There are two most widely reported mechanisms to study the effect of magnetic fields on calcium carbonate (CaCO3) precipitate, namely ionic and particle mechanisms. The effects are most debatable because they are contrary to each other. This study explored the effects of both mechanisms in CaCO3 deposit and total CaCO3 precipitation using ionic and particle methods. The ionic method showed reductions in CaCO3 deposit and total precipitation rate of CaCO3, whereas the particle method showed the opposite results. The particle number decreased and the average particle diameter of CaCO3 deposit increased in the ionic method. Meanwhile in the particle method, the particle number increased, average particle diameter decreased and particle aggregation of CaCO3 was observed. XRD measurement on all deposits showed that the crystal deposit was mostly of calcite and the traces of vaterite. However, the amount of the crystal in the particle method was observed to be less than that in the ionic method, indicating that CaCO3
deposit was more amorphous. Particle mechanism decreased the Ca2+ ion concentration in solution during magnetization, and ionic mechanism reduced scale (CaCO3) formation after magnetization and separation processes. This method could be applied for decreasing water hardness and prevent the formation of scaling.
Grutsch JF, USA/USSR symposium of physical mechanical treatment of wastewaters, EPA, Cincinnati, 44, 1977
Grutsch JF, McClintock JW, Corrosion and deposit control in alkaline cooling water using magnetic water treatment at Amoco’s largest refinery, Corrosion 84 NACE, New Orleans, pp. 330, 1984