The Langelier Saturation Index (LSI) is a model that indicates the degree of saturation of water with respect to calcium carbonate. It approximates the pH change required to bring water into equilibrium. An LSI of less than 0 means water will dissolve calcium carbonate, an LSI of more than 0 means scale can form, and an LSI close to 0 means water has borderline scaling potential. The LSI is calculated using parameters like water pH, alkalinity, calcium hardness, and temperature.
The Langelier Saturation Index (LSI) is a model that indicates the degree of saturation of water with respect to calcium carbonate. It approximates the pH change required to bring water into equilibrium. An LSI of less than 0 means water will dissolve calcium carbonate, an LSI of more than 0 means scale can form, and an LSI close to 0 means water has borderline scaling potential. The LSI is calculated using parameters like water pH, alkalinity, calcium hardness, and temperature.
The Langelier Saturation Index (LSI) is a model that indicates the degree of saturation of water with respect to calcium carbonate. It approximates the pH change required to bring water into equilibrium. An LSI of less than 0 means water will dissolve calcium carbonate, an LSI of more than 0 means scale can form, and an LSI close to 0 means water has borderline scaling potential. The LSI is calculated using parameters like water pH, alkalinity, calcium hardness, and temperature.
The LangelierSaturationindex (LSI) is an equilibriummodel derivedfrom the theoreticalconcept of saturationand providesan indicatorof the degreeof saturationof water with respect to calciumcarbonate. It can be shownthat the Langeliersaturationindex (LSI) approximatesthe base 10 logarithmof the calcite saturationlevel. The Langeliersaturationlevel approachesthe concept of saturationusing pH as a main variable. The LSI can be interpretedas the pH change requiredto bring water to equilibrium. Water with a Langeliersaturationindex of 1.0 is one pH unit above saturation. Reducingthe pH by 1 unit will bring the water into equilibrium. This occurs becausethe portion of total alkalinitypresent as CO3 2- decreasesas the pH decreases, accordingto the equilibriadescribingthe dissociationof carbonic acid:
If LSI is negative: No potentialto scale, the water will dissolveCaCO3
If LSI is positive: Scale can form and CaCO3 precipitationmayoccur If LSI is close to zero: Borderlinescale potential. Water qualityor changesin temperature, or evaporationcould change the index. The LSI is probablythe most widelyused indicatorof coolingwater scale potential. It is purelyan equilibriumindex and deals only with the thermodynamic drivingforce for calciumcarbonatescale formationand growth. It providesno indicationof how much scale or calciumcarbonatewill actuallyprecipitate to bring water to equilibrium. It simplyindicatesthe drivingforce for scale formationand growth in terms of pH as a mastervariable. In order to calculatethe LSI, it is necessaryto know the alkalinity(mg/l as CaCO3 ), the calciumhardness(mg/l Ca2+ as CaCO3 ), the total dissolvedsolids (mg/l TDS), the actual pH, and the temperatureof the water (o C). If TDS is unknown, but conductivityis, one can estimatemg/L TDS using a conversiontable such as the one presentedhere. LSI is defined as: LSI = pH - pHs Where: pH is the measuredwater pH pHs is the pH at saturationin calcite or calciumcarbonateand is definedas: pHs = (9.3 + A + B) - (C + D) Where: %= (Log10 [TDS] - 1) / 10 B = -13.12 x Log10 (o C + 273) + 34.55 C = Log10 [Ca2+ as CaCO3 ] - 0.4 D = Log10 [alkalinityas CaCO3 ] Click here to see an example of a LangelierIndexcalculation. However, there is some controversyconcerningthe correlationof these indices, and particularlythe LSI, with the corrosivityof waters. While some sectors of the water managementindustrysquarelyuse the indices as a measureof the corrosivityof their waters, more alert specialists, includingour dear friends Paul Dillon and Bert Krisher, are very cautiousas to how far one can extrapolatethe indices to such usage. The CorrosionDoctorshave recordedsome
As an example, supposethe drinking water supplied to animals has the followinganalysis. The LSI index is calculatedat two temperatures: 25o C (room temperature) and 82o C (cage wash cycle). The colder incomingwater will warmto room temperaturein the manifolds. Residualwater in the rack manifold can be heated to 82o C when the rack is in the cage washer. Water Analysis: pH = 7.5 TDS = 320 mg/L Calcium = 150 mg/L (or ppm) as CaCO3 Alkalinity= 34 mg/L (or ppm) as CaCO3 LSI Formula: LSI = pH - pHs pHs = (9.3 + A + B) - (C + D) where: A = (Log10[TDS] - 1)/10 = 0.15 B = -13.12 x Log10(o C + 273) + 34.55 = 2.09 at 25C and 1.09 at 82C C = Log10[Ca2+ as CaCO3 ] - 0.4 = 1.78 D = Log10[alkalinityas CaCO3 ] = 1.53 Calculationat 25o C: pHs = (9.3 + 0.15 + 2.09) - (1.78 + 1.53) = 8.2 LSI = 7.5 - 8.2 = - 0.7 Hence No Tendencyto Scale Calculationat 82o C: pHs = (9.3 + 0.15 + 1.09) - (1.78 + 1.53) = 7.2 LSI = 7.5 - 7.2 = + 0.3 Hence Slight Tendencyto Scale
Consult the Water Glossary, Water Cooling Towers
See also: Calcium carbonate, Carbondioxide, Chlorination, Dissolvedoxygen, Langeliercalculation, Langelierindex, Larson-Skold index, Oddo-Tomson index, pH, Puckoriusindex, Ryznarindex, ScalingIndices, Stiff-Davis index, Total dissolvedsolids, Water corrosivity