Guide to water conditioners

Fluid Dynamics Water Conditioners Guide to specifying water conditioners for commercial developments Commercial water conditioning by Fluid Dynamics © 2015 Introduction Fluid Dynamics Since 1973 Fluid Dynamics has led the way in the development of non-chemical water treatment solutions for the prevention of limescale. With what started as a concept from Texan oilfields today’s range of products are the result of 40 years of development through experience in all conceivable environments where scaling occurs. Our conditioners have been used in a wide range of applications from small point of use ice machines to large power stations and some of the tallest skyscrapers. By selecting a Fluid Dynamics water conditioner you can be assured that you are selecting the most effective conditioner on the market and the only conditioner tested by the US government and approved as a suitable alternative for traditional water softeners or chemicals Fluid Dynamics is a UK manufacturer supplying either directly or through its distribution partners a wide range of water conditioners for all kinds of scale control ONE MANUFACTURER TWO TECHNOLOGIES Dual-Treatment (Catalytic -Magnetic) & Catalytic Commercial water conditioning by Fluid Dynamics © 2015 Why choose a Fluid Dynamics Conditioner? We’ve spent a long time developing our products, first we had to understand limescale and why it forms as the effectiveness of a water conditioner relies on its ability to exploit the mineral balance within water. This understanding has enabled us to develop a range of highly effective water conditioners that provides users with a very high level of reliability • No Electronics – no risk of failure –no BMS link needed All our products are self-powering, and do not require a power source or the need for a control panel. It also means our conditioners can be installed in isolated areas and wiring does not have to be considered at the design stage • Treated water stays treated Typical non-invasive magnetic, electromagentic and electronic/digital water conditioners will only provide a treatment life of 24-48 hours. With Fluid Dynamics range of conditioners water stays treated for a minimum of 3 months in a stored system • Wide flow range, low pressure drops Many magnetic conditioners will cause a large pressure drop on bigger diameters as their magnetic gap cannot exceed a certain diameter. With Fluid Dynamics range of products our design means we do not restrict flow capacity Commercial water conditioning by Fluid Dynamics © 2015 Why two technologies? Two technologies for all eventualities Our dual treatment range MagCat is premium water conditioner designed to treat even the most demanding of environments. MagCat can be used to treat large developments such as apartments blocks, skyscrapers with a single unit installed in the plant room. MagCat has a large treatment capacity, large flow range and has a design that provides a complete and long lasting level of treatment. MagCat can also be used where there are variable speed pumps, where water is stored for a long period of time or where there is a varying degree of water quality. For industrial systems please refer to the MagCat Industrial range Based on our original catalytic technology widely used in industrial process and manufacturing Scaletron and Limetron are suitable for smaller developments such as small retail outlets and residential properties as well as point of use such as water heaters. The catalytic range provides a highly effective conditioner at a cost that can accommodate even the keenest of budgets Dual-Treatment (Catalytic -Magnetic) Catalytic Commercial water conditioning by Fluid Dynamics © 2015 MagCat product specs Product Code Flow range for sizing (m3/hr) Length .(mm) Max Pressure .(bar) Weight .(kgs) Connection type Suitable for following diameters MAT+15BS 0.1 to 1.6 400mm 16bar 2.5kgs Stainless BSP .thread Dn15 Dn20 MAT+20BS 1.61 to 3.6 400mm 16bar 4.9kgs Stainless BSP .thread Dn20 Dn25 MAT+25BS 3.67 to 5.2 450mm 16bar 5.5kgs Stainless BSP .thread Dn25 Dn32 MAT+32BS 5.21 to 8.2 550mm 16bar 6.5kgs Stainless BSP .thread Dn32 Dn40 MAT+40BS 8.21 to 13.5 550mm 16bar 8.0kgs Stainless BSP .thread Dn40 Dn50 MAT+50BS 13.51 to 20 550mm 16bar 10kgs Stainless BSP .thread Dn50 Dn65 MAT+65PN 20 to 29 800mm 16bar 18kgs Stainless PN16 .flange Dn65 Dn80 MAT+80PN 29 to 54 850mm 16bar 30kgs Stainless PN16 .flange Dn80 Dn100 MAT+100PN 54 to 80 850mm 16bar 46kgs Stainless PN16 .flange Dn100 Dn125 Our Conditioners should always be sized on flow rate. Never oversize our conditioners as they will not perform adequately (Bigger is not better). Use the average flow of the system to size the correct conditioner. See FAQ’s for more information on sizing. Larger sizes and alternative connection options are available on request Commercial water conditioning by Fluid Dynamics © 2015 Limetron/Scaletron product specs Product .Code Flow range for sizing (m3/hr) Length .(mm) Max Pressure .(bar) Weight (kgs) Connection type Suitable for following pipe diameters LTN15BS 0.1 to 1.6 215mm 16bar 0.4kgs Stainless BSP .thread Dn15 Dn20 LTN20BS 1.61 to 3.6 245mm 16bar 0.6kgs Stainless BSP .thread Dn20 Dn25 LTN25BS 3.67 to 5.2 265mm 16bar 0.75kgs Stainless BSP .thread Dn25 Dn32 Product .Code Flow range for sizing (m3/hr) Length .(mm) Max Pressure .(bar) Weight .