Zeta Rod Blog

Zeta Rod and Tankless Water Heaters

One of the most frequently asked questions we receive from potential residential Zeta Rod customers is whether the Zeta Rod will help protect their Tankless Water Heater from scaling. The answer is: "Yes, the Zeta Rod will prevent scale deposits from forming on the tankless water heater pipes".

The following is a brief description on how tankless water heaters work and why are they susceptible to scale deposits forming on their pipes.

Tankless water heaters are gaining popularity over the older tank water heater model. Some of the advantages that tankless water heaters offer over the older tank design include: reduced floor space, lower energy consumption and endless hot water available on demand .

Tankless water heaters work by rapidly heating the water in a heat exchanger to the desired temperature as the water flows through the heater. The burner of the unit only turns on when there is demand for hot water, this is how it is able to use less energy while providing endless hot water. Older model hot water heaters store water in a tank and heat it up with a burner (or electric heating elements) when the water drops below a certain temperature. This has the inconvenience that the burner may turn on even when there is no demand for hot water.  The following diagram shows a simplified version of a tankless water heater.

Because of the design of the tankless heaters, the water is heated at a very fast rate, forcing the water to come in contact with very hot surfaces on the pipes as it goes through the heat exchanger. This provides conditions that favor minerals in the water to precipitate and form scale deposits on the tube  walls. In places with hard water the problem is exacerbated and precautions must be taken to prevent scaling of the heat exchanger tubes.

Mineral scale is primarily composed of calcium carbonate (hardness in the water) which precipitates from the water under certain conditions (such as high temperature, high pH or high concentrations). Scale has a very low heat transfer coefficient, or thermal conductivity. The thermal conductivity of copper is 384 W/(m*K) and the thermal conductivity of scale is 2.6 W/(m*K). This means that scale is about 140 times less efficient in transferring heat than the copper which is used in the tankless heater pipes. The following graph shows the amount of energy increase that would be required to overcome a layer of scale.

The lower thermal conductivity  of scale has a direct negative effect on the performance of the tankless water heater. Since the amount of heat transfered to the water is reduced, the unit would have to operate at a higher rate in order to try to get the water to the design temperature, which in turn would result in higher energy consumption. If the scale is thick enough, the unit may not be able to heat the water to the desired temperature at all. And if scaling is very aggressive, water flow can be restricted through the unit and it eventually could lead to tube failure.

The Zeta Rod is an ideal low cost and environmentally friendly option to prevent scale formation in tankless water heaters. A Zeta Rod installed in the main water line entering a home will protect the tankless water heater as well as all the fixtures in the house. The following pictures are courtesy of R&G Sales and show a Zeta Rod displayed with a Noritz Tankless Water Heater at Central Arizona Supply. At this show room's display the Zeta Rod protects the tankless heater and the shower fixtures. This picture shows the small floor space that both the tankless heater and the Zeta Rod take.

Ferguson Enterprises Inc. Kleindale Branch, Tucson AZ, not only a vendor but a satisfied customer as well.

Ferguson is a leading wholesale distributor of plumbing supplies; pipes, valves and fittings; heating and cooling equipment; waterworks; mechanical and industrial; bathrooms and appliances; tools and safety equipment; and fire protection products with over 1300 service centers in all 50 states, Puerto Rico, Mexico and the Caribbean. They became one of the earliest suppliers of Residential Zeta Rod systems when Zeta Corporation introduced the new product line.

Today we'd like to recognize their Kleindale Branch in Tucson, AZ. They are not only a distributor but have become a satisfied customer as well.

Here is their comment on the Zeta Rod installation for the swamp cooler system in the warehouse:

May 19, 2009

Dear Zeta Rod;

I am writing this to let you know what a wonderful solution the Zeta Rod was to our evaporative cooler problem. It has made all of our cooler problems disappear.

Prior to putting the Zeta Rod on the water line that supplies water to our coolers, we had the following problems:

*The air being blown into our warehouse had a damp fishy smell.

*We found that by leaving the coolers on 24/7 the smell was not as bad, but; we used a lot of expensive electricity.

*Running the coolers constantly also wore out the pads, the motors, and the pulleys more often; and they were expensive to replace.

We understand that the Zeta Rod does not allow biofilm to form and that makes our air smell better and helps the coolers run cleaner.

We are also able to turn the coolers off each night.  We start them each morning and they run clean and have no smell.  Since they only run for 8-10 hours we know we have less wear and tear on the pumps, pulleys and pads!  We could not be happier!

