Supplies of distilled water are a regular requirement in chemistry laboratories. Many produce it using domestic water straight from the tap.
The chemist lab of the Royal Military College, Shrivenham is no exception and uses 10 litre capacity stills which are electrically heated. However, jShrivenham has a hard water supply. Whenever hard water is heated, there is a risk of limescale deposits building up very rapidly.
This was the case for the Shrivenham scientists who regularly dismantled their stills and used acid to clean heavy scale encrustation from the glass vessels and electric heating elements. Repeated acid cleaning has also pitted the outer metal surface of each element, effectively reducing its life. It was important to use non-chemical products to treat the hard water, but none Shrivenham had tested work efficiently before. A Hydroflow HS44 unit was recommended.
Being chemists with access to sophisticated equipment, the Shrivenham team decided to carry out some comparative performance tests using the same still.
Starting from the still in a completely clean condition, observations would be made using a Hydroflow unit over a 6 week period. The still would then be cleaned , re-used for a second 6 week period without Hydroflow and fresh measurements taken. Scanning electron microscope and X-ray diffraction test equipment was available. This confirmed that calcium carbonate crystals form immediately following the super-saturation point of heated water.
In the case of Hydroflow, crystals were initiated more quickly and grew larger, with the salts crystallising onto these, ‘Hydroflow crystals’ rather than onto the glass or electric element. Further, the water was maintained at saturation point.
Hydroflow completely removed the need for acid cleaning, with the consequent health and safety precautions. The need to dismantle the still was also obviated.
The Royal Military College chemists are very grateful to have these repetitive chores removed from their work schedule.
Having passed the tests of demanding military scientists with flying colours, Hydroflow HS44 units have been permanently fitted to all laboratory stills.

In the UK, many argue that the payback figures for solar thermal do not stack up, Eric Hawkins of Jayhawk International, specialists in renewable energy technologies comments, “Many people assume incorrectly that because we have so many overcast days that there will not be enough sunlight. And although ongoing running costs are exceptionally low, it’s still important for people in a hard water area to remember that whenever water is heated, there is a risk of limescale build up.

So just as British Gas recommend the installation of Hydroflow units on gas heaters, we strongly recommend the same water conditioner for our solar thermal installations.”‘The Candlesticks’ in Ringwood, Cornwall, is a 15th century thatched cottage restaurant that also comprises an 8 bedroom ensuite cottage style lodge to the rear. Energy bills were continually high, as gas was used for both heating the property and to supply hot water in the guest house and the restaurant kitchen. As a result, owner Roy Conway, contacted JayHawk International, about a solar thermal system to generate hot water.

The installation was particularly suited to solar thermal because of the hot water demands during the day are light.Following an inspection of the existing heating systems at the property, JayHawk concluded that the customer would benefit from solar thermal, and recommended that the current copper cylinders be replaced by two sets of Suntech 18 Super Heat Pipe Evacuated Tube Collectors. The specified 210 litre cylinders would provide maximum solar heat gain and are service free as they do not require a glycol/water mix to prevent the collectors from freezing in winter months.

The new system which is capable of delivering over 300 litres of water at 48ºC using thermostatic mixer valves took 5 days to install and has been supplying hot water ever since. The owner reports that even on overcast and rainy days, the gas boiler has not needed to be used outside of its two brief periods: Between 5 and 6am for early risers and between 6pm and 7pm when demand is at its peak. Early indications are that savings of 95% will be made in summer and 23% over winter – equating to 65% over the year.

The quality of the welding is guaranteed by the high susceptibility and punctual and precise function of the solenoid control valves.
Like any other industrial system, wherever there is water, we are encountering the problem of scaling. In this project a slight amount of scale can disturb the function of the control valves.

As a result, welding is done in less or more than the desired time. In the former case, i.e. when welding is done in less than the required time, two pieces won't be jointed to each other mechanically. In the latter case welding will lead to burning and destruction of the metal body or bottom.

                             The national Trust solar installation

I would like to share my experiences with the Hydroflow HS Anti Scale units
from Maimtec.
I have a proper technical background in my studies and job (manager of an installation company) and as such I have been in contact with a number of companies that offer solutions for scale problems in water installations .
In August 2002 I bought an appliance from Maimtec and installed it in my house, as the technology looked logical to me..
In my house at that time was a washing machine plus a 10 year old Combi-boiler and 'Close in' boiler in the kitchen – all with scale sensitive units with heating elements inside.
It is not normally easy to declare that the Hydroflow unit works because you would have to cut through apparatus to see the results.

However in the beginning of 2004 I decided to buy a new Combi-boiler and to place it on the living floor in place of the second floor.
The “Close-in” boiler in the kitchen was no longer needed.
As a maintenance man I was curious to see the how well the 12 year old equipment had faired so I cut these units apart to a look at the warming elements inside. I was astonished to see what I saw.
The boilers bodies of both boilers were with no scale at all and the warming elements
of both boilers were unbelievably clean. As an experienced maintenance man I have never seen such results.
I am recommending everyone to install such a unit in his house, the installation is very simple and the results are amazing.
M.W.
(Name & address withheld by Maimtec)