SUMMARY

Water conditioning by magnetic field is a latest technology in the field of scale and corrosion control. Water Processing Technologies Inc. (WPT) of Baton Rouge, Louisiana has developed magnetic fluid conditioner (MFC) which is an in-line device designed to expose a fluid stream to a high magnetic field preventing the scale formation. In view of its increasing use, M/s Labah contracting, a sole agent of WPT in Middle East, and Research & Development Center (RDC), SWCC, Al-Jubail, agreed mutually to evaluate the performance of MFC. After a discussion with MFC engineer, it was decided to undertake a project to carry out tests. Subsequently, magnetic units were received from M/s Labah Contracting, which were designed to provide high velocity of brine flow through the unit. During this work, the performance of MFC was proposed to be evaluated at TBT of 90 and-through mode of operation. It was also planned to optimize dose rate of antiscalant additive using MFC at the top brine temperature of 100oC. But the magnetic device did not perform well during the first test at 90oC without any antiscaling chemical and MSF distiller got fouled within one and half day of operation. The post-test inspection of the distiller revealed scale of above 1 mm thick on the heat transfer surfaces, tube sheets and water boxes of brine heater. The reason for the failure of the magnetic unit may be attributed to the low magnetic field of MFC