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The Solution

Magnetohydrodynamics

The solution? There are several, but only one that makes sense.

To date, the most common solution is the traditional water softener, which takes a portion of the hardness minerals out of the water and replaces them with sodium. Water thus treated is not recommended for drinking because of the high sodium content. Water softeners are also expensive to buy and operate, and can cause environmental problems. Also, they do not stop scale build-up, nor do they remove scale that has already built up. They simply reduce scale. These are just a few of the reasons why water softeners are not an acceptable solution to scale build-up problems.

Other scale build-up remedies, such as acid washes and chemical additives have even greater drawbacks, including the risk of contamination and the fact that they wear out the surfaces they contact.

What, then, is the acceptable way to combat scale build-up? The answer lies in a complex word for a fairly simple physical phenomenon: magnetohydrodynamics. Simply stated, magnetohydrodynamics is what happens when water passes through a properly focused magnetic field. The magnetic field breaks up some of the complexes that are carried in the water, freeing the captive mineral particles. Once free, these particles act as crystallization centers, giving the surrounding mineral molecules in the water something to "stick" to, rather than forming new layers of scale on the inside of plumbing and appliance surfaces. As these crystallization centers attract mineral molecules, they form circular platelets, which remain in the water rather than attaching themselves to surfaces and causing scale build-up.

The net effect of all this is that the hardening minerals are changed from a scale like an ice cube to a powder like a snowflake.

Magnetic Fluid Conditioning

Keeping Minerals in the Water

The process of keeping minerals in the water rather than letting them precipitate out in the form of scale when heating or evaporation takes place is known as magnetic fluid conditioning.

It is not a new process. Nor is it unproven. Patents for treating water with magnetics appeared back in the 1950’s. Even back then, when magnets were far weaker than they are today, the effects were remarkable. The treated water behaved as if it were "softer," with less mineral content, and scale build-up was significantly reduced.

Magnetic fluid conditioning caught on first in the eastern world, where other water softening methods and equipment were not commonly available. Highly favorable reports soon began filtering back from China, Russia, Poland, Bulgaria and other eastern countries about water that was being treated with magnetics not only for residential use, but also for agricultural, commercial and industrial use.

In the developed countries of the western world, where chemical and other water softening systems were well entrenched, magnetic fluid conditioning took longer to gain acceptance. But its benefits were too dramatic to remain obscure for long. Systematic research from respected institutions began to be conducted, quantitative methods were developed to evaluate the effectiveness of magnetic water conditioning devices, and the findings revealed overwhelming positive effects.

In 1973, for example, the United States Government confirmed that magnetic fluid conditioning is an effective means of controlling scale. A study by National Technical Information Services for the United States Air Force revealed that magnetized water will not form scale on heating surfaces; that properly designed and installed magnetic units will prevent the formation of costly scale build-up.

A good thing got even better with the development and availability of a new generation of extremely powerful, permanent magnets. These ceramic magnets are a hundred times more powerful that the old fashioned steel magnets. They are also more durable and are permanent. In fact, once a ceramic magnet is magnetized, it never needs recharging. Nor does it require and energy source to keep it magnetized. These magnets maintain their strength so completely that they are used in nuclear submarines to ensure accuracy in subpolar navigation. This is one reason why GMX can offer its customers a lifetime warranty.