The influence of the magnetic field on the crystallisation form of calcium carbonate and the testing of a magnetic water-treatment device

By using X-ray analysis and a TEM equipped with a link AN-10000 EDXS analysing system and an ultra-thin-window Si(Li) detector, different crystal forms of CaCO3 crystals were characterised. These crystals were grown from tap water and model water both with and without a magnetic field. Separate aragonite crystals were formed in the treated water and clusters of calcite in the untreated water. We observed that under the influence of a magnetic field higher than 500 mT, the nucleation and subsequent growth of aragonite could be successfully used as a way of preventing scale. The prototype of a magnetic water-treatment device (MWTD) was constructed for testing in a pilot plant that treats tap water. It has been in use for more than 2 years and the results look very promising for reducing the need for chemically treated water. The weight gains of the heat exchangers, which were used in the three parallel pipelines equipped with three different devices against scaling, were followed. The MWTD designed and built in the US laboratory, showed only a slightly higher weight gain than that achieved with the use of chemicals. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science BN. All rights reserved.