MagneGen Systems, Inc.

The Problem: Hard Water Pipe Scaling and Fouling

For purposes of this web site we will consistently use water as the prime example of what happens when an electrically conductive material flows through a pipe and how it reacts when conditioned magnetically; however, virtually any electrically conductive liquid or gas flowing through a pipe will have similar effects on the pipe and could be similarly treated with our magnetic conditioning products. This includes crude oil, petroleum, gasoline, diesel, natural gas, etc. For purposes of this discussion of magnetic conditioning of water pipes we will consistently use steel pipes which are normally susceptible to scaling , corrosion and algae. Pipes made from other materials may be resistant to one or more of these problems.

How Hard Water is Formed

Let's take a brief trip with a typical molecule of water over one of its endless cycles of life. During this trip let's keep in mind that water is a dipolar molecule and that there are two positively charged hydrogen atoms somewhat loosely bound to a single negatively charged oxygen atom. Bear in mind that the hydrogen bond is the weakest bond in nature and that in the case of a water molecule we have a huge oxygen atom with two tiny hydrogen atoms attached. The arrangement of these atoms with the two hydrogen atoms on one side with an angle between them of approximately 105° and the single oxygen atom on the other side result in the so-called "dipolar" molecule with one side positive (the side with the two hydrogen atoms) and one side negative (the side with the oxygen atom) somewhat akin to the two poles (north and south) of a typical bar magnet. All water is eventually re-cycled to the sea and the oceans of the world are the birthplace of our molecule of water. As the sun heats the ocean, water molecules evaporate from the surface of the ocean and rise by thermals into the stratosphere. Eventually, the water molecules condense - as precipitation or rain - into a drop of water and the drop falls as rain. The rain drops fall on the sea and the land, but for purposes of our trip it is the drops that land on the land that are of interest to us. Water is a powerful universal solvent and when our water molecule runs across sedimentary rock such as limestone, chalk and marble (each containing calcium carbonate) it dissolves (or ionizes) the rock into calcium and carbonate ions. The water is now said to contain "dissolved solids" - which can be measured as Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) on a parts per million basis (PPM). The concentration of TDS as measured on a PPM basis determines how "hard" the water is. The term "hard" is used because it will be hard or difficult to made soap suds. Almost all naturally occurring water is hard to a greater or lesser degree. Obviously, there are a variety of other natural minerals and man made chemicals in any given solution of water running across the land; however, for our purposes of describing water scale it is primarily the calcium carbonate dissolved solids in water that are going to cause us concern once we turn naturally flowing water into man made pipes. One last physical thing we should bear in mind as we continue our journey is that naturally free flowing water in an open brook or stream is normally charged several hundred millivolts positive, whereas, as we have seen through the application of Helmholtz's Principal of Pipe Charging (see Helmholtz), water un-naturally forced to flow through a pipe by man is charged several millivolts negative.

How Scale is Formed

In order for water to be useful and practical to mankind, man has historically forced water into pipes for delivery to convenient locations for drinking, bathing, washing, etc. Let's say that water is eventually impounded behind a dam (where it can mix with algae spores), drawn into a municipal water service system and forced under high pressure into a variety of distribution pipes of ever narrowing diameters. During this journey scale and fouling will occur at every level. If the homeowner is lucky, much of the scaling and fouling will occur within the municipal system. However, there are always enough dissolved solids left over in solution to cause problems for the homeowner. The problem is commonly known as water scaling which fouls pipes and water heaters and cooling towers and any other of man's devices for the domestic consumption of water. When sufficient dissolved solids have been deposited on the inside wall of the homeowner's water pipes (or worse yet on the inside surfaces of thermal transfer plates inside the homeowner's water heater or the apartment dweller's cooling tower), the homeowner may experience low water pressure, leaks or perhaps even pipe bursting. He will certainly experience dramatically increased energy costs as a result of his having to heat his water (or cool his air through water evaporation in cooling towers) through thick layers of insulating scale. After going through "domestic consumption" our little molecule of water is collected in the drain system and eventually discharged back into the sea. His awe inspiring journey is over for the moment until the next time he rises to the surface of the sea for another voyage through the cycle. But the homeowner's need to deal with the results of our little water molecule's journey through his home are just beginning. For a magnetic water conditioning solution to this worldwide water scaling problem, please see The Solution.

