Experimental tests were carried out on two commercially manufactured devices reputed to prevent the formation of scale, remove preexisting scale and reduce corrosion of carbon steel. One device operates by applying a high voltage, low alternating current electrostatic field to the flowing solution. The second device contains two opposing permanent magnets and a special geometric flow channel through which the solution flows. To determine the effect of the devices, with regard to the claims made by the manufacturers, an enclosed recirculating test loop system was fabricated. A brine solution formulated such that it
would not form significant scale at room temperature, but would at elevated temperature was circulated in the system. The corrosion rate, amount of crdcium carbonate scale deposition, pH, oxidizing reducing potential (ORP) of the water, water chemistry, and crystalline form of the
carbonate scale were the monitored parameters. The results of the investigation showed that neither tested device had any measurable beneficial effect on either corrosion rate or scale deposition.
Keywords: electrostatic, magnetic, antiscale, antiscaling, anticorrosion, water purification, scale deposition