Media-assisted Crystallization (MAC)

How does OneFlow® MAC work?

OneFlow media granules attract dissolved calcium, magnesium and bicarbonate ions to the surface of the media where they become supersaturated and converted into harmless microscopic crystals. Once formed, these crystals then move away from the media and flow freely through the plumbing system without causing damaging scale in plumbing fixtures, water heating equipment, and appliances.

 

Why is scale harmful to plumbing and appliances?

• It reduces the inner diameter of pipes and fittings, 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 MAC compares to other scale prevention technologies

• Water Softeners
  Water softeners remove hardness minerals from 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 or recharging aquifers. 

  	OneFlow MAC	Water Softener
  Process	Physically binds hardness ions together to prevent them from forming scale	Exchanges hardness ions with sodium ions
  Maintenance	Media or cartridge replacement range is from 1 to 3 years depending on the system selected	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 external 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 Inhibitors
  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.
• Electric and Magnetic Devices
  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.