Scaling

Scale is a coating that forms on the inside of pipes. Scale is composed of many minerals such as calcium carbonate, magnesium carbonate, manganese carbonate, and various chemical salts of silicon, potassium, sulfur, boron, fluorine, iron, etc. If scale is left untreated, over time it will build up in sufficient amounts (a) to restrict water flow in water pipes and (b) to create a thermal barrier or insulator inside water heaters and cooling towers. The mineral composition of scale in any given location is determined by the composition of the so-called dissolved solids in the water flowing through the pipe (see "How Hard Water is Formed" above). The most abundant of the minerals in scale is calcium carbonate (CaCO₃); consequently, we shall use calcium carbonate in this web site as the example of what happens to most mineral salts as dissolved solids in water flowing through pipes. When calcium carbonate is dissolved by water (i.e. ionized into solution) it separates into two ions: a positively charged calcium ion (Ca+) and a negatively charged carbonate ion (CO₃-). We have already seen through the application of Helmholtz's "Pipe Charging" (see Helmholtz) that the pipe will be charged positive and - through the application of a basic law of physics that oppositely charged particles will attract each other - will attract the negatively charged carbonate ion (CO₃-) to the inside pipe surface. Once the carbonate is stuck to the inside pipe surface the positively charged calcium ions (Ca+) happily reattach themselves (i.e. become de-ionized) and form calcite. Calcite is calcium carbonate that has been laid down in regular and extremely hard hexagonal crystalline form. A softer and much easier to manage irregular crystalline form is known as aragonite (see The Solution). Please note that the first action is a physical attraction to the inside pipe wall of the carbonate ion; however, this physical attraction in and of itself is not sufficient to cause scale. A secondary chemical reaction where the calcium ions in the water are precipitated out of solution forming calcite on the inside of the pipe walls is necessary to complete the scaling process. This secondary chemical reaction is very dependable because the positively charged calcium ions literally latch onto the negatively charged carbonate ions already attached to the positively charged pipe. The chemical industry attempts to treat the results of the secondary chemical reaction - scale - while ignoring the primary physical attraction that set the process in motion. With magnetic water conditioning we will reverse the electrical charge on the pipe itself and sort of "short-circuit" the whole scaling process (see The Solution).

Corroding

Corrosion is the chemical reaction of oxygen atoms - provided by the breaking away of the loosely bound oxygen atom from the water molecules - with metallic atoms in the pipe wall. In the case of ferrous pipes (i.e. iron or steel) the corrosion will be observed as iron oxide or rust which is the natural form of iron on earth. If rusting is left untreated, over time, it will weaken the pipe. Again through the application of Helmholtz's "Pipe Charging" (see Helmholtz) the positively charged pipe will attract the negative oxygen side of the dipolar water molecule (see discussion below on Nature's Trip). Again, the first action is a physical attraction to the inside of the pipe wall of oppositely charged particles. This primary physical attraction is insufficient in and of itself to cause corrosion. A secondary chemical reaction - in this case oxidation - is necessary to complete the corrosion process. This secondary chemical reaction is very dependable because the negatively charged oxygen atom is attracted to the positively charged pipe and in sufficiently close proximity to allow the chemical reaction to take place.

Fouling

Algae are a group of plants of one or many cells containing chlorophyll and having no true root, stem or leaf. Algae are found in water or damp places and include seaweeds, pond scum, etc. Algae have countless dry spores in the air and are readily found in any water exposed at any time to the air. Algae multiplies best in a positively charged environment. Consequently, algae will be attracted to any pipe that has been charged positive through the application of Helmholtz's "Pipe Charging" (see Helmholtz) and will begin to grow on the inside wall of the pipe. The algae multiply and (a) shield themselves from the flowing water with a slime mass on the outside while they (b) digest the pipe on the inside. If algae are left untreated, over time this form of fouling and corrosion will eventually eat through the pipe wall while the slime mass will clog the water flow and plug strainers. Again, the first action is a physical attraction to the favorable growth environment offered by the positively charged pipe. This primary physical attraction is in and of itself not sufficient to cause microbiological corrosion. A secondary chemical reaction - in this case organic digestion where the algae secret acids and other digestive chemicals to dissolve the metallic pipe - is necessary to complete the corrosion process. This secondary chemical reaction is very dependable because the algae have found a happy and secure home and flourish.

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