Delta-T FAQ’s

Delta-T is a patented product, based on a blend of surfactants that reduces the surface tension of water. Water alone will sit as a ball on a surface. If you think of a raindrop on a car bonnet or a window it sits as a drop on a surface rather than creating a film across the surface. With the addition of Delta-T the water, instead of forming beads on the metal surface will completely cover the surface of a radiator or air handling unit maximising the transfer of any energy contained in the water through that surface into the room.

Delta-T is added at 1 litre for every 100 litres of system water. However, there are three strengths of Delta-T.

Normal strength Delta-T: added at 1 litre per 100 litres of system water.

Double Concentrate Delta-T: added at 1 litre per 200 litres of system water.

Five times strength or Super Concentrate Delta-T: added at 1 litre per 500 litres of system water.

Generally, the different concentrations used would be dependent on the overall system volume.

The typical payback or return on investment is between 3 months and 1 year. The payback will also depend on the cost of energy. This short payback period makes Delta-T the most attractive of any of the ‘green energy saving technologies’ available on the market today.

The transfer of energy through a heat transfer surface – a fan coil or radiator depends on surface coverage, and that depends on the angle the water makes with the surface. Most competitor products make an angle of around 40°while Delta-T makes a close to zero-degree angle giving complete surface instead of partial surface coverage.

Delta-T almost trebles the thermal conductivity of water meaning water heats up faster in a boiler or cools faster in a chiller and delivers energy more quickly into the space being heated or cooled. The space gets to temperature much more quickly shutting down the boiler or chiller. This has been observed in practice. Buildings heat up more quickly from cold when the heating system is treated with Delta-T.

We have monitored systems (using temperature probes) before and after the addition of the Delta-T and we have observed on the graphs that water with Delta-T will get to operating temperature much more quickly. In our case study at Britania House Office Building the heating system timer could be set to come on one hour later.

95% efficient means that 95% of the energy generated in the boiler is transferred into water. Water is used as the circulation fluid in heating systems because it is inexpensive, inflammable, safe and conducts energy. Because of its inability to adequately wet surfaces it is not very thermally conductive. The addition of Delta-T changes the surface tension of the water. This means that the Delta-T/water combination will extract more energy from the boiler or compressor and transfer more energy from the radiator or fan coil. This means that less energy is used to heat the water.

SafeSol have had Delta-T tested independently by Midland Corrosion Services (MCS). While Delta-T is not an inhibitor MCS subjected Delta-T, at normal dosage concentrations, to the rigorous National Sanitisation Foundation (NSF) (CIAS) test. Testing showed the Delta-T

• Delta-T does not cause corrosion to the metal components likely to be found in a closed system
• Delta-T will not increase increase scaling
• Delta-T will not have an effect on the system seal materials likely to be present

Read more here

Delta-T is an unreactive surfactant that will not react with any corrosion inhibitor, biocide or antifreeze likely to be used in a closed system. Delta-T’s ability to lower the surface tension of water may improve inhibitor or biocide efficiency. Glycol may reduce the thermal conductivity of the solution mix but in general there will be no effect by Delta-T on other products added to closed system water.

The main constituent has been deemed food safe by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) (EPA 180)

Delta-T will probably be one of the many chemicals added to a closed system where systems are treated to BSRIA BG 50/2021. Under this guidance scale and corrosion inhibitors as well as biocides are routinely added. In addition, to prevent freezing, antifreeze compounds can be at 25% of the water make-up. This chemical mixture cannot be put to drain so if Delta-T forms part of the chemical water treatment cocktail the water must be tankered off site for appropriate treatment and disposal.

Some systems in the UK are now adopting VDI 2035- no solids /no chemical approach.

VDI 2035 is a German standard, which has been widely used in Germany for many years and has grown in popularity in the UK, partly due to its non-chemical approach.

The introduction of Delta-T into this type of system may allow direct disposal to drain, because of the low concentration of chemical. This however should be discussed with the relevant authorities, who may still insist on offsite disposal.

Delta-T works at the interface between water and metal and will still work on metal with deposits or corrosion. A system that has dirty surfaces can be up to 30% less efficient than a perfectly clean surfaces. The addition of Delta-T will reduce the energy use of both systems by up to 27%. This might mean that the old system will behave like a clean system. The clean system will save up to 27%.

There are several techniques available for cleaning up old systems. Cleaning up a system and adding Delta-T will maximise energy savings. There will be the savings provided by Delta-T and then further savings from cleaning up the system.

Products like Delta-T are relatively new to the water treatment closed circuit market so are not yet governed by any regulations. SafeSol have ensured that the product will not cause corrosion or cause any damage to any component in a closed heating or cooling system. This has been verified by independent testing by Midland Corrosion Services.

Delta-T is safe to handle and will have minimal effect on the environment.