Seeking opinions/information on Ener-Tec LKC non-chem water treatment 2

[GeneratorGrrl]

Cross-posting this to the boiler forum as well...

I've been approached by a representative for Ener-Tec, offering their "Linear Kinetic Cell" non-chemical water treatment. This appears to be an electromagnet and is alleged to cause minerals to "behave like tiny magnets when exposed to the electromagnetic energy field. This energy is sufficient to align the dipoles, forming a molecular chain, and these minerals will no longer form scale."

I'll keep my initial opinions to myself and simply ask for professional experiences and opinions based on facts. Has anyone had any dealings with this company and/or its products? Weigh in with positives and negatives? To me, this sounds like it defies the laws of physics and chemistry; does it?

Many thanks in advance


"Eat well, exercise regularly, die anyways."

 

[orenda1168]

GeneratorGrrl:

For what it may be worth, while I know nothing of the company you reference, the "technology" appears to be similar/identical to the so-called magnetic water treatment scams that have been around for at least the past forty years or so. In the 1960's, several large U.S. petroleum refineries with whom I was associated rigorously evaluated scale inhibition claims of this method and found that there was no significant improvement (read: within measurement error) of their process waters' scaling tendencies.

I have neither seen or read anything since then to alter my opinion of this method.

Orenda

 

[GarySCWSVI]

Here are a couple of web sites for you to look at that explain these scams. We take it that you are new to water treatment?

http://www.chem1.com/CQ/catscams.html

http://www.chem1.com/CQ/magscams.html

I don't know that specific company but they have many scam comrades out there.

Gary Schreiber, CWS VI
The Purolite Co.

 

[GeneratorGrrl]

Thank you very much, Gary, this is *exactly* what I need. I'm not that new to water treatment; that's part of the curriculum of the Power Engineering discipline in Canada, and I trained at one of the top schools here (SAIT) They cover impulse furnaces, fluidized bed combustion and micro-cogenerator turbines - if this technology were worth anything, it'd be covered!

However, I, like so many engineers, am dealing with people who are not engineers, who do not have any understanding of water treatment or even basic chemistry, and see only the dollar signs. I think its a bunch of hooey, "Cap'n, it cannae go agin the laws of physics!", but I have to *prove* that to the higher-ups, I need facts and outside experiences. Further, they want me to meet with this sales rep, so I have to perfect my hoop-jumping and make it airtight (watertight? :3 )

The last company I worked for got sold on "pyrite filters" that, again, were supposed to do away with chemical treatment. They had these installed, 10K Canuckbucks a pop, into all of their apartment buildings, over 200 buildings. Three years later, they were replacing over 200 boilers (including my beloved old Volcano firetubes, which sprang aneurisms to the tune of 10+ tubes apieces >.< I never want to go through that again!) But my current higher-ups say "well those were pyrite filters, this is a different thing" (keep your temper, Grrl... ) There doesn't seem to be an industrial equivalent of ePinions.com, so I thought I'd ask here

ThankyouThankyouThankyou.. And thank you to the other fella over in the Boilers forum, who gave me a nice tidy list of hoop-jumping questions to tag the sales rep with.


"Eat well, exercise regularly, die anyways."

 

[bimr]

Committee for the Scientific Investigation of Claims of the Paranormal has some information posted here:

http://www.csicop.org/si/9801/powell.html

 

[semo]

GeneratorGrrl:

I might as well join in and become another member like GarySCWSVI that will be classified as "in bed with the chemical companies" even though I am a private consultant with no ties to any manufacturer. Unlike Mr. Savastatguy.

Do yourself a favor and read his report. It says nothing. Ask where the real data produced from the study is. The report states that this particular unit performs better than the other magnetic units they tested. Well, the above post even says the magnetic units are BUNK. I guess by this standard, anything better than nothing is really something.

Most reports contain real data to support their conclusions. Lab results will be presented to show what is being done. Timelines are presented as well as other maintenance data.

The unit based on the report must completely eliminate scale formation as well. The cost savings they present is based on the fact that they will never have to clean another boiler. Not even the chemical companies will tell you that if they are worth their salt. There are other questions the report leaves; but, I'll leave it at these.

If you want to try magnetic fields, get a $20 roll of copper wire, a $30 battery, wrap the wire around your pipe and connect the battery. Don't spend $1000s on a product with no valid claims.

Part of a professional engineer's code of ethics is to protect the public. Any PE worth his salt would be remiss in warning of scams. These types of salesmen are the same types that sell chemicals to rural homeowners with the promise they will never have to pump solids from their septic tanks forever.

Sorry for the rambling, and my intention is not to debate another member of this forum. This is just my 2 cents.