ECOTEC has developed a membrane technology system that can provide the required water quality while reducing the water, sewer and electrical requirements.  For many applications, the ECOTEC PWC/Nano Filtration System is the preferred choice because it not only eliminates scale, it does not place the water in a corrosive state as done by a typical RO/DI system.  Water in this non-corrosive, non-scale forming state is in a state of equilibrium (-0.5 to +0.5 on the Langelier Index).  In open systems, such as humidifiers, this has the added benefit of eliminating air stream dusting of all types:  mineral, sodium and negative charged dusting.

Depending on the exact application and the site’s specific water analysis, a pre-filtering system is designed to pre-treat the water for the PWC/Nano system.  The pre-filtering system will typically include some combination of sediment filters, antiscalant injection systems, GAC filters and/or other treatments required for this specific site.

The first stage of the PWC/Nano Filtration System is the use of physical water conditioning process, which is based on the principle of nucleation enhancement under the influence of magnetic resonance. Calcium carbonate forms around the newly created nucleation center in the water and the previously dissolved calcium carbonate precipitates to the new seed center and surrounds the center to form the microcrystal or platelet. The viscosity and surface tension is also decreased.  (See Fig. 1 and Fig. 2). 

The second stage is based upon crossflow membrane filtration that removes particles in the 300-1000 molecular weight range or an approximate weight cut off of 150-300 daltons for uncharged organic molecules, rejecting selected salts. Divalent and multivalent anions are preferentially rejected by the membrane while monovalent ion rejection is dependent upon feed concentration and composition. Since monovalent ions pass through the membrane, they do not contribute to osmotic pressure and with the physical water conditioner's ability to decrease surface tension. The membrane permeate flux is enhanced by the physical water conditioner's improvement of boron retention and the flow rate as well as reduction of scale formation at the solid-liquid interface. This synergy enables the ECOTEC system to operate with least amount of energy, maintenance cost, water consumption and sewage charges. 

After treatment by the PWC/Nano system, the water, which is now in equilibrium (see chart below), flows into either a pressurized bladder tank or an atmospheric storage tank connected to a repressurization system.

Equilibrium Chart