Lepedék

Leppedék is a general term in Hungarian for a layer of material that settles on or adheres to a surface, forming a coating, crust, or film. It encompasses inorganic, organic, and biogenic deposits and can arise from precipitation from a solution, sedimentation of particles from a liquid, accumulation of debris, or the growth of a surface film by organisms.

In geology and environmental science, lepedék describes mineral crusts and sediments that accumulate on rocks, cave walls, or water surfaces. In engineering and industry, it refers to scale and incrustations on pipes, boilers, heat exchangers, and other equipment, often composed of calcium carbonate, iron oxide, silica, or mixed compounds. In everyday life, lepedék can appear as deposits on dishes, containers, or household surfaces after evaporation, drying, or chemical reactions.

Formation and properties of lepedék depend on source materials, temperature, pH, concentration, flow, and time. Some deposits are easily removable, while others adhere strongly and require mechanical cleaning or chemical cleaners. Accumulation can affect heat transfer, fluid flow, filtration efficiency, corrosion, or taste and odor in consumer products.

The term is used across disciplines and is often interchangeable with deposition, scale, crust, or film, depending on context. Related concepts include sedimentation, precipitation, biofilm, and incrustation.