Mike Van Stelle,

  

Ferguson

Enterprises Incorporated

Kleindale Branch,

Tucson

 

Arizona

3445 East Kleindale Rd

(520) 795.0296.

 

Zeta Corporation Attends FMA Congress on Progressive Energy & Environment

From April 20-22 the FMA Congress on Progressive Energy & Environment took place at the Westin Peachtree Hotel in Atlanta, GA. The conference was focused on showing how different companies are profiting from reduction of energy consumption by applying new technologies or implementing innovative approaches to Smart Building designs.

Exhibitors included Architecture firms, Green Energy Companies, High Energy Light Fixture Companies, Heat Pumps and several others. Zeta Corporation was the only company representing a new technology that provided water conservation to the buildings, and as such it was received with great enthusiasm by all of the attendees at the conference.

The presentation on the new Zeta Water Management System given by Dr. M. Michael Pitts, President of Zeta Corporation generated a lot of interest amongst the people who attended. Zeta Corporation's proposal of delivering and documenting water savings of up tp 20% in cooling systems, while providing remote monitoring and control capabilities is being seen as the way of the future in efficient water management.

For more information on the Zeta Water Management System, contact Zeta Corporation.

Zeta Corporation Associates Become LEED Acredited Professionals

Press Release:

Tucson, AZ:  Zeta Corporation is pleased to announce that Rodrigo Romo and Carolyn Pittshave earned LEED® Accredited Professional status (LEED AP) by passing the LEED NC examination. To see the full text of the press release see the following link .

Having two LEED AP's in the company sets Zeta Corporation in a leading position in Green Building Applications. Understanding how LEED credits are awarded and in what areas can the Zeta Rod technology be applied to help projects earn these credits.

Contact Zeta Corporation to learn more about how the Zeta Rod can help you obtain LEED credit points in your project.

 

ETL/UL, IAPMO, NSF Part 61: What is Behind a Listing?

Have you ever wonder what is behind a ETL or UL sticker in any product you purchase? These stickers represent a series of tests that the products bearing them have been submitted to to ensure the safety of the consumer/end user.

In Zeta Corporation we have our products tested by Intertek Testing Laboratories .

   The ETL Listed Mark is an alternative to the CSA and UL marks.

ETL Testing Laboratories has been conducting electrical performance and reliability tests since 1896. Intertek Testing Services (ITS) acquired ETL from Inchcape in 1996. ITS is recognized by OSHA as a Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory (NRTL), just as Underwriters Laboratories (UL), Canadian Standards Association (CSA) and several other independent organizations are recognized.

ITS tests products according to nearly 200 safety and performance standards. The ETL Listed Mark and C-ETL Listed Mark are accepted throughout the United States and Canada when denoting compliance with nationally recognized standards such as ANSI, IEC, UL, and CSA.

This certification mark indicates that the product has been tested to and has met the minimum requirements of a widely recognized (consensus) U.S. product safety standard, that the manufacturing site has been audited, and that the applicant has agreed to a program of periodic factory follow-up inspections to verify continued conformance.

The International Association of Plumbing and Mechanical Officials (IAPMO) work together with government and industry to implement comprehensive plumbing and mechanical systems worldwide. IAPMO has developed the Uniform Plumbing Code (UPC). IAPMO Research and Testing is the product certification body which tests and inspects samples from supplier's stock or from the market to verify compliance to the requirements of the UPC for the United States.

 

The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit community of leaders working to make green buildings available to everyone within a generation. 

The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building Rating System™ encourages and accelerates global adoption of sustainable green building and development practices through the creation and implementation of universally understood and accepted tools and performance criteria.

Zeta Corporation is a member of the USGBC.

Because we care about our customer's safety and the quality of our products, we go the extra mile to procure the proper listings and certifications for our products.

 

Zeta goes to Vegas!

Last month R&G Sales, one of Zeta Corporation's Distributors organized a series of Technical an Sales presentations with diverse Plumbing supply companies and Engineering firms in Las Vegas to promote the technology.

The plumbing companies visited were Interstate Plumbing & Air Conditioning and Hawthorne. Another company that was visited was FERGUSON. 

The reception and level of interest shown by every company visited was very encouraging, there were many questions asked at the end of each session and many projects were brought up for consideration of the Zeta Rod. 

