What is OneFlow®?
OneFlow® is a water softening media that allows for the safe neutralisation of the hardness mineral, Calcium Carbonate. This media can be used to protect central heating systems, boilers and pipework. It may also be used to protect and guard your equipment and machinery from mineral build-up and ultimately, failure.
How does OneFlow® work?
OneFlow® works by detecting the Calcium Carbonate ions within a water supply and neutralising them. This process prevents the minerals from forming lime scale further down the line and building up, causing damage to equipment as well as internal pipework and plumbing. The OneFlow® media can be delivered by either a vessel or cartridge dependent on your application, space available and volume of water required.
The OneFlow® system simply requires an inlet and outlet connection before the system is ready to go. Much like conventional water softeners, OneFlow® requires the water to be particulate free to ensure optimum results. If there are suspended particles with the supply, a 5-micron pre-filter would be required.
How is it different to water softening?
Water softening works by Ion exchange. The ion exchange resin attracts the calcium and magnesium ions from the water, replacing it with a sodium ion. Once the resin has reached the point of exhaustion, the calcium and magnesium is then washed away and the process will start again. Water softening has been used the world over and is a reliable and proven method of softening your water. There are however some downsides to water softening that must be given some serious consideration.
Water softeners discharge a large amount of waste water. This waste water is not only ‘hard’ water, it also contains very high levels of sodium that can prove problematic when large quantities are sent to drain.
Water softeners also use a lot of energy, not only during the softening process but also during the regeneration process. They also require plenty of space for the water softener and the brine tank.
One of the main and arguably most important differences between water softening and OneFlow® is taste. Softened water is not intended for drinking water and would require further filtration to reduce sodium levels to ensure is was safe for regular consumption. The taste as you may expect is slightly salty and the water has a ‘flat’ taste to it. Many find the taste undesirable.
Water softeners require little maintenance. This being said, they do still require regular monitoring including resin checks and bring tank refills. It would be reasonable to suggest that depending on the size of your industrial system, ½ – 1 hours would be required daily to maintain a water softener. With the OneFlow® system, there is no monitoring that is required after the instillation process until the time comes where the media requires replacement. This is because there are no serviceable parts involved. For cartridge systems, replacement is required annually and for tank based systems, this is extended to every three years.
What applications can OneFlow® be used for?
Ideal applications for OneFlow® are virtually limitless. The systems can be applied to large scale commercial or industrial projects as well as smaller scale or domestic projects. Some of the ideal applications include RO pre-treatment, boiler feed, office buildings, housing complexes, heating systems, hotels, restaurants, food production and laundry services to name a few.
What does OneFlow® remove from water?
OneFlow® has no effect on other minerals, particles or contaminants contained within water. It individually targets and neutralises the Calcium Carbonate and leaves everything else unaltered. Municipal water is dosed with various different chemicals and minerals to keep it parasite free and to achieve a desirable taste. Some counties also dose their water supply with fluoride. This sometimes controversial decision is made for the benefit of dental health. When using OneFlow® all of the good minerals will remain within the water. If you require removal of any of these minerals or chemicals, there are alternative systems available to do so.
What does OneFlow® leave behind?
As the question above has stated, noting will actually be removed from the water supply, the calcium carbonate will simply be neutralised. If the water was potable going in, it will still be potable coming out.
Is OneFlow® environmentally friendly?
Yes! OneFlow® is actually considered green for various different reasons. The first most basic reason is that pipework and machinery that is not affected by lime scale build-up is more efficient and economical to run.
Another factor is that OneFlow® requires no electricity. Water softeners are reliant on electricity for their basic running and also their regeneration cycles.
OneFlow® dramatically reduces water consumption and wastage in comparison to the alternative method of water softening. This is because it doesn’t discharge or go through any kind of backwash cycle unlike water softening.
OneFlow® requires no chemical dosing or salt to perform.
Is OneFlow® economical?
For many of the reasons above, OneFlow® is deemed to be very economical. The OneFlow® media is also cheaper to purchase than other alternatives.
Is water safe to drink after OneFlow® treatment?
Yes! As previously mentioned, if the water is potable going in, it will be coming out. The active ingredients in OneFlow® are safe for human consumption and do not have any effect on colour taste and odour.
Does OneFlow® require replacement?
This depends what method of application you are using. For cartridge filters, annual replacement is more than sufficient. For tank based systems, replacement is not required for three years.