What Does
Calcite Mean?
Calcite also is known as calcium carbonate (chemical formula CaCO3), it is a popular mineral and is the principal constituent of limestone and marble. In nature, it is found in sedimentary, igneous and metamorphic rocks all over the world.
However; calcite deposits in sewer pipelines can prove to be a maintenance problem as they are hard and difficult to remove. Trenchless technology has made it possible to detect calcite deposit at its early stages using trenchless video inspection, and thereafter, using methods such as water jet cutting, pressure jets, robotic cutters etc. to get rid of the deposits.
Trenchlesspedia Explains Calcite
A naturally occurring mineral calcite is used widely in construction, agriculture and pharmaceutical applications. However, in places where hard water is an issue, it can cause unsightly deposits on taps and buildup inside pipes, eventually reducing the flow of water.
Infiltration of hard water into sewer pipes from joints and cracks and the presence of urine in sewer water also causes buildup up of calcite.
Trenchless methods such as robotic cutting can be used to cut up and detach hardened deposits inside pipe walls which are then flushed out into manholes and removed. Reaming attachments propelled by hydraulic motors that are made to spin by providing controlled torque also help in breaking calcite deposits from the pipe walls. These methods require closed-circuit television (CCTV) monitoring by operators in order to guide the robot or reamer.