Triangular wave technology

[Dorman]

I found some colleagues discussing the "Triangular Wave Technology" for getting rid of deposits inside water pipes. See the website http://www.triangularwave.com/ . In particular, have a look at http://www.triangularwave.com/a1b.htm .

At the first glance this looks reasonable, they agitate polar molecules through time-varying electric fields (which they produce by time-varying magnetic fields) which, the claim is, breaks the hydrogen bonds and frees more water molecules. The agitation also supposedly produces more surface charge for colloidal particles, which then become easier to remove.

I guess water molecules may be "agitated" if you apply an electric field that varies rapidly, and electric field may be induced by time-varying magnetic field, but the magnetic field they use seems extremely small (1 gauss or so), so I am not sure whether that will do anything. I have not done any calculations, though.

The site does smell of woo at places, but maybe that is just part of advertisement.

Does anyone know if this is legitimate ? Does it work ?

-Dorman

 

[Cuddles]

Yep, that's nonsense. Magnetic fields do not affect solubility. It doesn't matter what signals you put through the water, a calcium ion is a calcium ion. In fact, it's rather amusing that they claim to convert all the ions to calcium carbonate, since that's exactly what you want to avoid. Similar scams have been mentioned before on this forum, I think the general consensus is that there might be a very small effect in the immediate area of the magnet, but certainly nothing more than that.

 

[Broes]

I guess water molecules may be "agitated" if you apply an electric field that varies rapidly, and electric field may be induced by time-varying magnetic field

Sounds a damm lot like a microwave...

Bruce Jongejans

 

[casebro]

Does triangular wave shape have any relation at all to anything?

2,000 to 7,000 hertz is waaayy tooo slow for microwaves. In fact, the range makes it just sound like sloppy electronics. Hmmm, the range, and the oscilloscope patterns they show, make me think of a signal to an analog speaker. Probably sound like a drum beat. At very low decibels, what with only 25 to 250 milliamperes. And the magnetic coil around the pipe would act like a speaker. I'll bet you could accomplish just as much for your water purity by playing music to your pipes. I'd recommend German drinking songs. Or maybe maritime dittys.

 

[joobz]

ultrasound works. Just attach a jewlery cleaner to your pipes.