ScaleBreak-SS descaler

ScaleBreak-SS descaler

Goodway® ScaleBreak-SS is a specialised descaler built around a unique blend of phosphoric acid, fortified with powerful low-foaming, wetting, and penetrating agents and superior corrosion inhibitors. It’s formulated specifically for descaling stainless steel equipment, heat exchangers, and many other technical systems. Like ScaleBreak-MP, it can be used safely on nearly any material – but it’s engineered first and foremost for stainless steel, where it delivers the best possible results.

ScaleBreak-SS is one of the fastest descalers in the Goodway® range – working at a similar speed to ScaleBreak, and around 25-30% faster than ScaleBreak-MP. Yet despite that speed, it contains no hydrochloric acid (HCl). Its base properties are safe for prolonged exposure to stainless steel and eliminate the long-term risk of hydrogen embrittlement – so the specialised formula cleans powerfully without attacking the stainless steel itself.

It’s thorough, too. This biodegradable descaler dissolves water-formed deposits – such as scale and struvite – into a liquid suspension as it circulates, so everything can be freely flushed out of the system, leaving no residue behind. ScaleBreak-SS works best with Goodway®’s GDS-type descaling pump systems, and is particularly effective against:

• Scale (calcium carbonate)
• Rust (Fe₂O₃)
• Struvite
• Vivianite
• Biological deposits (biofilm) – when bound up in the scale itself. ScaleBreak-SS doesn’t target biofilm on its own, but as it dissolves the surrounding scale, attached biological deposits are released and flushed out along with it.

ScaleBreak-SS is widely used for descaling stainless steel shell-and-tube heat exchangers, plate heat exchangers, and other technical systems, and is also the preferred Goodway® formula for aluminium surfaces. It’s used across HVAC, industrial process, and water-treatment environments.

Material compatibility

ScaleBreak-SS can be safely used on the following materials:

• Stainless steel – its primary application
• Aluminium – the preferred Goodway® formula for aluminium surfaces, diluted to max. 30%
• Yellow metals: brass, admiralty brass, bronze, copper, copper-nickel (70/30, 90/10)
• Carbon steel, mild steel, cast iron
• Titanium, Inconel, Hastelloy, Monel
• PVC and plastics
• Rubbers (NBR, EPDM, FPM/FKM, Viton, CSM, Hypalon, Neoprene)
• PTFE (Teflon), ceramic
• Glass and glass-lined equipment
• Galvanized steel, diluted to max. 25-30%

ScaleBreak-SS can be used on more materials than those listed above. If you’re using a different material and want to know whether it’s compatible with ScaleBreak-SS, reach out to one of the Goodway Benelux product experts for advice.

Struvite and vivianite deposits in wastewater plants

Struvite and vivianite buildup is a major issue in wastewater treatment plants, where these hard, rock‑like deposits restrict flow, damage equipment, and increase maintenance costs.

• Struvite forms when ammonia, phosphate, and magnesium combine, creating white, brown, or yellow hardened deposits.
• Vivianite develops during anaerobic digestion from iron, phosphorus, hydrogen, and oxygen, and appears as deep blue or blue‑green crystals.

Both minerals adhere quickly to surfaces and commonly accumulate in piping (especially 90-degree bends), valves, T‑fittings, pumps, belt presses, centrifuges, digesters, grit screens, and heat exchangers. Regular removal is essential to maintain system performance.

Goodway® ScaleBreak‑SS is engineered to safely dissolve these formations in stainless‑steel equipment, it restores flow and equipment efficiency by breaking down struvite and vivianite deposits. Because every system is different, cleaning methods – such as static soaking, circulation, flow reversal, or a combination – should be selected based on the severity and location of the buildup.

Ready-to-use product

One of the big advantages of ScaleBreak-SS, is that it’s a ready-to-use product. There is no need to mix chemicals on-site before the cleaning can take place. The formulation is pre-blended and therefore will always deliver constant cleaning results. The descaler can be added directly to the installation together with water, after which the circulation process can start.

Not only does the pre-blended product save time and risks before and during the cleaning, it also makes the job easier to perform and less time consuming. During the production of ScaleBreak-SS, the ingredients are all added in precise amounts at a specific sequence within mixing vessels. What this process accomplishes is a specific formulation meeting minimal corrosion rates, peak saturation points, and optimal dissolving speeds.

Cleaning-in-place (CIP)

With many cleaning technologies, it is often necessary to partially or completely disassemble heat exchangers, whether plate heat exchangers, shell-and-tube designs, or boilers. Disassembly can be time-consuming and may lead to complications, such as leaks caused by incorrect reassembly.

In contrast, a preventive cleaning-in-place program offers an effective solution. CIP requires minimal disassembly and uses chemical circulation to clean the system. This method ensures that even the smallest corners and hard-to-reach areas are thoroughly cleaned – places where mechanical or other cleaning methods cannot reach. The system can remain on site, and components like the plate pack can stay compressed, simplifying the process and reducing the risk of errors.

Goodway Benelux provides complete solutions for CIP cleaning, including descaling pump systems, compatible cleaning chemicals, and accessories. In addition, their experienced team can offer guidance based on past projects and provide expert advice tailored to the specific challenges.