Treating Your Water with Magnets

Water comes in two forms, hard and soft. The difference between these two types of water is the mineral content. Hard water contains a larger amount of mineral deposits compared to soft water. The hardness or softness of water is actually measured by the content of calcium carbonate in it. This is expressed in relation to a specific volume of water. Units used are grains per gallon (gpg), parts per million (pmm) or milligrams per liter (mg/L).

Hard water is usually converted into soft water in households. This is because it is known to leave some deposits of calcium in the pipes thus messing with the plumbing. Pipes can get clogged and the amount of water passing through them reduces with time. Faucets, dishwashers, shower heads and heating elements in water heaters can get clogged as well. Heating efficiency is reduced as a result and the water leaves marks on dishes. Working soap into good foam becomes a little more difficult as well.

Conventional water softening

The regular and common method used to soften water is a process that entails removing magnesium and calcium from water and replacing them with sodium. This makes it softer and therefore reduces the scale that is calcium deposits. This can be described as an ion-exchange process. Water softeners can easily be found in stores locally.

This procedure however comes with a few disadvantages.

·   Soft water takes a much longer time to remove soap. This will leave a slippery feeling on your hands.

·  Increased sodium intake is not that good for your health. How much you take in will be determined by the amount of water that you drink and how hard your water is. You can opt for a separate tap that you can use for hard water which can be used for drinking water only.

·  You will need to frequently add salt to this system.

·  Sodium causes corrosion on the inside of the pipes while calcium deposits seem to prevent corrosion.

· This softening system will often require a regeneration process. This is where the magnesium and calcium that was removed is completely washed out and the water dumped down the drain. Some water will definitely be wasted but the amount depends on how much water is softened.

· Soft water tastes a little different and others may not like it.

Magnetic water treatment

Two strong neodymium magnets are placed on either side of a pipe that holds incoming hard water. Neodymium magnets have a very strong magnetic field and this goes through the water. No calcium is taken out in this procedure but a change occurs in the calcium.

The change is only visible with an electron microscope but with time you should see a difference with your naked eye. Passing hard water through a strong magnetic field changes the structure of the calcium deposits. In hard water the calcium deposits are known as calcite and these have small beads and clings onto surfaces. Magnetically treated water forms deposits of aragonite, which is a form of calcium that has longer strips and is less likely to cling to surfaces and form scale. 

     

For more information about various magnets, please visit http://www.samaterials.com/213-rare-earth-magnets.

Coercivity and the Horseshoe

Magnets have been in use for ages and currently the shape that is most recognized and is used to represent magnets is the horseshoe. Why is it that magnet are usually made in this shape and why does it provide an advantage over the other shapes?

Many people say that magnets are designed like horseshoes because putting two poles together brings about much greater force and this increases the strength of the magnet’s hold. This is true but it may not be the only reason. You can still be able to put two poles together if you place two magnets side by side. Think about the horseshoe and specifically the circular part. This part does not get used and may be viewed as extra material. This therefore disqualifies this theory as being the only reason for the horseshoe shape being used in magnets.

Coercivity

A magnet is usually considered strong depending on the pull force experienced when it is in use. A magnet’s strength can also be measured by finding out the magnetic field strength that will be able to demagnetize it. This is what is known as coercivity.

 Earlier magnets had such a low coercivity that their own magnetic fields were able to demagnetize them. These magnets were mostly made of iron. More powerful magnets have been developed over time and this includes an increase in coercivity as well. Neodymium magnets are stronger than most magnets and they also have a higher coercivity and this allows them to maintain their magnetism over time.

Significance of the horseshoe shape

The shape of a magnet influences how much magnetization is lost. A long cylindrical magnet will stay magnetized longer compared to a thin disc magnet. It takes a little more to demagnetize a horseshoe because it is like a stretched version of a cylindrical magnet.

The permeance coefficient (Pc) of a magnet is defined as how difficult it is for a magnet’s field lines to move from the north pole to the South Pole. This means that taller magnets will have a higher Pc and shorter magnets a lower Pc. A horseshoe has a high Pc as well. This prevents it from easily getting demagnetized. This is further increased by using a steel keeper.

This explains why neodymium magnets are not made into the horseshoe shape. Neodymium is a very strong magnet that does not demagnetize at all. In the event that a neodymium magnet gets demagnetized, you will find that the magnet was probably very thin or it was exposed to very high temperatures.

You can even place two neodymium magnets together without causing them to demagnetize each other. Their coercivity is very high which makes them more flexible for use in different applications. Neodymium is also a hard and brittle material. Shaping it into horseshoes would cause them to break very easily.

This shape is therefore applied to magnets with low coercivity like Alnico and iron. They will be able to keep their magnetization for longer with this shape.

For more information about various magnets, please visit http://www.samaterials.com/214-neodymium-magnets.

