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HydroFLOW Technology for the Treatment of Swimming Pools

Problems with Swimming Pools, Spas, Fountains

Swimming pools backwash the filters, add chemicals such as chlorine to control the bacteria and viruses, shock the water from time to time to scrub all the bacteria from the system and struggle to manage the proper PH levels daily. The AquaKlear unit attached will transmit a signal through the circulating water system releasing the fixed Chlorine, flocculating the suspended solids improving filter performance and saving water and energy. Studies have indicated it can save > 60% of chlorine, reduce the smell of chlorine as the fixed chlorine is virtually eliminated and there is no clouding in the water.

The unit has no maintenance requirements and reduces maintenance costs to maintain the pool PLUS reduces both energy costs and water waste. This unit has also been successful in reducing bacteria and algae in spas and fountains by charging the bacteria cells. These charged cells are then surrounded by pure water molecules introducing water into the bacterium membrane causing them to rupture and burst out causing the premature death of the bacteria. Simply stated, it will destroy the bacteria molecule.

Introduction
Improved filtration and reduced backwashing of filters Elimination of bacteria Improved effectiveness of chlorine Amount of chlorine needed is reduced Reduction of swimming pool smell" Protection against lime scale (may require additional HydroFLOW unit)

Swimming pools can vary in size from domestic spas to Olympic sized pools, but they all have some features in common, and therefore all suffer from similar problems that we can address with HydroFLOW Technology. All pools will collect dirt and debris in the water over time, and so will need to have this removed by a filter. All pools will also need some method of combating bacteria and algae that would otherwise grow. The usual treatment is to add chlorine to the water, which acts as a disinfectant. Unfortunately, chlorine can combine with organic chemicals such as urea (found in sweat and... other substances) to become fixed chlorine" (chloramines) which is a less effective disinfectant and also causes the swimming pool smell. If the pool water is heated, then as is the case whenever water is heated, lime scale can form.

Table of Contents Improved Filtration Elimination of Bacteria and Algae Reduction of chlorine use and the swimming pool smell Protection against lime scale Results Cost savings Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8

Benefits of HydroFLOW Technology in Swimming Pools

Improved Filtration
HydroFLOW technology improves filtration, and reduces the frequency and duration of filter backwashing by around a factor of three or more. Filters remove small suspended particles from the water. The most basic idea is that they act like a sieve, allowing the water to pass through but picking out the particles. One of the most common types is a sand filter" where water is passed through fine-grained sand. The particles get stuck in the sand and the water passes through. The smaller the particle, the harder it is for the filter to remove it. HydroFLOW Technology works by applying an electric charge to the small particles so that they stick together to form larger clumps (this is called flocculation). These larger clumps are then more easily removed by the filter. Furthermore, the large clumps do not penetrate so far into the filter and the filter is easier to clean. Some domestic pools will use a chemical such as alum to perform this job. Not only is HydroFLOW technology able to flocculate without the cost of chemicals, but the flock formed is stronger and longer lived than chemically formed flock. Backwashing is the process where the particles that have collected in the filter are removed, cleaning the filter. This is done by forcing water back through the filter in the opposite direction to the usual water flow (hence backwashing"). The dirty water containing the particles is then discharged. Up to 10% of the pool water can be used in each back-washing. The user will have to pay for the cost of disposing this water, the cost of water to replace it and the cost of heating this replacement water. Because the particles are larger and are not embedded in the filter, the duration of the backwashing can be reduced and less water is used. Using less water means a lower metered water cost, lower effluent charges and reduced costs associated with heating the new water. Another advantage is that the enhancement of filtration allows smaller suspended particles to be removed that could not otherwise. This leads to much better looking, crystal clear" water.

Elimination of Bacteria and Algae

HydroFLOW Technology kills Bacteria and Algae without the use of chemical disinfectants, making pools safer and more pleasurable. The bacteria (and algae) are killed in what is perhaps a surprising way - by using pure water. If a bacterium is dropped into distilled water that contains no salt at all, then water is forced into the bacteria from outside. This is due to the process called osmosis whereby water will move from a region of low salt concentration (outside the bacteria) to a region of high salt concentration (inside the bacteria). This causes the bacteria to swell and eventually burst. HydroFLOW exploits this effect to kill the bacteria in pool water. The HydroFLOW signal causes the bacteria to become electrically charged when they pass through the ferrite ring. The bacteria then attract a layer of extremely pure water, containing no salt at all. The water from this layer then is forced into the bacteria due to osmosis, and the bacteria are killed.

