Magnetics for Water Treatment

Note: H2o Concepts Inc. IS NOT associatied with any type magnetics for water treatment. This article and report are for information only.

Magnetic water treatment (also known as anti-scale magnetic treatment or AMT) is a controversial method of supposedly reducing the effects of hard water by passing it through a magnetic field, as a non-chemical alternative to water softening. Scientific studies into the efficacy the treatment have had mixed results, though several studies have produced significant effects and proposed possible mechanisms for the observed decrease in water scale. Some commentators regard the treatment as unproven and unscientific.

Source: Wikipedia

WQA Magnetics Task Force March 2001 Report

The Water Quality Association

The Water Quality Association (WQA) is the not-for-profit trade association representing the household, commercial, light industrial, and small system water treatment industry.

WQA’s primary objectives are to:
• Ensure fairness in legislative, regulatory, and media coverage of the industry,
• Foster dedication to integrity by expanding education opportunities, enhancing technical expertise, substantiation of product performances, and ethical standards in responsible marketing and advertising, and
• Broaden acceptance of the industry through consumer confidence and trust in water
treatment products and services.

THE WATER QUALITY ASSOCIATION
4151 Naperville Road
Lisle, Illinois 60532-1088
Phone: 6305050160
Fax: 630 505 9637
Web site Address: www.wga.org

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Below are some of the conclusions from the report. There were several test included in the report but no hard conclusion has been determined.

Performance Analysis of Permanent Magnet Type Water Treatment Devices (1981)

Based on all of these and appearance of scale in the tanks, heating rods, sensor, etc., the paper
concludes that there is no measurable effect in these circumstances resulting from the selected magnetic devices.

A Revue of Scale Formation and Scale Prevention, with Emphasis on Magnetic Water Treatment (1983)

Conclusions
Not clear as to what the hypothesis is. In one test, higher precipitation due to magnets. In another, less crystals due to magnets. It is not clear as to what is concluded in the conclusion section . This paper is not entirely useful for water treatment assessment.

Effectiveness of Magnetic Water Treatment in Suppressing CaC03 Scale Deposition/The Performance of a Magnetic Water Conditioner under Accelerated Scaling Conditions (1985)

Conclusions
• No magnetic effect evident.
• Precipitation rate is dependent on pH. Same as before and after magnetic test.
• In one test, recycling through magnet did not yield any favorable result.

Conclusion
The Magnetics Task Force submits its review ofthe physical treatment of water literature in fulfillment of its objective. Thirty-four papers of 106 papers reviewed in the task force’s opinion met the scientific criteria established by the task force.

Fortunately, the goal of this task force did not include an evaluation of science applied to specific technologies, processes, or devices or a determination of “whether magnetic and other physical water treatment processes work.” The thirty-four papers that met the task force’s criteria for being scientifically valid did not address or answer that question. In that body of literature,there are indications that physical water treatment does work, that it does not work, that it may work, but only in certain circumstances, and that it may work in conjunction with or as a result of coincidental trace chemical or ionic leaching mechanisms or other combination technologies. There is, of course, always the question of what does it mean “to work,” what are the applications? the specific processes, technologies and devices at issue? the expected and desired results? the uses and claims made for such technologies? These questions are not answered by
this report.

The task force is encouraged to find that there are enough scientifically valid papers that offer insights and techniques of study to make it possible, the task force believes, to work toward developing a standard for certifying claims, perhaps limited, but ones that could be reproducibly substantiated. One paper in the review discusses a standard already in use by the German DVGW to test and measure scale diminution effects of water treatment devices. The development of such a standard in the United States will require investment from industry members, standards making and certifying agencies, and third-party laboratories. The task force is convinced that industry and the marketplace should take “physical water treatment” to the level of having a certification standard. The literature review suggests that development of a standard is technically possible, but the industry itself must determine this step.

The task force believes that additional scientific study can unify some of the observations already in the literature about physical water treatment. If this happens, it is possible that new improved devices with more consistent and predictable performance and new applications can be introduced.