Significance of A Disc Magnet

The hard drive is like the brain of the computer. It is responsible for storing all the data and information. Disc magnets work well in storing the data in the hard drive of a computer. Through the use of Disc magnets you can easily write to the drive, store data and can very well read the data on the hard drive. The transfer and erase of data using Disc magnets is very easy. Storing and retrieval of data through a magnetic mechanism is more simple and reliable. It can store data for over the years without any damage. While in case if for any reason the hard drive no longer works, even then you can able to recover your stored data through removing the magnet from the hard drive. The hard drive stores all the information in it and can retrieve whenever needed.

If you get into the mechanism of a hard drive, you will find it is just made up of a several different parts; those are electrical board, the plotter and a head. The disc magnet gets regulated by this electrical board. The plotters are responsible to store information. These are the aluminium or glass discs coated with a magnetized material to store and record data. It has been seen a few computers use more than one plotter as it can store huge data in less space.

While if for any good reason the hard drive stop working and fails to store and retrieve data from its memory, you can easily remove the magnet from the non working dead drive. You can able to get back your stored information through the help of the magnet, even when the hard drive doesn’t work. The plotter is attached to the magnets through screws and would be removed while removing the magnets. The magnets fixed with glue to the hard drive. When a a hard drive fails to work, the magnets are removed from the device. But if the hard drive is once opened, it cannot be used again. But the better part is that the data stored in the magnets of the hard drive can be recovered.

Many other electronics devices store information in the same way. If you will see the mechanism of video tapes and music cassette tapes you will find a great similarity in storing information. These magnets are not same like the disc magnets found on hard drives, but they are very powerful magnets and thus used in different significant purposes.

For more information about various magnets, please visit http://www.samaterials.com/213-rare-earth-magnets

A Discovery of the rare-earth element

It is the amazing magnetic field which exists behind almost every technological device used for the modern commercial, industrial as well as household purposes. The rare earth elements used in the advanced motors, generators and computers to minimize the use of electric power is nothing but the earth magnets. It possesses the magnetic field similar to the permanent magnets. That means it is almost impossible for these magnets to demagnetize. Only heat is the core enemy of the magnet. A neodymium can lose its magnetic power in elevated heat. In fact the magnets are so strong and powerful because of the raw metal used to make them tremendously powerful.

The earths magnets are made of the material called ferromagnetic metals, which, when magnetized can generate a strong magnetic pull. This magnetic pull or magnetic field is responsible for the attraction of the metal. It is so powerful that it can crush your finger if it comes between two magnets. Often it can become the reason of serious health complications if swallowed by little children. So it is advisable to keep it away from the reach of the kids. Though magnets are the metal of fun, but children should not be allowed to play with it. A few preventive cautions are there which should be followed to safeguard you from the hazard of the metal. While handling big strong magnets it is wise to cover your eyes and hands with proper protection. Neodymium is a brittle metal so while machining there is a chance of breaking of the magnet and the tiny particles of the metal can fly in airs which are not less sharp than glass particles. These magnets can even break if dropped from the hand.

In the later years of 1900, Earth magnets were discovered. Since that day researches are going on to produce more and more strong magnets. The permanent magnets can be used for scientific, commercial, industrial and household applications. the Neodymium magnets are safe and affordable. That is the reason it is widely used by school children in their various science experiments. It has a wide usage in household application also. In the scientific community it can be used in the mechanism of self-powered flashlights, computers, cordless devices, in different electronic devices, refrigerator, washing machine, microwave and the like. All the electromagnetic devices rely on magnets for their function. Starting from the hard drive of a computer to the magnetic credit card, all functions with the power of magnets.

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Types of Rare Earth Magnets

Magnets have been in existence for a very long time and magnet strength has increased as innovations and further research continues. A stronger magnetic material was developed in the 1900s and it has continued to be used in various industrial applications.

This material is composed of a combination of rare earth elements. Magnets derived from these materials are therefore known as rare earth magnets. They are the strongest magnets currently available, with their strength being significantly higher than all regular magnets. They may produce a magnetic field of about 1.4 teslas while other magnets produce about 0.5 to 1 tesla.

Rare earth metals are not really rare because their abundance may be similar to metals like lead or tin. These metals are naturally ferromagnetic. This means that they can be magnetized permanently but their natural magnetism is only visible below certain temperatures. When mixed with metals that possess magnetism at higher temperatures such as nickel, iron and cobalt they form quality compounds that make for good magnets.

Weak points

Their biggest weakness is that they are very brittle. They break very easily and can easily get corroded or chipped. They are therefore usually covered in a less brittle material like plastic to avoid constant damage from breakage or chipping.

Advantage

The atoms found in rare earth elements have been found to have a very high magnetic anisotropy. This refers to the ability of the particles to get easily magnetized in one direction but they resist magnetization in another direction.

Rare earth magnets are of two types, namely samarium-cobalt magnets and neodymium magnets. Of the two types, neodymium magnets are more common.

Samarium-cobalt (SmCo) magnets

These are the first type of rare earth magnets that were invented but they are not commonly used. This is due to the fact that they have a weaker magnetic strength and are more expensive. They are however used for applications that require a high magnetic field strength under high temperatures because their Curie temperature (the temperature at which it loses its magnetism) is higher.

