Template Assisted Crystallization (TAC) Technology
How does OneFlow® TAC work?
OneFlow media granules provide nucleation sites that cause dissolved calcium, magnesium and bicarbonate to combine into microscopic crystals. Once formed, these crystals detach from the media, and flow freely through the system.
“Hard” water contains a high mineral content (primarily calcium and magnesium that naturally occur in groundwater). Over time, hard water can cause scale to build up in pipes and plumbing, increasing your energy costs and shortening the life of your appliances.
Why is scale harmful to plumbing and appliances?
- It reduces the inner diameter of pipes and elbows, ultimately leading to restrictions in flow rate and pressure loss
- It can form on internal moving parts of valves and components, affecting their intended purpose or worse, causing safety failures
- Heating elements can become coated with scale, reducing efficiency and increasing operating costs
- Over time, scale becomes highly insoluble, making it extremely difficult to remove, which can lead to costly remediation efforts
How does OneFlow compare with other scale prevention technologies?
Water softeners remove minerals from hard water through an ion exchange process. This requires salt, electricity, and a regeneration cycle that periodically flushes water down the drain. Water softener use is restricted in a number of drought affected regions across the US because treatment plants are unable to remove salt, making the reclaimed water unusable for irrigation.
| OneFlow TAC | Water Softener | |
|---|---|---|
| Process | Physically binds hardness ions together to prevent them from forming scale | Exchanges hardness ions with sodium ions |
| Maintenance | Generally replace cartridge or media every 3 years | Periodically refill with salt |
| Drainage | None required | Regeneration waste water with high mineral and salt levels |
| Electricity | None required | Required |
| Benefits | Scale formation prevented Low life cycle cost Permitted in locations with restrictions on water softeners Small installation footprint No salt, electricity or drainage required | Scale formation prevented Water feels soft Soaps foam better Dishes have less soft mineral deposits |
| Drawbacks | Soft scale may form on surfaces (easily removed with damp cloth) | Purchase, transportation and storage of salt Requires drain and electricity Requires bypass plumbing to provide untreated water for plants Treating hard water can cause high salt levels in drinking water Municipal treatment plants have difficulty removing added salt from reclaimed water making it unsuitable for irrigation or recharging aquifers |
Chemical Scale Inhibitors introduce phosphate-based chemicals to inhibit scale. These systems work better in cold water applications but have a tendency to break down or fail in hot water. Similar to softeners, scale sequestering systems require the constant introduction of a chemical resulting in ongoing monthly costs to end users.
Magnets, electro-magnets, radio frequency and electrical current systems have failed to pass any scale control standards designed by internationally recognized third party testing agencies. While the manufacturers of these products quote in-house data to support their amazing scale control claims, none of these products have passed international protocol for scale prevention. “Buyer Beware” is the best advice one can take if considering these options.