The most pleasant surprise came from one of the project managers at one of the plumbing companies who had installed a Zeta Rod about year and a half ago at a luxury Loft building in Las Vegas.  Regarding the performance of the Zeta Rod he had to say the following:

-"We know the Zeta Rod is working because we have had no complains from any of the loft owners who expect to have no problems with hardness issues in the water, and we know for a fact that they would be calling us if they were not satisfied. The building has a water feature in the lobby, usually these water features present a lot of problems, such as scaling of the nozzles, scale build up on the surfaces and bad odors. These problems will have a negative impact on the soothing effect that the feature is meant to have. There have been no nozzles plugging up on this feature, no scale buildup on the surfaces and no bad odors with the water, it remains as clean as it did when it was installed. And the final proof to us was when we had to remove one of the water heaters due to some problems (not related to the water side) and opened it to see the condition of the coils, we found them to be clean of any deposits at all, and after over a year of operation with the water here that is very impressive".

We want to give our thanks to Interstate Plumbing, Hawthorne, and Ferguson's for their time and R&G Sales for the tremendous effort they are doing in growing the market in Las Vegas.

Zeta Corporation wishes all of its customers and clients a Prosperous New Year!

We look forward to the New Year that offers very promising opportunities in the residential, commercial and industrial markets both in the US and Internationally.

Business seems to be off to a good start this new year as the markets in Arizona and Nevada are showing good growth.

One of our residential customers sent us the following testimonial and asked us to post it on this site:

“For the interested parties:

I am writing in regards to the installation and performance of the Zeta-Rod water conditioner.  I installed the MFR-30 about a month ago and I can see the difference from my potable water supply with a Zeta-Rod compared to one without.  My dishes are coming out much cleaner with little or zero water spots.  That is even when I let them completely dry in the dishwasher.  Before the Zeta-Rod, I would pull the dishes out and dry them off with a rag to avoid water spots from covering my glasses and plates.  One of the other benefits that I have seen is the accumulation of water spots on the shower glass door.  It seams to take more showers for the calcium deposits to show on the glass compared to before.  An even greater benefit is that I can wipe the spots clean with a little soap and water with a rag instead of using a toothbrush and CLR.  It has only been a month, but I am very happy with the performance of the Zeta-Rod.  The unit does not take up any floor space, it was easy to install and I never have to worry about maintenance.

Randy, The Water Heater Man”

We wish you all have a prosperous New Year.

Zeta Corporation

Lakewood Instrumentes Announces the Roll Out of their "Partners Page"

Lakewood Instruments Inc. has recently announced the roll out of their "Partners Page" in their website.

In a letter from Lakewood they explain the release as a means to providing customers with referrals of qualified water treatment companies in different regions. In their letter they state:

"To that end, we are announcing the roll out of our " Partners Page" on the Lakewood Instruments website (www.lakewoodinstruments.com) . From now on, callers wanting a " Good Water Treater"  will be directed to this page. They will be able to choose a state and then a RANDOMIZED list of current Lakewood Instruments Partner Water Treater' s who provide treatment services in that state, will appear. Since you are receiving this letter, we already consider you a partner. "

In Zeta we have been using Lakewood Controllers as the controller of preference primarily because of their reliability and quality. We worked closely with them in the remote monitoring system that we used for the two successful  military demonstration project of the Zeta Rod for cooling tower applications. 

It is an honor for Zeta Corporation to be recognized as a partner to Lakewood Instruments.  

Reverse Osmosis: "Will the Zeta Rod Replace my RO?"

This is a question that we get quite often, especially from home owners who are considering the use of a Zeta Rod to treat the water in their home.

The short answer is: "depends".

Before we go into more detail to the answer, we should look at how an RO system is and how it works.

First the definition of osmosis: movement of a solvent through a semi-permeable membrane into a solution of higher solute concentration that tends to equalize the concentration of solute on both sides of the membrane.

Basically what this means is that nature will find a way to move systems that are out of equilibrium, into equilibrium. Osmosis is one of such ways. In nature the wall of a cell can act as a semi-permeable membrane (a semi permeable membrane is one that will allow the passage of water only). When the concentration of salts (the solute) is higher inside the cell than in the environment surrounding the cell, the difference in concentration (osmotic pressure) will cause solvent (water) to pass through the cell's wall and in this way balance the amount of salts within the cell to its environment.

Osmosis is a little counterintuitive. Another example would be this: consider that you have two columns of water separated by a semipermeable membrane (fig 1). Column A has water with a low salt concentration and column B has water in it with a high salt concentration. At the initial time both columns have the same amount of water. 

