HK1008009B - Magnetic water activating process and apparatus for reducing corrosion and lime deposits from flowing water - Google Patents

Description

Field of the Invention

The invention relates to a process and apparatus for reducing corrosion and lime deposits from salts in water solution by means of magnetic action exerted on water that is caused to flow past surfaces exposed to corrosion or encrustation.

Background of the Invention

The action of magnetic fields on flowing water is already known to activate water so that it can prevent lime deposits on metal surfaces and even remove existing lime deposits therefrom. It is assumed that this effect is due to the fact that magnetic action exerted on flowing water produces a small number of "activated" centers which act as crystal seeds on which lime is separated, mainly in a finely granular form, and then remains dispersed. The effectiveness of the activated centers remains preserved over a certain period, 48 hours at the longest. It appears that protection of metal surfaces against corrosion is maintained by the "activated" water forming a thin protective film of lime, while the formation of limestone is prevented or existing encrustations removed. This physical treatment of the water is performed without chemical additives, but requires a careful mutual adaptation of the quantity of water flowing through and the number, arrangement and strength of the magnetic fields acting thereon. The process and an apparatus suitable for its performance are disclosed, for example, in German Utility Model 89 13 274, In such a device water flowing spirally in a tube is subjected to magnetic fields.

In practice it has been found that although this prior art process is basically usable, it often fails to produce the required results to an adequate extent - i.e., more particularly it often only inadequately prevents or removes lime deposits. The invention is intended to obviate this disadvantage. It is based on the discovery that to achieve success the water, after being adequately activated by the magnetic treatment, must achieve participation in sufficiently intensive contact with the surfaces to be protected against, or freed from, lime deposits.

Summary of the Invention

It is an object of the process and apparatus of this invention to enhance the effectiveness of the magnetically treated water for the required purpose by the feature that after emerging from the magnetic treatment device, the water flushes the surfaces to be treated with as high a flow speed as possible and as directly as possible. It is desirable for the largest possible proportion of the water volume to come into contact with the surface to be treated. If "activated" water is stationary for a time, for example, in pipes or tanks, thereby at least partially losing its effectiveness within a relatively short time, according to the invention the required effect is ensured by the feature that at least some of the stationary water is drawn off by a circulating pump for recycling in an auxiliary circuit to the magnetic treatment device and again passed therethrough, so that the water reacquires its previous effectiveness.

To achieve as high a flow speed as possible and intensive flushing of the surfaces to be treated by such processes and apparatus at low cost and with low pressure losses, it has been found convenient to lead the stream of water in a spiral path opposite the surfaces of a tube, which are to be treated, and in larger tanks to direct component flows of recycled and magnetically treated water through nozzles directed towards wall surfaces and/or surfaces of heating elements to be treated.

The processes according to the invention are effective for both cold and hot water, for example, in steam generators or continuous flow heaters, the preccndition in each case being merely that liquid, magnetically treated water flows over the surfaces of metal, ceramic material or plastics which are to be kept free from lime deposits or corrosion.

For removing lime deposits from a heater immersed in a tank or- boiler it is effective to use a spiral tube closed at its end and having holes directed inwardly towards a cluster of heating elements. It may be useful to suspend a receptacle in the tank below. the heating elements for collecting encrustations that are loosened by the magnetically treated water.

Brief Description of the Drawings

The invention will be further explained by the following embodiments diagrammatically illustrated in the drawings, wherein;

• Fig. 1 shows an arrangement according to the invention in a water pipe,
• Fig. 2 shows an arrangement according to the invention in a domestic water distribution system,
• Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section through a cold water tank having an apparatus according to the invention,
• Fig. 4 is a cross-section through the tank shown in Fig. 3,
• Fig. 5 shows a hot water boiler having deflecting devices according to the invention,
• Fig. 6 shows a small hot water boiler having deflecting devices according to the invention,
• Fig. 7 shows a steam generator having deflecting devices according to the invention,

In the drawings like members or members of like effect have like reference numerals.

Description of the Invention

Fig. 1 illustrates diagrammatically the use of the invention in a system of pipes for cold or hot water. The water is first treated in a magnetic treatment device 1 constructed, for example, in the manner described in German Utility Model 89 13 274. For clarity the treatment device 1 is shown separately from a water pipe 2 which is connected sealing-tight to the treatment device in the usual manner, for example, by a screwed muff. Disposed in the water pipe 2 is a deflecting device 3 according to the invention in the form of a preferably double spiral of sheet material whose external diameter is somewhat smaller than the internal diameter of the water pipe and which is also otherwise so dimensioned that as low a pressure loss as possible takes place in the water in the pipe. The spiral confers a radial component on the flow of water in the pipe 2; by centrifugal effect the water is brought more intensively to the inside wall of the pipe and comes into contact therewith over a longer distance than in the case of a merely axial flow. As a result the effectiveness of the magnetically treated water to prevent lime deposits is enhanced. When the pipe is made of metal, however, a desirable thin protective anti-corrosion layer is formed on the inside wall of the water pipe 2. The desired spiral flow is maintained by the water even after leaving the approximately 20 cm long spiral deflecting element 3, so that the desired effect also takes place in the adjoining pipe portion. In accordance with the requirements, after a certain pipe length of approximately 20 m a further deflecting element 3 according to the invention is incorporated in the pipe, to further enhance the effectiveness of the magnetically treated water.