Neodymium magnets

These are made of neodymium, iron and boron and may sometimes be referred to as NIB. They are the most affordable and strongest of rare earth magnets. Their application is mainly in devices that require strong permanent magnets for instance jewelry clasps, cordless tools and computer hard drives. They have to be coated to prevent corrosion.

 Ferrite magnets

These are made of compounds that are combinations of iron (III) oxide and ceramic materials. They are brittle, hard and normally non-conductive. There are hard and soft ferrite magnets.

AlNiCo

AlNiCo is actually an acronym that stands for aluminum, nickel and cobalt since these magnets are alloys of these three materials. You will sometimes find titanium and copper in them. They are highly resistant to losing magnetism, are ferromagnetic and are therefore used in the production of permanent magnets. They were actually the strongest magnets before rare earth magnets were developed in the 1970s. Their strength is only exceeded by rare earth magnets where more powerful magnets are required for industrial use.

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Discover More about Rare Earth Magnets

Magnets have been in use for a very long time and they now take up a large chunk of every industry since they are used in most of the common and important technological devices that are found in households and industries alike.

The magnets that are used most are popularly known as earth magnets. They are very much like any other permanent magnet but the metal they are made from is what sets them apart. Rare earth magnets are made from metals that are ferromagnetic. Ferromagnetic metals are those that possess magnetic properties below a certain temperature even without the presence of an external magnetic field. These metals produce a very strong magnetic force when they are magnetized and this makes rare earth magnets very powerful.

The strength of a rare earth magnet is said to be so much to the extent that a finger placed between two magnets can easily be crushed. The magnet force they produce can also be harmful to the health of young children and babies if they happen to ingest them. It may at times even lead to death. They should therefore be kept away from children and should be handled carefully.

Most popular

Early magnets were discovered before the 18^th century but rare earth magnets were only developed later in the 1900s. They then became the magnet of choice for various uses. Of the two available rare earth magnets, neodymium is the most common. It is found in varying shapes and sizes.

Rare earth magnets were initially expensive but prices have gone down with time. Regular consumers can actually be able to buy them for use in their households or any other purpose.

Application  

This type of magnets is very common in electromagnetic devices like computer hard drives. They are also found in refrigerators, metal detectors, cordless items like microphones and even self-powered flashlights.

Their extra strong magnetic force has pushed along the phasing out of other weaker magnets but not completely. These magnets are however very brittle and can therefore break very easily if they fall. They should be handled carefully for this to be avoided.

You can get rare earth magnets according to your specific needs. If you need them in varying strengths, different sizes and shapes they will be customized to meet your exact specifications. A licensed manufacturer would give you good quality magnets since the sale of such magnets is controlled. Where you are not certain what design would work best for your project, the manufacturer would be able to help you design your own customized magnets for your project. 

Any magnetic data storage devices like computers and credit cards should be kept away from these magnets at all costs because they could easily be ruined. Such storage devices have their data stored in magnetic patterns. When a magnet passes over them, especially a strong one, the pattern gets scrambled and the data gets erased. Such strong magnets require very little time to erase data on such devices so be very careful around them.   

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Neodymium Magnet: Anything Possible

Neodymium magnet is versatile in their uses. It is strong enough to be used in all significant applications. It is very well used for industrial as well as commercial purposes. It has a vast applicability starting from your home and kitchen to the industry infrastructure at large. Neo magnet is also helpful in running several serious affairs like in creating air craft equipment and used for navy purposes. Further neo-magnets are being sent into space for collecting the space dust for many experiments. The dynamic capabilities of Neodymium magnet helped the scientists in collecting the particles from the surface of Mars.

Apart from these significant uses it can be applied for small and useful purposes like jewelers use Neodymium magnet to keep their jewelry like earring at correct place without going here and there. Moreover it is widely used in household applications like keeping and storing papers on the wall of the refrigerator. However it is used in the jobs like welding clamps, oil filters, mounting tools, costumes and many more.

In kitchen it can help you through giving to a new organized look with more space area. It can help you by providing you the advanced conventional equipment to use like a block magnetic knife rack and sometimes spice jar holder, etc. Use of this things help you at your kitchen in getting the equipment and thing readily just beside you. The making of a Neo Magnet knife holder is quite simple. You can do it at your home with your entire requirement. It is simple and can be made by using wood along with some kind of clue to stick them with the powerful magnets. Thus you can make your customized one.

In the field of medicine also it has earned lots of reputation. From the ancient time as well Magnets are often trusted as a healer for several different types of acute pain, such as back pain, foot pain. It can be helpful in curing the conditions of arthritis and fibromyalgia. Even in modern days lots of magnetic products like shoe insoles, bracelets, other jewelry, bracelets and mattress pads are marketed so as to promote good health. Though there are less scientific evidence which can support the medical effect and healing aspect of magnet but still people use it for treating various ailments. People make use of Neodymium Magnets for treating and preventing of various kinds of pain of hip, wrist, knee, foot, back as well as pelvic pain. Thus treating people with the help of Neo Magnet Therapy is becoming more popular in recent days.

For more information about various magnets, please visit http://www.usrareearthmagnet.com/