Science
ElectroWave® Conditioning Alters the Physical Properties of Water and Other Polar Fluids
ElectroWave® Conditioning:
Inducing high-strength electromagnetic fields establishing well-defined gradients within a flow line to alter the surface tension, viscosity, contact angle and cohesion energy of water and other polar fluids.
ElectroWave® Conditioning is a non-thermal, noninvasive means of altering the physical properties of fluids. WILSA® technologies provide environmentally friendly alternatives to chemical additives for manipulating the interactions of water and aqueous-based solutions with dissimilar materials; and these technologies have widespread applications in affecting flow characteristics of fluids and/or changing adhesive forces between dissimilar materials to accelerate phase separation or mixing/blending.
Any process that involves the physical or reactive interactions of water or other polar fluids with dissimilar materials can benefit from altering the physical properties of fluids. Consistent and predictable changes in the physical properties water, brine, seawater, aqueous-based solutions and other polar fluids are provided by directing fluids to pass through high-strength electromagnetic fields establishing well-defined gradients within full bore fluid flow lines.
Of significant note, reductions in surface tension, viscosity and cohesion energy occur in pure distilled water; and even greater changes in the physical properties of tap water, well water, brines, seawater and aqueous-based solutions are provided as the effects of WILSA® conditioning are amplified with the increased conductivity of a fluid.
ElectroWave® Conditioning – Surface Tension and Interfacial Tension
Surface tension can be defined as the property of a liquid that allows it to resist an external force due to the cohesive nature of its molecules at its surface; and stronger cohesion between the molecules of a liquid at its interface with air makes it more difficult to move a dissimilar material through the surface of the liquid.
Interfacial tension is defined as the work associated with moving a molecule from within the bulk of a liquid to its interface with any other phase, and refers more to the adhesive forces (tension) between a continuous liquid phase and another substance (being either a solid, liquid or gas phase).
The surface energy properties of water and the surface energy properties of another substance influence the contact angle of the water against the dissimilar material. As an example, the surface tension of water is measured at it interface with air (shown below using the pendant drop method).
The interfacial tension of water against oil is measured at the water-oil interface. As shown below, additional interactions of water with another material (such as the surfaces of different solid materials) can affect the contact angle and interfacial tension of oil and water.
ElectroWave® Conditioning – Viscosity and Cohesion Energy
While surface tension focuses more on the surface of a liquid, viscosity depends on the intermolecular forces within the bulk of the liquid.
The viscosity of a fluid is a property arising from collisions between neighboring particles moving at different velocities within the fluid. It is a quantity expressing the magnitude of internal friction, as measured by the force per unit area, resisting a flow in which parallel layers move relative to one another.
Changes in the surface tension of a fluid as a result of adding chemicals can either change viscosity very little (at low use concentrations) or potentially increase viscosity – in many instances, adding chemicals to a fluid can result in filters being clogged with the chemicals themselves. In either instance, adding surface active agents (surfactants) to a fluid only reduces the surface tension of the fluid on its surface at its interface with air.
Surfactants have molecular structures that have weaker bonding capabilities than water, and are disliked by water (hydrophobic). When surfactants are added to a volume of water, they are promoted to is surface in disproportionate numbers and form a “boundary layer” at the surface of the water which has a lower surface tension than the bulk of the water.
In contrast, the effects of ElectroWave® Conditioning are actually a bulk treatment. WILSA® conditioning of water does not simply change its surface tension on its surface and thereby alter its wetting abilities – it affects the entire bulk of the fluid in terms of its surface tension and thereby the cohesiveness between its molecules. As a result of ElectroWave® conditioning, the reduced cohesion energy of water molecules reduces the viscosity of the entire bulk of the water.
The effects of ElectroWave® Conditioning are driven by the water molecules themselves, and provide a far different effect than when using chemicals to lower surface tension. This critical distinction between WILSA® conditioning and the use of surfactants to lower surface tension is illustrated below.
Chemical Treatment compared to ElectroWave® Conditioning (EWC):
ElectroWave® Conditioning – Contact Angle
Altering the physical properties of water allows it to either wet or repel a dissimilar material
When the surface energy properties of a dissimilar material are known, inducing a specific polarity in water or an aqueous-based solution can influence the contact angle of the conditioned fluid against the dissimilar material. Depending on the specific application, electromagnetic fields can be established within a flow line to induce either a positive, negative or alternating polarity to condition a fluid.
As an example, altering the physical properties of water can allow it to either wet, or repel, a dissimilar material more efficiently, depending on the surface energy properties of the dissimilar material.
Other adjustable parameters such as the voltage supplied to the coil and/or the uniformity of the electrical power input generating one or more electromagnetic fields can be tailored for conditioning of a selected fluid for a specific application.
