Dosing

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]

Overview

Dosing generally denotes the feeding of chemicals or medicines in small quantities into a process fluid, living being or atmosphere at intervals so as to give said substance sufficient time to react and produce results. The dosing process is used in many fields and industries and typically requires the use of low-capacity pumps or gradual sprays.

Use

The dosing technique is commonly used by engineers in thermal power stations and in other industries that generate steam. In power stations, treatment chemicals are injected or fed into a boiler in small dosages or at low injection rates. Dosing procedures are also used in textile and similar industries where chemical treatments are involved.

Chemical dosing of chemicals in agriculture is common, and typically consists of using hand held pressure spray pumps or similar devices to gradually disseminate specific chemicals to maximize their effectiveness.

Aerial dosing of chemicals via spray is also used in agricultural in order to eliminate harmful insects.

Chemical dosing is also used in commercial swimming pools to control pH balance, chlorine level, and other water quality criteria.