(kgs) Connection type Suitable for following pipe diameters SCA10BS 0.01 to 0.3 254mm 8 or 16 bar 0.2kgs BSP thread or compression fittings Dn10 SCA15BS 0.1 to 1.6 254mm 8 or 16 bar 0.34kgs BSP thread or compression fittings Dn15 Dn20 SCA20BS 1.61 to 3.6 305mm 8 or 16 bar 1.05kgs BSP thread or compression fittings Dn20 Dn25 SCA25BS 3.67 to 5.2 305mm 8 or 16 bar 1.5kgs BSP thread or compression fittings Dn25 Dn32 SCA32BS 5.21 to 8.2 609mm 8 or 16 bar 3.9kgs BSP thread or compression fittings Dn32 Dn40 SCA40BS 8.21 to 13.5 609mm 8 or 16 bar 4.5kgs BSP thread or compression fittings Dn40 Dn50 SCA50BS 13.51 to 20 609mm 8 or 16 bar 6.8kgs BSP thread or compression . Fittings Dn50 Dn65 Commercial water conditioning by Fluid Dynamics © 2015 Pressure drop curves Pressure losses vs flow rate for all sizes Pressure drop curves Commercial water conditioning by Fluid Dynamics © 2015 Pressure drop curves Commercial water conditioning by Fluid Dynamics © 2015 Pressure drop curves Commercial water conditioning by Fluid Dynamics © 2015 Frequently Asked Questions Frequently asked questions – Index Technology How does catalytic treatment work? How does dual treatment work? Effects on corrosion Effects on bacteria and algae growth Are conditioners filters? Is the water softened after treatment? What happens to the calcium after treatment? What about existing limescale? What evidence/credibility is there about our products? What sort of water will our conditioners work on? Equipment lifespan Installation Importance of flow rates and sizing Installation orientation Installed before or after tanks? Booster pumps Re-circulating hot water systems Chemical compatibility Connection types Materials of construction Support Guarantees and warranties Servicing & Maintenance Certification Commercial water conditioning by Fluid Dynamics © 2015 Frequently Asked Questions Frequently Asked Questions – Technology How does Catalytic treatment work? Catalytic treatment uses a unique galvanic alloy housed in a stainless steel pipe. As water passes over the alloy the unique surface properties coupled with the alloy’s special shape causes the precipitation of calcium bi-carbonate as microscopic calcium carbonate crystals that remain suspended in the water. The treated water has soft like characteristics as the calcium is no longer dissolved in the water and therefore will not have a tendency to form hard scale. How does dual treatment work? Dual treatment system or MagCat works on the same principle as the catalytic technology but also incorporates a permanent magnetic array around the alloy to increase the power or electrical activity in the water as it flows through the treatment chamber. Compared to catalytic dual treatment will work on a wider flow range for example on variable speed pumps and can treat water that appears soft but where scale is still forming. Effects on corrosion Our conditioners are totally non chemical and the treated water will not induce corrosion. Another type of corrosion is caused by scaling itself where oxygen trapped between the wall of the pipe , tank or vessel and the scale deposition which slowly eats away at the metal surface. By preventing the scale forming in the first place this type of issue need not be of concern. In some systems like steam boilers where condensate is recirculated and there is excess oxygen present an oxygen scavenger may be required but this will not affect the conditioning effectiveness (see chemical compatibility) Effects on bacteria and algae growth Water conditioners are not sterilisers beware of any conditioner which claims to eliminate bacteria and algae build up through solely the treatment of calcium carbonate . Only established methods such as Chlorine Dioxide, thermal control and copper/silver ionisation are effective at tackling existing bacteria or algae build up. Effective conditioning will minimise the risk of bacteria or algae build up as it is often related to the level of scaling in the system and by preventing or restricting scale formation limits the potential for algae/bacteria to grow. Are conditioners filters? No, conditioners do not add or remove anything from the water. The condition affects the water and neutralises the ability for calcium carbonate to form scale Is the water softened after treatment? Although our conditioners do not remove calcium from water they do affect the solubility of water and many of our independent studies conclude that our treated water can be considered part softened as water retains its mineral benefits (calcium and magnesium is good for you) but does not have scaling characteristics of hard water Chemical compatibility. Most chemicals are compatible with our conditioners. The only chemicals that will have a detrimental effect on the conditioner or its treatment are filming agents and alkaline based chemicals such as Calgon or bleaching agents such as sodium hypochlorite Commercial water conditioning by Fluid Dynamics © 2015 Frequently Asked Questions Frequently asked questions – Technology What happens to the calcium after treatment? During treatment calcium is precipitated and bonds with carbonate to form a calcium carbonate crystal. This crystal will remain as a microscopic particle and get carried through the water system and will either be ingested when consumed or will leave the system via the drain. Calcium does not build up or deposit inside our conditioners. What about existing limescale? In most cases treated water will start to dissolved existing limescale already present around the system. This is due to the increase in solubility following treatment as there is no longer calcium dissolved in the water. The length of time it takes for scale to be removed depends entirely on the amount of scale present, the water quality and the volume of water passed through the system each day. Some experience the descaling effect in a matter of weeks, others it can take several months What sort of water will our conditioners work on? With the addition of the MagCat dual treatment system over 99.99% of the worlds available water is treatable with our conditioners…….including sea water Limitations of what can be treated should not solely be linked to the level of hardness