Fig. 2 shows diagrammatically an arrangement according to the invention in a domestic water distributing pipe system. Water entering through a supply pipe 4 first passes through a magnetic treatment device 1, passes through a water pipe 2, in which possibly a deflecting element 3 according to the invention is incorporated, and is then distributed to pipes 5 extending to the tapping places 6. Each of the pipes can have a considerable length, for example, in a multi-storey residential building, and as a rule water is not continuously taken from the pipes. However, if water remains statinary in the pipes for a prolonged period or flows at only a low speed, lime deposits may form on the inside walls of the pipes, since the effectiveness of the magnetically treated water is not enough to prevent this. This effectiveness is enhanced according to the invention by the feature that a branch pipe 7 branches off from the water tapping pipes 5 adjacent the tapping places 6. The branch pipe 7 in the form of a collective main leads water to the inlet of a circulating pump 8, which delivers the water back to the magnetic treatment device 1. In this way a continuous flow of magnetically treated water is maintained throughout the pipe system and prevents the formation of lime deposits. In case a substantially larger quantity of water is temporarily tapped off than in the normal case, a second magnetic treatment device 1a is automatically connectable in parallel by means not shown.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section through a cold or hot water tank having an apparatus according to the invention. A tank 9 has a supply 4 and a removal pipe 6. Lime deposits are prevented in the tank by an auxilliary circuit comprising a magnetic treatment device 1 from which magnetically treated water is passed through the pipe 2 to nozzles 10 which are distributed parallel with one another at a vertical and horizontal distance from one another over the height and circumference of the tank and which each conduct the magnetically treated water in a component flow against the tank wall, so that a circular flow is formed in the tank, as shown diagrammatically in Fig. 4. A circulating pump 8 draws water from the tank through an auxiliary pipe 7, to supply the water continuously to the magnetic treatment device 1.

Fig. 5 shows diagrammatically a hot water boiler having a supply pipe 4 and a discharge pipe 6 and also a cluster of heating elements 11 (shown diagrammatically) whose electric connections are not shown. As in the case of the cold water tank (Fig. 3), a circulating pump 8 produces an auxiliary circuit of recycled magnetically treated water in which the water drawn by the circulating pump passes through the magnetic treatment device 1 and the pipe 2 to deflecting elements 10 and 12, the deflecting elements 10 being, as in the case of the cold water tank (Fig. 3), sets of parallel nozzles which discharge in parallel and at a distance from one another on the inside wall of the boiler, where they produce a circular flow (Fig. 4). A tube spiral 12 is also provided which serves as a deflecting element for the water flow and encloses the cluster of heating elements 11. The tube spiral is closed at its end, but is formed with openings 12a distributed over its length from which magnetically treated water flows in the direction of the heating elements 11, to keep the elements free from lime deposits. Since lime deposits mainly form at the heating elements 11 but are loosened by the magnetically treated water, an intercepting open tank 13 is provided below the cluster of heating elements 11 to intercept the loosened lime deposits. It can be cleaned and removed, for example, from a normally closed lateral access hole (not shown).

Fig. 6 shows a small hot water boiler as used, for example, in kitchens. The apparatus has a water supply pipe 4 and a removal pipe 6, as well as a casing 15 and a glass hood 16. The glass hood 16 forms the actual hot water tank in which, adjacent its bottom, a heating coil 17 extends horizontally and has electric connections. These electric connections and the inner piping connections of the supply to, and discharge from, the hot water tank are not shown. Also accommodated in the casing 15 is a magnetic treatment device 1 connected through the pipe 2 to a slotted flushing nozzle 18a which acts as a deflecting element and from which magnetically treated water is passed in a horizontal flow over the heating coil 17 to a suction slot 18b through which circulating pump 8 draws water to recycle it through the magnetic treatment device 1. In this way again the magnetically treated water is passed directly and in a continuous flow over the surfaces to be kept free from lime deposits.

