Treating water using a non-uniform magnetic field

Abstract

Provided are water treatment systems and methods of treating water. A water treatment system comprises a first wire coil wrapped around a water pipe at a first angle, wherein the first angle is less than 90° as measured from a direction of water flow through the water pipe; a second wire coil wrapped around the water pipe at a second angle, wherein the second angle is more than 90° as measured from the direction of water flow through the water pipe; and a controller configured to send a first electric current to the first wire coil to generate a first magnetic field and a second electric current to the second wire coil to generate a second magnetic field.

1 . A water treatment method comprising:
 wrapping a first wire coil around a water pipe at a first angle, wherein the first angle is less than 90° as measured from a direction of water flow through the water pipe;   wrapping a second wire coil around the water pipe at a second angle, wherein the second angle is more than 90° as measured from the direction of water flow through the water pipe; and   controlling a first electric current that generates a magnetic field at the first wire coil and a second electric current that generates a magnetic field at the second wire coil.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein controlling a first electric current that generates a magnetic field at the first wire coil and a second electric current that generates a magnetic field at the second wire coil comprises:
 measuring water flow rate through the water pipe; and   adjusting the first electric current and the second electric current based on the measured flow rate of water.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein controlling a first electric current that generates a magnetic field at the first wire coil and a second electric current that generates a magnetic field at the second wire coil comprises:
 measuring total dissolved solids in water flowing through the water pipe; and   adjusting the first electric current and the second electric current based on the measured total dissolved solids.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein controlling a first electric current that generates a magnetic field at the first wire coil and a second electric current that generates a magnetic field at the second wire coil comprises:
 collecting cations from the water flowing through the water pipe with an energized cathode of an electrode.   
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first electric current and the second electric current are the same. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the first electric current and the second electric current are different. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the water pipe comprises a diameter of 0.25-48 inches. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the water flows through the water pipe at a flow rate of 2-1000 gallons per minute (gpm). 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the water pipe comprises polyvinyl chloride, crosslinked polyethylene, copper, or ferrous-based piping material. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein a wire of the first wire coil and the second wire coil comprises a gauge of 8-18 American wire gauge (AWG). 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein controlling a first electric current that generates a magnetic field at the first wire coil and a second electric current that generates a magnetic field at the second wire coil comprises outputting an electric current of 2-10 amps. 
     
     
         12 . A method of treating water comprising:
 running water to be treated through a water pipe, the water pipe comprising a first wire coil wrapped around the water pipe at a first angle and a second wire coil wrapped around the water pipe at a second angle, wherein the first angle less than 90° as measured from a direction of water flow through the water pipe and the second angle is more than 90° as measured from the direction of water flow through the water pipe; and   controlling a first electric current that generates a magnetic field at the first wire coil and a second electric current that generates a magnetic field at the second wire coil.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12  , wherein controlling a first electric current that generates a magnetic field at the first wire coil and a second electric current that generates a magnetic field at the second wire coil comprises:
 measuring a flow rate of water flowing through the water pipe; and 
 adjusting the first electric current and the second electric current based on the measured flow rate. 
 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12  , wherein controlling a first electric current that generates a magnetic field at the first wire coil and a second electric current that generates a magnetic field at the second wire coil comprises:
 measuring total dissolved solids in water flowing through the water pipe; and 
 adjusting the first electric current and the second electric current based on the measured total dissolved solids. 
 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12  , wherein controlling a first electric current that generates a magnetic field at the first wire coil and a second electric current that generates a magnetic field at the second wire coil comprises:
 collecting cations from the water flowing through the water pipe with an energized cathode of an electrode. 
 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12  , wherein the first electric current and the second electric current are the same. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 12  , wherein the first electric current and the second electric current are different. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 12  , wherein the water pipe comprises a diameter of 0.25-48 inches. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 12  , wherein the water flows through the water pipe at a flow rate of 2-1000 gpm. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 12  , wherein the water pipe comprises polyvinyl chloride, crosslinked polyethylene, copper, or ferrous-based piping material. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 12  , wherein a wire of the first wire coil and the second wire coil comprises a gauge of 8-18 AWG. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 12  , wherein controlling a first electric current that generates a magnetic field at the first wire coil and a second electric current that generates a magnetic field at the second wire coil comprises outputting an electric current of 2-10 amps.