Scale-Prevention Technology Validated by GSA Study

A water scale-prevention technology new to the U.S., but used in Europe for more than 40 years, has been validated by a General Services Administration (GSA) Green Proving Ground study.

Developed by Fluid Dynamics, the proprietary technology was proven effective as a salt-free, no-chemical, no-power solution to the problem of calcium deposits due to hard water—a growing issue for residential, commercial and industrial water users alike.

“Scale build-up is a serious problem and getting worse, and traditional attempts of dealing with hard water have proven ineffective, costly or environmentally damaging,” said Rob James, chief visionary officer for Fluid Dynamics USA. “This GSA study confirms for North America what we already knew from a million-plus installations worldwide—the simplest design is usually the best solution.”

Traditional hard water approaches rely on complex systems using chemicals, salts or electromagnetic energy. In contrast, the Fluid Dynamics solution is green, simple and effective. The catalytic technology is integrated into the line carrying the water, which flows over a proprietary metal alloy where turbulence causes calcium and carbonate to bond together to form aragonite instead of calcite. The aragonite remains suspended in the water instead of bonding to surfaces as it does with calcite.

The GSA field study was conducted during 2013-2014 by Oak Ridge National Laboratory. It confirmed that the technology not only prevents scale buildup, it also eliminates prior scaling over a period of time.

The study focused on the issue of hard water in water heating systems, where calcium deposits cause serious problems ranging from increased energy usage to outright system failure.

"The technology has demonstrated its effectiveness in this study, and should be considered for adoption by GSA facilities that are experiencing scaling issues in water heating systems,” the report stated. The report also noted the simple payback period was less than one year.

Another benefit of the technology is the range of sizes and applications. From a ½-in. residential water line to a 48-in. industrial system, the same concept works across the board.

These scale prevention products have been sold in the U.K. and Europe since 1973, and available in North America since 2009. The product range has been marketed under the names Scaletron, Limetron, Housetron and Colloid-A-Tron, and the company is currently finalizing new branding identification which will be introduced in the immediate future.

Source: Fluid Dynamics