in the water, other factors including pH and alkalinity play a much greater part in dictating whether water can be treated and what level of scaling may occur. Our range of products is designed to treat almost all environments including waste water. Do I need to test my water or provide a water analysis for each project? No. The majority of UK’s water potable water supplies are suitable for either catalytic or dual treatment systems. Fluid Dynamics can provide full water testing facilities and through the use of its in-house simulator Expert 5 can predict how effective conditioning will be with that water Equipment Lifespan? All our conditioners are guaranteed for 10 years* but will operate effectively for 15-20 years depending entirely on use. Some conditioners have still been in operation for 30 years What evidence is there to show the FD’s range of conditioners are as good as we say they are? Fluid Dynamics was recently selected by the GSA (part of the US Government) to establish whether our conditioners were a valid alternative to water softeners. The test was conducted over an 18 month period and fully audited by a laboratory and approved by Government officials. The trial was a practical study in a real environment where scaling was occurring on a severe level. The result of the trial was a success and FD’s range of conditioners have been approved and recommended for use in all government buildings in hard water areas. On top of that we have worked with many universities across the world to further understand our products and what developments can be made. Many of these studies can be provided on request Commercial water conditioning by Fluid Dynamics © 2015 Frequently Asked Questions Frequently asked questions – Installation Importance of Flow rates and sizing It is critical to select a product which matches the average flow rate where the conditioner is to be installed. The relationship of flow and effectiveness is crucial for all conditioners as they rely on either interaction between a surface or magnetic field. If flow is too low then not enough turbulence is generated, if flow is too high it becomes laminar and does not interact in the desired manner. Never take the approach of bigger is better, in our case often smaller is better as we are looking to generate turbulence over the alloy during treatment. Sizing should be a trade off between a highest flow possible through a conditioner but without incurring unacceptable pressure loses. It is common to select a size that is one step down from the pipe diameter, for example on a dn50 diameter pipe it is common for us to install a dn40 conditioner. Orientation Our conditioners can be installed horizontally, vertically, before pumps or after pumps. Best practice is to allow 1-2 meters before equipment where scale is formed to allow the treatment to stabilise as the calcium carbonate will continue to precipitate and crystallise even after treatment and provide maximum protection, but where space is a premium it is acceptable to install just before the inlet as treatment will still be sufficiently high to provide a justifiable benefit. Should I install before a tank or after a tank This depends on how the tank is filled. If a tank operates on a ball valve then install on the outlet as often the flow through the inlet as a result of the ball valve action is often not sufficient to provide a high enough level of treatment. Should the tank have a high-low level switch then a conditioner can be installed on the inlet as the flow rate will be much more consistent Should I install before or after booster pumps? Many conditioners cannot be installed prior to booster pumps as the turbulence caused by the pumps will reverse treatment. Providing our conditioners are installed 2 meters before the booster pump the pump will not have a negative effect on treatment. Connections Our conditioners are invasive, so simply replace a section of the pipework. Conditioners between dn10 to dn50 come with either brass compression fittings or stainless steel BSP threads and conditioners dn65 and above come with PN16 flanges. It is possible to provide a connection with a diameter greater than the conditioner, for example a dn65 conditioner can be provided with dn80 flanges. We do not recommend downsizing more than one size as this could incur unacceptable pressure losses. If a conditioner with large connections is required this can be specified in the spec list. Materials and Compatibility All our conditioners are contained in stainless steel 304 or 316 housings and are suitable for all pipe types Commercial water conditioning by Fluid Dynamics © 2015 Frequently Asked Questions Frequently asked questions – Support Guarantees/Warranties All our conditioners come with a one year money back guarantee. We will refund the cost paid to us for the conditioner in question should the user not be satisfied within a 12 month period. Further to that we provide a 9 year additional warranty with our entire range. (Please view our warranty terms and conditions) Servicing and Maintenance All our conditioners are designed to last their lifespan without the need for any maintenance and no provision for servicing needs to be made. There are no spare parts or consumables and they are designed to be a Fit and Forget system in single pass systems. Certification All our conditioners are fully WRAS approved. Further to that all our conditioners have been subjected to rigorous NSF/ANSI certification for the US market in the 372 and 61G categories. More information can be found on the NSF website Slide Number 1 Slide Number 2 Slide Number 3 Slide Number 4 Slide Number 5 Slide Number 6 Slide Number 7 Slide Number 8 Slide Number 9 Slide Number 10 Slide Number 11 Slide Number 12 Slide Number 13 Slide Number 14