Scale formation preventor and/or remover

Claim 2

Apparatus for treating water to remove hardening minerals, comprising an elongated core having a longitudinal passage of reduced cross-sectional area formed therein having closely-spaced parallel surfaces, said surfaces having formed therein a multiplicity of microscopic randomly-located channels forming complementary protuberances having highly polished, flat tops, said core being constructed to receive water into said passage on one end thereof, to accelerate the flow of water through the channels to a Reynolds Number exceeding 2000, and to discharge water from said passage on the other end thereof, said core being comprised of a nickel-silver alloy containing less than 10 percent zinc and greater than 15 percent nickel, said parallel surfaces in said core being prepared by polishing followed by etching to form a copper nickel grain structure that is parallel to said surfaces and capable of causing crystals of said hardening minerals to grow only perpendicular to said surfaces and said flow of water.

Claim 3

Apparatus as described in claim 1 wherein said alloy is comprised of copper 65 percent, nickel 20.5 percent, zinc 6.5 percent, tin 4 percent, and lead 4 percent, by weight.

Claim 4

Apparatus as described in claim 2 wherein said etching is performed with an acid chosen from the group comprising ferric acid and chromatic acid.

Claim 5

Apparatus as described in claim 2 wherein said etching is performed with ferric acid.

Claim 6

Apparatus as described in claim 1 wherein said core has a multiplicity of additional longitudinal passages of reduced cross-sectional area formed therein having closely-spaced parallel surfaces, said surfaces having formed therein a multiplicity of microscopic randomly-located channels forming complementary protuberances having highly polished, flat tops.

Claim 7

Apparatus as described in claim 5 wherein a first portion of said passages are formed in the first cross-sectional half of said core and a second portion of said passages are formed in the second cross-sectional half of said core and said first and second portions of said passages are offset from each other.

Claim 8

Apparatus as described in claim 1 wherein said passage in said core is formed in a serpentine cross-sectional pattern.

Claim 9

Apparatus for treating water to remove hardening minerals, comprising a first semi-cylindrical core section having a shallow channel formed therein; a second semi-cylindrical core section having a shallow groove formed therein positioned to coact with the channel in the first core section to form a longitudinal passage having closely spaces parallel surfaces when said said first and second core sections are brought into abutment, said surfaces having formed therein a multiplicity of microscopic randomly-located channels forming complementary protuberances having highly polished, flat tops; a cylindrical sleeve surrounding said first and second core sections; and means for sealing between said first and second core sections and said sleeve, said core sections being constructed to receive water into said passage on one end thereof, to accelerate the flow of water through the channels to a Reynolds Number exceeding 2000, and to discharge water from said passage on the other end thereof, said core sections being comprised of a nickel-silver alloy containing less than 10 percent zinc and greater than 15 percent nickel, said parallel surfaces in said core section being prepared by polishing followed by etching to form a copper nickel grain structure that is parallel to said surfaces and capable of causing crystals of said hardening minerals to grow only perpendicular to said surfaces and said flow of water.

Claim 10

Apparatus for treating water to remove hardening minerals, comprising a first semi-cylindrical core section having a shallow channel formed therein; a second semi-cylindrical core section having a shallow groove formed therein positioned to coact with the channel in the first core section to form a longitudinal passage having closely spaces parallel surfaces when said said first and second core sections are brought into abutment, said surfaces having formed therein a multiplicity of microscopic randomly-located channels forming complementary protuberances having highly polished, flat tops; a cylindrical sleeve surrounding said first and second core sections; and means for sealing between said first and second core sections and said sleeve, said core sections being constructed to receive water into said passage on one end thereof, to accelerate the flow of water through the channels to a Reynolds Number exceeding 2000, and to discharge water from said passage on the other end thereof, said core sections being comprised of a nickel-silver alloy containing less than 10 percent zinc and greater than 15 percent nickel, said parallel surfaces in said core section being prepared by polishing followed by etching to form a copper nickel grain structure that is parallel to said surfaces and capable of causing crystals of said hardening minerals to grow only perpendicular to said surfaces and said flow of water.

Claim 11

Apparatus as described in claim 8 wherein said alloy is comprised of copper 65 percent, nickel 20.5 percent, zinc 6.5 percent, tin 4 percent, and lead 4 percent, by weight.

Claim 12

Apparatus as described in claim 9 wherein said etching is performed with an acid chosen from the group comprising ferric acid and chromatic acid.

Claim 13

Apparatus as described in claim 9 wherein said etching is performed with ferric acid.

Claim 14

Apparatus as described in claim 8 wherein said first and second core sections have a multiplicity of additional longitudinal passages of reduced cross-sectional area formed therein having closely-spaced parallel surfaces, said surfaces having formed therein a multiplicity of microscopic randomly-located channels forming complementary protuberances having highly polished, flat tops.

Claim 15

Apparatus as described in claim 12 wherein a first portion of said passages are formed in the first cross-sectional half of said core and a second portion of said passages are formed in the second cross-sectional half of said core and said first and second portions of said passages are offset from each other.

Claim 16

Method of removing hardening minerals from water comprising the steps of: (a) providing an elongated core having a longitudinal passage of reduced cross-sectional area formed therein having closely-spaced parallel surfaces, said surfaces having formed therein a multiplicity of microscopic randomly-located channels forming complementary protuberances having highly polished, flat tops, said core being constructed to receive water into said passage on one end thereof, to accelerate the flow of water through the channels to a Reynolds Number exceeding 2000, and to discharge water from said passage on the other end thereof, said core being comprised of a nickel-silver alloy containing less than 10 percent zinc and greater than 15 percent nickel, said parallel surfaces in said core being prepared by polishing followed by etching to form copper nickel grain structure that is parallel to said surfaces and capable of causing crystals of said hardening minerals to grow only perpendicular to said surfaces and said flow of water; (b) polishing the parallel surfaces to a mirrored finish; (c) etching said polished parallel surfaces with an acid chosen from the group comprising ferric acid and chromatic acid; and (d) passing water containing hardened minerals through said passage at a rate at which the Reynolds Number exceeds 2000 to remove said hardening minerals.

Claim 17

Method of removing hardening minerals from water comprising the steps of: (a) providing an elongated core having a longitudinal passage of reduced cross-sectional area formed therein having closely-spaced parallel surfaces, said surfaces having formed therein a multiplicity of microscopic randomly-located channels forming complementary protuberances having highly polished, flat tops, said core being constructed to receive water into said passage on one end thereof, to accelerate the flow of water through the channels to a Reynolds Number exceeding 2000, and to discharge water from said passage on the other end thereof, said core being comprised of a nickel-silver alloy containing less than 10 percent zinc and greater than 15 percent nickel, said parallel surfaces in said core being prepared by polishing followed by etching to form copper nickel grain structure that is parallel to said surfaces and capable of causing crystals of said hardening minerals to grow only perpendicular to said surfaces and said flow of water; (b) polishing the parallel surfaces to a mirrored finish; (c) etching said polished parallel surfaces with an acid chosen from the group comprising ferric acid and chromatic acid; and (d) passing water containing hardened minerals through said passage at a rate at which the Reynolds Number exceeds 2000 to remove said hardening minerals.