Spomenka Kobe, Goran Dražić, Paul J. McGuiness,* Janez Stražišar
Jožef Stefan Institute, Jamova 39, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
*Faculty of Natural science, Department of Geotechnology and Mining,
University of Ljubljana, Slovenia
 

ABSTRACT

By using X-ray analysis and a TEM equipped with a Link AN-10000 EDXS analysing system and EDXS with an Ultra-Thin Window Si(Li) detector, different crystal forms of CaCO₃ crystals were characterised. Crystals were grown from tap water and model water both with and without a magnetic field. The formation of separate aragonite crystals was demonstrated in the treated water and clusters of calcite in untreated water. It was determined that under the influence of a magnetic field higher than 500 mT the nucleation and further growth of aragonite can be successfully used as a method against scaling.
The prototype of a magnetic water-treatment device (MWTD) was constructed for testing in a pilot plant for the magnetic treatment of tap water. It has been used for more than two years and the results look very promising for reducing the use of environmentally detrimental chemicals. The weight gains of 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 IJS laboratory showed only a slightly higher weight gain than that achieved with the use of chemicals.