Inside the casing of every Suprion is a core of plastic (Epoxy FRP) pipe, with the carbon and aluminium electrodes on the outside of the FRP pipe. There is also an earth terminal, required for some installations … and that’s it! Construction is the same for every Suprion from 10mm to 450mm.

The flow of water through the FRP pipe creates a static electrical field. This field creates a thin ‘curtain’ through which the water flows. The electrostatic field positively charges the water molecules, ensuring the scale molecules remain attached to the water so they cannot be deposited within the system. The positively charged water molecules are also able to ‘capture’ scale molecules from existing deposits, resulting in their gradual removal.

The unique technology in the Suprion results in an electrostatic field with a very high voltage potential and a corresponding miniscule current. This prevents the Suprion suffering the corrosive drawbacks of all its competitors which use a lower voltage and higher current.

Most scale is calcium carbonate or lime scale (CaCO3), but some areas have significant amounts of magnesium and silica salts. Unlike competing scale prevention devices, Suprion also removes the silica salts.

In studies in the UK, USA and Europe, from 1949 to the present day, the consistent message is: scale on heating elements and heat exchangers reduces the efficiency of the system. The amount of inefficiency (and thus extra cost) depends on the thickness of the scale and other factors. The studies found the extra energy consumed was between 6% and 30%.

Tests at a UK government approved laboratory found consumption increases of 6% while the boiler was in a ‘steady state’ (e.g. central heating on constant), and 17% for on-demand hot water. The overall result of the scaling made a class A efficiency boiler consume energy like a class C boiler.

A 2½ year trial by a Major British Utility on domestic heating systems they maintain, saw the engineer call-out for scale-related incidents drop from an average of one every 4-6 weeks per customer, to zero. The trial has been extended, and is now at year 7 out of 12. The total number of call-outs for scale-related problems is still … zero.

The most common installation for a Suprion is in a hot water or heating system. Other uses include water cooling towers, ice makers and vending machines, swimming pools, and any hot or chilled water circulation system.

The Suprion is installed ‘in line’ in the water circuit. The smaller versions use the traditional nut and olive connections, while larger versions use a bolted flange fitting. It is a directional device, so the flow direction markings must be matched to the actual direction of water flow. The Suprion is completely self-contained, needing no power connections, chemicals or filters; the earthing connection is only used if it is installed in a run of plastic pipe.

There are none. In most installations, it is completely maintenance free. Unlike many other scale prevention devices, the electrodes are not positioned in the water flow, so they do not wear away over time.