A Florida firm has developed an electronic alternative to chemical descaling of large-diameter industrial pipes. Clearwater-based ClearWater Enviro Technologies Inc.'s ScaleBlaster line also works on all downstream surfaces such as heat exchangers, chillers, cooling towers, evaporators and boilers.

The ScaleBlaster products handle standard diameters of nonsteel pipe from 12 to 40" and steel pipe from 4 to 26". Signal coils continuously transmit fluctuating square-wave frequencies through the pipe wall to the moving water stream inside the pipe. These microprocessor-controlled frequencies cause calcium carbonates to lose their adhesive scale-forming properties. As a result, new scale does not form and existing scale wears away.