The HydroFLOW signal breaks down fixed chlorine (chloramines) into free chlorine.

Reduction of chlorine use and the swimming pool smell

Chlorine is used as a disinfectant to kill bacteria and algae in the pool. However, its effectiveness is reduced when it combines with various organic substances (e.g. from sweat and urine). When combined with these it forms chemicals called chloramines and is sometimes referred to as fixed chlorine." These chloramines are less effective as a disinfectant. The free chlorine is continually being converted to fixed chlorine, so more and more chlorine needs to be added to the pool.

In addition, the characteristic smell of swimming pools, sometimes called the chlorine smell," is in fact not due to the chlorine itself but rather to the chloramines. It is also the chloramines that cause the painful red eye" effect. Therefore, if we can break the chloramines (fixed chlorine) back into free chlorine, it will be a stronger disinfectant and have a weaker smell. One method of breaking down chloramines is to add a large amount of extra chlorine into the water in a short period. This is known as shock treatment" and obviously increases the amount of chlorine needed, adding to the costs. The HydroFLOW signal applies an electric field to the chloramines molecules, pulling them apart and thereby releasing the chlorine. Additionally, because the HydroFLOW signal removes organic materials via improved filtration, there are fewer organic molecules to form chloramines in the first place. HydroFLOW Technology therefore eliminates the need for chlorine shock treatment, reduces the amount of chlorine that needs to be added to the pool, and reduces the swimming pool smell" that comes from the chloramines.

Protection against lime scale

Lime scale occurs when the minerals dissolved in water get deposited on the surfaces of heaters, pipes and other equipment as a hard mass. When deposited on heaters it can reduce their effectiveness and cause damage. It can also block pipes and valves, reducing water flow and impeding the valves' function. Removing lime scale is a time consuming and expensive process, often involving acid treatment. HydroFLOW technology prevents lime scale without the use of chemicals by encouraging the minerals to form into tiny crystals in the water, rather than form deposits on the surface of the pipe. These tiny crystals are washed away by the water flow, and removed by the filter. By preventing lime scale, HydroFLOW technology improves the efficiency of heaters, eliminates the need for them to be de-scaled, and increases their lifetime. Effective treatment of lime scale may require a separate second HydroFLOW unit.

Results
Testing the water for chlorine
Both domestic and commercial pool users test the water for the level of chlorine present. This will usually be the level of free chlorine but may include the level of fixed chlorine as well. It is the free chlorine that is important as free chlorine is most effective at killing bacteria. When the pool user finds that the level of free chlorine drops too low, they add more chlorine to the water. After fitting a HydroFLOW unit, the user should find that less chlorine needs to be added to the water, as the unit prevents the chlorine becoming fixed. A smaller amount of chlorine will need to be added to maintain the same level of free chlorine. If the user is also measuring the fixed chlorine (chloramines) level, they will test to see if the ratio between fixed and free chlorine becomes too high. A high level indicates that lots of the chlorine is becoming fixed. In this case, the user will shock dose" the pool with a larger amount of chlorine, which frees up the chlorine that has become fixed. A HydroFLOW unit will reduce the frequency that this shock treatment is required. In larger pools with an automatic dosing system, the testing is done automatically, but the user will see that the frequency of dosing is reduced.

Water Clarity
The user should notice enhanced clarity of the water as the small suspended particles get removed. This can sometimes be seen in a particularly dramatic manner if the user has an underwater light - the light will no longer show a beam effect" indicating that the water has become clearer.

Cost Savings
The cost savings associated with HydroFLOW Technology begin immediately. The signal prevents chlorine from being converted to chloramines, so less new chlorine needs to be added. Within 30 minutes, automatic dosing systems will need to add less new chlorine to keep the chlorine at acceptable levels. The amount of new chlorine added can be reduced by as much as 66%. If the testing and chlorine dosing is done manually, the user should be able to observe a similar effect. The major savings come from the reduction in the frequency and duration of backwashing. Within one week the duration of backwashing can be reduced by as much as a factor of five, and the time between each back-washing can be extended by a factor of three. This saves money on sewage costs, the cost of new water to replace that used in backwashing, and the cost of heating the new water. The customer may find initially that more backwashing is required, as the filter begins to remove finer particles that it could not previously remove. Once the water has been cleared, the amount of backwashing required should reduce over time. HydroFLOW technology can lead to significant saving for a pool of any size, from a small private pool to an Olympic size pool.