Influence of Magnetic Field on Calcium Carbonate Precipitation: A Critical Review

Abstract

This review reports a critical study on the effect of magnetic fields on the precipitation process of calcium carbonate scale from hard water. Indeed, the harmful consequences of the water scaling phenomenon urged researchers to find effective solutions. One of the interesting antiscaling processes is the magnetic treatment of water, which triggers a reduction in the precipitation of calcium carbonate on the walls when in contact with hard water. In the present review, we discuss selected examples related to this process in a combined analysis of the latest advances and the mechanism of action of the magnetic field. Despite the diversity of studies investigating this phenomenon, the effectiveness of this treatment remains a controversial issue, and it is not possible to obtain a clear explanation of the phenomenon. This review proposes, finally, interesting hypotheses which can effectively explain the effect of magnetic treatment on the behavior of hard waters and the precipitation of calcium carbonate, which include magnetohydrodynamics and the hydration effect.