Oxygen Scavengers Help Prevent Corrosion in Industrial Water Systems

Commonly used oxygen scavengers include sodium sulfite, sodium bisulfite, metabisulfite, hydrazine, carbohydrazide, erythorbic acid, and sodium erythorbate. Each has varying strengths as a reducing agent to react with and remove dissolved oxygen from water. Selection depends on the needed oxygen removal capacity, pH tolerance, and safety considerations. By eliminating oxygen before it can come into contact with metals, oxygen scavengers protect boilers, cooling towers, and pulp/paper equipment from corrosion. Proper scavenger selection is important for maximizing corrosion control in vital industrial water treatment applications.