x

RickDelta

jesmed1

Interesting. Have you tested a prototype and proved that the polymer beads behave as you described?

I assume this is a water treatment/softener device, not a particulate filter. So the purpose of the polymer beads is to do the water treatment/softening?

RickDelta

mattmia2

wasn't removing scale the problem they had in flint…

RickDelta

@mattmia2

……. ???? : (

Derheatmeister

https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/comment/1847171#Comment_1847171

Yes you are correct…..The PH of the domestic water servicing Flint was low/Aggresive..

This Aggressive H2o removed the patina from the inside walls of the pipe which then exposed the Lead..

jesmed1

https://forum.heatinghelp.com/discussion/comment/1847172#Comment_1847172

What problem are you trying to solve? There are existing canister-type water softeners. I haven't used them, so I'm not familiar with their limitations. I'm assuming there's some pressure drop across a typical canister that you're trying to minimize by giving the spheres extra free volume to float around in?

RickDelta

hot_rod

How are Watts and other brands accomplishing this? TAC, even high flow applications, has been in service for many years.

https://www.watts.com/our-story/brands/oneflow

RickDelta

@hot_rod

Hi Bob!

Its my understanding that they don't do anything! : (

Basically, they size the tanks to cover even most of the peak flow demands.

That's a very expensive way to eliminate excessive pressure drops at those peek times. $25K to $35K for mid size motels!! : (

My set-up just covers the daily service flow demand 80% …….. and simply adds un-filtered make up flow at peak (usually lasting only around an hour or two) water flow times …… all at less than halve the cost to the motel and laundromat owners.

My set-up is to descale the plumbing only! …… temporarily reducing its efficiency during "peak" demand for even a few hours is totally insignificant to its effectiveness ……. as descaling is done over weeks not two or three hours.

RickDelta

@hot_rod

…..cont:

The inlet and outlet screens (containing the media inside the tanks) are a major source of system pressure drops.

My small tank diameter paradigm, each with its own screens, equate to over ten times more flow area resulting in an extremely small filter system pressure drop ……. and completely eliminates channeling (water passing thru the media untreated) as with the the large diameter tanks.

jesmed1

So in other words, you're trying to sell motels and laundromats on the concept of low-cost point-of-use water softeners that will descale their plumbing, one per room (or one per washing machine) , plumbed in a way that will eliminate the peak-use choke point that one expensive, large system would normally have?

RickDelta

@jesmed1

…………………………. yep! : )

Generally speaking,

The motel industry is fast moving to the "tankless" units for their hot water heating.

But where they once had one or two very large BTU units, is now being replaced by 10 or 14 low btu tankless units (199K btu). The "magic" number here is "199k" MAX! per unit. The 199k btu, and under, units don't require State boiler inspections.

In a typical motel environment, the required vinegar descaling procedure must be done every 6 months to keep the heat exchangers clear of scale build-up. Takes about an hour per unit , then times that by 14!!! : ( …. very expensive service call!

This set-up eliminates this required maintenance as it descales all the heat exchangers, solenoid valves, pipes shower heads, etc …… 24/7

….. easy sell!! *wink* : )

hot_rod

have you actually used a TAC system for a period of time in hard water application?Either small or large scale projects?

I have heard mixed reviews. Perhaps the specific water at a location has something to with effectiveness?

There are a lot of components to water besides scaling ions

RickDelta

@hot_rod

Yes! …. well said Bob! : )

"have you actually used a TAC system for a period of time in hard water application?Either small or large scale projects?"

No! : ) …… all my foundation for this project is based from engineering/lab tests documentation only.

"I have heard mixed reviews. Perhaps the specific water at a location has something to with effectiveness?"

Absolutely correct! Most of the motels the city water is fine for just straight TAC media.

Where you do run into elevated minerals/chlorine,etc, in the water, I can simply add to the TAC targeted additives to the mix (ie: KDF)

https://kdf.kymerainternational.com/products

RickDelta

……. should the TAC flow control emulation prove problematic, I can simply install conventional discrete "DOLE" flow control regulators on each tank.

This was my thoughts early on.

But at a cost of around $140 each x 14 …….. adds greatly to the end user cost.

NEOPERL manufacture is sending me samples of their 16gpm pressure compensated flow regulator "disk" only, as It has no surround as it was meant to be designed into the OEMs product.

Its got all the workings of the flow control regulator ……. but has no case shell around it.

I would have only to install it inside the 2" PVC pipe at the top of each tank.

(think: the disk shaped radiator thermostat in your car)

OEM pricing is only $10 per "disk" ! : )

https://www.neoperl.com/global/en/home/products/flow-regulators

RickDelta

RickDelta

Got my sample flow restrictors from NEOPERL today!

These are the required 16 gpm flow limit needed thru the filter tubes.

I can easily mount this into the center of the 2" inch PVC pipe.