 

After a period of time, water from column A will permeate through the membrane to column B in order to try to balance the concentration of solute in the water. Once the solutions have reached equilibrium, the difference in height will determine the osmotic pressure.

If at this time you're thinking: "hold on a minute, this seems to be backwards fro what my RO unit does!". You are correct, this is osmosis, what your RO unit does is reverse osmosis.

If we go back to the initial drawing, but this time we apply pressure, through a piston for example, to column B. We would have to apply a pressure equal or larger to the osmotic pressure of the solution to force water from Column B to Column A. And what we would have in Column A is known as the permeate, which is very high purity water. The left over in Column B is referred to as  concentrate.

So a reverse osmosis system forces the water that has a high concentration of salts across a semi-permeable membrane by applying enough force to overcome the osmotic pressure of the water. Every RO unit will have a permeate, in your home application this will be the drinking water, and a concentrate, in your home this will be the water that goes to the drain.

RO units produce very high quality water, it removes practically all salts and any pollutant that may be in the water.

The primary problem with RO units is membrane fouling. The membranes are prone to mineral scaling and biofouling (bacteria). As the membrane fouls the efficiency of the RO diminishes until it gets to the point where replacing the membrane, or cleaning it is necessary.

The Zeta Rod is an excellent pretreatment option for RO units, for it will prevent the membranes from fouling, thus extending the life of your RO membranes, and reducing the cost of maintaining and operating the RO unit.

SO, going back to the original question of the post, It depends on what function is the RO unit performing.

If you have an RO unit because you have a private well and there may be some contaminants in the water, then the RO should stay and the Zeta Rod will be of great help to the unit by keeping the membranes from fouling.

However, if you have an RO unit just to prevent scaling in your dishes, sink, faucets, etc. Then the Zeta Rod can be a suitable replacement for the system.

Zeta Corporation has treated RO units ranging in size from small under the sink units to large municipal plants. This Case Study shows the benefits that the Zeta Rod provided to a Pepsi Cola bottling plant's RO unit. 

So if you have an RO unit at home, installing a Zeta Rod system will greatly benefit your RO operation and help you with scaling issues in the rest of your home.

For any questions or comments, please contact Zeta Corporation at 888-785-9660, or by email to info@zetacorp.com. 

How do "Swamp Coolers" Work?

You see them everywhere in the South West, on top of homes, warehouses, commercial buildings, just about everywhere with  a roof and walls around it They vary in size from about the size of a large TV (the old type, not a flat screen) to the size of a walk in meat locker.

Swamp coolers, or evaporative coolers they provide a very efficient and economic way to cool down air by means of evaporation. But how do they work?

It is actually quite simple and it is based on an old technique used by the first settlers of desert areas. You may have seen in movies how families in the desert would sleep on their porch during hot summer nights with wet sheets hanging around from clothes lines, those were the first swamp coolers.

    First lets see what are the components of a swamp cooler, you may be very familiar with them if you are the one in charge of setting it up at the beginning of the summer and shutting them down in the fall. The main elements (seen on this picture) are: (1) the housing which contains all the elements, (2) the media this is where it all happens and it can be a low cost shredded aspen pad, or a more sophisticated type like a CELdek® pad. (3) the fan which will draw hot air from the outside through the media. (4) Fan motor. (5) Water Pump will pump water from the (6) water reservoir to keep the pads wet . (7) Make up line and float valve which will ensure that you always have water in your cooler.

The process of evaporative cooling is quite simple. It's all based on the fact that in order to evaporate water energy in the form of latent heat is required. As a stream of dry air passes through a wet media with high surface area, the air is exposed to a thin film of water coating that surface. This "dry" air picks up moisture as it passes along the media. As it evaporates the water, it gives away heat which lowers its temperature. The water gives away heat as well, and that is why the water in a swamp cooler doesn't get hot.

The dryer the air (less relative humidity) the more water it can take before it gets saturated (100% relative humidity) so the more its temperature will drop as it crosses through the media. That is why swamp coolers are only used in arid areas and why they don't seem to work during the rainy season.

The following diagram illustrates the process:

 

Swamp coolers have several advantages over AC units, for example: they use less electricity ($$), they are cheaper to purchase and replace, maintenance is easily done by the average home owner, they not only lower the temperature of the air inside the house but also add some moisture to the sometimes uncomfortably dry air of the desert.

However, they are not problem free. In our previous post on swamp coolers we explained the types of problems that swamp coolers have and how the Zeta Rod can help with those problems and extend the life an efficiency of the coolers.