Fig. 7a shows, highly simplified and to a reduced scale, an industrial steam generator comprising heating elements 11 which are contained in a casing 20 made up of two shells and whose electric connections are not shown. The heating elements are immersed in water contained in the lower part of the tank and evaporate the water. The steam is drawn off through a top pipe 21. Water is supplied to the steam generator via pipe 4, magnetic treatment device 1 and the connected pipe 2. The tube spirals 12 enclosing the heating elements 11 serve as deflecting elements 12 for water supplied by the pipe 4. Similarly to the case of the hot water boiler illustrated in Fig. 5, the tube spirals are closed at their unconnected ends and formed over their length with holes 12a (Fig. 7b) from which magnetically treated water emerges in the direction of the walls of the heating elements 11, to wash around the heating elements intensively and prevent lime deposits thereon. The nozzles 10 disposed in the upper portion of the steam generator are connected to the water supply pipe 2 by means not shown and serve the same purpose as the similarly designated nozzles in the hot water boiler illustrated in Fig. 5. They pass magnetically treated water directly to the inside wall of the tank. To maintain the circulation of the magnetically treated water, some water contained in the tank 20 is continuously drawn off by the circulating pump 8 and recycled by the pipe 7 to the magnetic treatment device 1, from which the water returns through pipe 2 to the steam generator and more particularly to the spiral tubes 12 and to nozzles 10.

As already mentioned, the invention can be used quite in general to prevent deposits of lime from water not only on metal, but also on ceramic or plastic surfaces.

Claims (9)

1. A process for reducing corrosion and lime deposits caused by water impurities on surfaces adjacent thereto, comprising a step of exerting magnetic action on flowing water to produce magnetically treated water and characterized in that the surface exposed to corrosion and lime deposits is the inside wall of a tube through which the magnetically treated water is caused to flow in a spiral flow.
2. A process for reducing corrosion and lime deposits caused by water impurities on surfaces adjacent thereto, comprising a step of exerting magnetic action on flowing water to produce magnetically treated water and characterized in that the surfaces exposed to corrosion and lime deposits are the surfaces of at least one tubular or plate-shaped heating element, and that component flows of the magnetically treated water are directed to said surfaces through a horizontal flushing slot, in case of a horizontal heating unit, or through openings in a spiral tube which is closed at one end and which surrounds at least one heating element or which is disposed inside a cluster of said heating elements, or surrounds such cluster..
3. A process according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that at least a portion of the treated water so used is subjected, in a recycling circuit, to a renewed magnetic action and returned for renewed utilisation.
4. An apparatus for reducing corrosion and lime deposits caused by water impurities on surfaces exposed thereto, comprising a treatment device in which water flowing spirally in a tube is subjected to the action of magnetic fields, characterized in that said surfaces exposed to water impurities are formed by the inside wall of a cold water pipe (2) and in that the apparatus comprises a plurality of deflecting devices (3) for causing the flow of magnetically treated water emerging from the treatment device to flow along the wall of the pipe spirally in relation to the axis thereof, said deflecting devices being disposed in or axially adjacent to said pipe.
5. An apparatus for reducing corrosion and lime deposits caused by water impurities on surfaces exposed thereto, comprising a treatment device in which water flowing spirally in a tube is subjected to the action of magnetic fields, for use in a hot water boiler having a heating coil (17) disposed horizontally over the boiler bottom, characterized in that the apparatus further comprises a deflecting device in the form of a flushing slot (18a) which directs magnetically treated water to flow horizontally over the heating coil (17) towards a suction slot (18b) connected to a circulating pump (8) for recycling water drawn through the suction slot to the magnetic treatment device (1) whose outlet is connected to the flushing slot (18a).
6. An apparatus for reducing corrosion and lime deposits caused by water impurities on surfaces exposed thereto, comprising a treatment device in which water flowing spirally in a tube is subjected to the action of magnetic fields, for use in a heating system or a steam generator having at least one tubular or plate-shaped heating element disposed in a tank and further characterized in that a deflecting device in the form of a tube spiral (12) into which said magnetically treated water is let to flow and which is closed at its end and is formed with holes (12a) distributed over its length encloses said at least one heating element, the holes (12a) of said tube spiral being so constructed and arranged that the flows of magnetically treated water emerging therefrom are directed at the adjacent heating elements (11) and wherein said apparatus further comprises a circulating pump for continually supplying recycled water from the tank to the magnetic treatment device (1).
7. Apparatus according to claim 6, characterized in that at least one cluster of heating elements (11) is disposed in the tank and that each cluster of heating elements is enclosed by a said tube spiral whose holes (12a) are so constructed and arranged that the flows of magnetically treated water emerging therefrom are directed at the adjacent heating elements.
8. An apparatus according to claims 6 or 7 for use in a water heating system having a cluster of heating elements (11) disposed in a cylindrical tank, further characterized by a deflecting device in the form of nozzles (10) which direct a portion of the flow of magnetically treated water substantially tangentially to a cylindrical wall of the tank.
9. Apparatus according to any of claims 6 to 8 further comprising an intercepting tank (13) open at the top for collecting lime deposits which is disposed below said at least one heating element or cluster of heating elements (11) each enclosed by a said tube spiral.