solution of the mineral salt or (ii) seed crystals of a salt isomorphous with the mineral salt in an aqueous solution of the isomorphous salt wherein the dispersed seed crystals are of mean particle size of less than 2.5 microns and have been obtained via generation of cavitation in an aqueous supersaturated solution of the mineral salt or a salt isomorphous with the mineral salt; (b) distributing said composition into an aqueous precursor liquid that is saturated with the seeds, and converting the aqueous precursor liquid into an aqueous supersaturated solution of the mineral salt by (i) cooling and/or reducing the pressure of the aqueous precursor liquid or (ii) by adding a complementary ion to the precursor liquid; and; (c) contacting the aqueous supersaturated solution with the solid surface.