Water Softeners

Most people living in hard water areas of England are familiar with the problems of hard water causing scaling up of domestic appliances. In the commercial world, lime scale costs many hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of damage to large boilers, water heaters, cooling towers, laundries and other water fed equipment.

Water Softeners, Hard Water & Domestic Appliances
Hard Water causes problems in domestic appliances such as kettles, water heaters, hot water cylinders, boilers, washing machines, dishwashers.
Kettle elements scale up, water heaters showers & hot water cylinders heating elements burn out, as do the heating elements on washing machines and dishwashers. The cost of replacement and the loss of use while awaiting repairs is frustrating.
Hard water causes stains and streaking on shower enclosures, tiles and shower screens, making them difficult to clean, not to mention the excessive use of shower gel in order to obtain a lather.

Commercial Equipment:
The cost of replacing heat exchangers, cleaning out cooling tower recirculation systems, swimming pool return pipes, Laundry equipment, production cooling lines, toilet cistern replacement etc is enormous; together with the associated downtime, this adds up to significant maintenance costs. Here again water softeners and water conditioning is the answer.

Solutions
Many organizations opt for water softeners to overcome these problems. However, these systems are expensive to purchase and require regular maintenance to keep them in optimum condition together with large supplies of salt to feed them and somewhere to store the bags of salt!
Additionally, where drinking water is required, a separate mains pipe has to be run to provide untreated cold water. Softened water is not good to drink and not good for us to drink, according to most medical authorities.
Is there another alternative to traditional water softeners & water softening?

(The science)
Today, there are many electronic de-scaling systems on the market and these claim to be effective regardless of the water velocity through the pipes. Most use the same micro control technology to produce a sequence of low frequency oscillations passing through a crude analogue output stage to aerials fixed to pipe walls.
They have limited power and most, if not all, cause radio interference to be propagated, thus breaking a major clause in EU EMC regulations.

Now, WaterWork Water Conditioning Systems use the very latest digital high performance systems incorporating a new micro controller producing a wider range of frequencies and scan rates.

What Does this Mean To You?
The benefits of scale prevention, using WaterWork Systems:

1. Reduces energy costs - 1.5mm of scale reduces heat transfer by around 15%
2. Reduces maintenance and downtime by continuous de-scaling without chemicals
3. Enhances life of equipment by reducing pumping pressures and pipe wall drag factors
4. Increases life of equipment from domestic appliances to industrial heat exchangers by more efficient heat exchange
5. No harmful discharges to waste, as with chemical softeners
6. Can be used in drinking water systems as no chemicals used
7. Reduces soap and detergent use in all applications
8. Water feels softer in baths, showers
9. Laundry feels softer and is easier to iron
10. Helps to reduce bacteria presence by eliminating principal habitats ( scale)
11. Helps to stabilize pH (hair dressing, swimming pools, hydro therapy pools)
12. Reduces water usage in pools and cooling towers
13. No intrusion into pipe work - no plumbing

How does it work?
WaterWork Water Conditioners do NOT chemically soften the water. However, once the system is installed, the water behaves like softened water. The incoming calcium carbonate scale particles are affected by the signal passing through the pipe wall from the digital controller and polarized in such a way that they are repelled from the pipe walls and pass through the system.
Existing scale is affected such that it too begins to be repelled from the surfaces to which it has adhered and gradually removes itself to be flushed through the system as very soft particles.

Residential Applications:
In residential applications user requirements are simply to remove showerheads and flush out any soft residue. After two or three such operations, this will only be necessary two or three times a year.

How is it installed?
For residential systems the control box is located near the incoming water main, usually under a sink unit or in a cupboard or the garage. It is small and unobtrusive and requires no attention once installed. A 240 volt 13 amp socket is required.

No plumbing work is necessary

Effects of installation:
Less detergent required in washing machines & dishwashers. Reduce amounts until a happy medium is found.
Shower enclosures are easier to clean - shower head pressure increased
Lather in baths and showers will increase, enabling reduced use of gels & soaps
Car washing: reduced streaking after rinsing off
Laundry: Easier to iron, feels softer

Commercial Applications:
After some 3 weeks following installation, dissolved scale in hot water storage systems can be flushed through the drain outlet; Cooling tower systems will be automatically flushed on the drain cycle; swimming pools will similarly be flushed on the backwash cycle and thereafter, backwashes will be reduced after the system is cleaned up, thus reducing water usage.
Existing scale reduction is gradual and will not affect the operation of plant.
For commercial systems, the controller is located adjacent to the incoming main. This may be in a plant room, boiler room or wherever the incoming mains pipe enters the building. No user maintenance is required. A 240 volt 13 amp socket is required.

What are the immediate effects?
Within 2/3 weeks after installation, depending on the application, the following effects will be found:

1. Washing Machines/Dishwashers: As for residential - reduce detergents gradually until optimum performance is obtained. Laundry noticeably easier to iron and feels softer.
2. Cooling Towers: As the circulating pipe work is de scaled, a reduction of bacterial counts should obtained; reduced chemical dosing may be required and fresh water make-up reduced.
3. Swimming Pools: Back washes can be reduced as determined by daily/weekly tests. Chlorine based dosing can be reduced to maintain normal levels - dosing systems may be turned down. Temperatures will increase enabling reduced energy consumption.
4. Industrial Water Storage Heaters. Energy reduction noticed - temperatures obtained faster than previously
5. Shower Systems: Less gel needed to obtain lather. Reduction in cleaning cycle for shower heads.
6. Production cooling lines: auto welders etc. Sight glasses become clearer, production cycles increase.
7. Pumps & Compressors: Increased efficiency and reduction of downtime

What Does It Cost?
Much less than a Water Softener in any application and no maintenance charges.
For simplicity, we have 4 models:
WW1: Residential up to 4 bedroom house
WW2 Light Commercial Guest house, Small hotel, 5 bedroom house
WW3 Heavy Commercial Hotels, Nursing Home, Restaurant, Laundry
WW4 Extra Heavy Duty Swimming Pools, Cooling Towers
Special applications on request
Prices range from £150 for residential to £3500 for swimming pool systems

All systems will offer a payback on cost of 12-18 months

In applications such as Local authority Leisure Centres, Hospitals, nursing homes, Schools, Hotels, Laundries, payback on cost has proved no longer than 18 months and in many cases as little as 6 months.

Contact Forest Edge Water Ltd

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