Mechanism
Duration of exposure and field strength, gradient, rate of change, and orientation along or perpendicular to flow are variously cited as important to the results. Magnetic water treatment proponent Klaus Kronenberg proposed that the shapes of solute lime molecules are modified by strong magnetic fields, leading them to precipitate as spherical or round crystals rather than deposit as sheets or platelets of hard crystals. John Donaldson, professor of chemistry at Brunel University, proposed that the crucial step is the interruption of agglomeration of particles carrying a surface charge after dissolved contaminants have nucleated as a colloidal suspension. Simon Parsons of the School of Water Sciences at Cranfield University proposed that the magnetic field reduces the surface charge on small particles, increasing the tendency to coagulate as large particles that stay with the flow rather than depositing as scale. Some proponents propose that formation of the polymorph aragonite over the more common calcite is favored in the presence of a magnetic field. However, an internal study in 1996 at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory found no difference in preferred crystal structure of scale deposited in magnetic water treatment systems.
Liu et al. and Coey and Cass published research in 2010 and 2000 demonstrating that magnetic treatment causes water containing minerals to favor formation of a more soluble form of calcium carbonate (aragonite rather than calcite), and the resulting removal of calcium carbonate deposits from a steel substrate. Furthermore, in their 2010 publication, Liu et al. conclude that "The magnetic treatment of scaling waters was proved to be efficient. The efficiency obtained with this very simple magnetic device can be very much improved if the geometry is better devised." Kozic and Lipus concluded in their 2003 paper that the effects of magnetic treatment on water indeed results in reduced formation of limescale and that this effect lasts approximately 200 hours.
Read more about this topic: Magnetic Water Treatment
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