Entrepreneur pioneers technology for scaling

Scale Buster is also environmentally friendly and does not destroy mineral nutrients in the water

As water is an essential element for all living creatures, its importance for the human body and our overall health cannot be overestimated. An entrepreneur is therefore drawing attention to his decades-long effort to provide consumers with purified water. 

Shim Hak-sub, 47, the founder of Jinhaeng Waterway, says his company's flagship product, a plumbing apparatus called Scale Buster, is evidence of his dedication and commitment to public health. 

In 1995, the apparatus was granted a patent in 63 countries, and the device debuted the following year in the German pipe market - Shim was an international student there at the time. Scale Buster, also known as ISB (Ion Scale Buster), is an innovative product that inhibits the development of scaling in plumbing systems; it also removes scaling already in a system, in addition to protecting it from corrosion.

Unlike traditional pipe protection methods such as water softeners and osmotic pressure conditioning, Scale Buster is also environmentally friendly and does not destroy mineral nutrients in the water, Shim said. 

"Corrosion is caused by aggressive chemicals in the water, such as chlorides and sulphates, which, in the presence of oxygen, attack metals to varying degrees," Shim, said. "The zinc anode within ISB releases microscopic amounts of zinc ions, which then permeate the water stream and create magnetite on the pipe. This not only enhances the nucleisation effect, but also protects the pipe from corrosion." 

After the patents were granted for ISB, Shim established the corporation, I.S. EUKO Trade GmbH, in 1996, which became widely recognized in the pipe industry in Europe. 

"Europeans were really interested in the ISB technology as it has demonstrated its scale inhibiting and removal effects at low cost. Moreover, it can last for over 20 years, during which no maintenance or parts replacement is required," Shim said. "We were very confident of it entering the Korean market."

Launching ISB in his home country, did not go smoothly, however. When Shim came to Korea in 2000, the foundations of the economy was shaken by the IMF crisis. Many water treatment companies went bankrupt here, which put the future of ISB entering an already frozen Korean water-treatment market into some doubt. 

"I travelled all over the country alone in a used car worth 2.5 million won. I explained to potential clients the principle of ISB and how it worked and mentioned its numerous overseas patents. Then, I started to make deals with local governments and industrial companies under the condition that I installed the device first and got paid only after its effects were verified," said Shim. 

Shim finally saw a breakthrough in 2002 when the city of Gwangyang in Jeolla Province began installing ISB in its buildings after verifying that the device improved its water and pipe conditions. Since then, ISB technology has been used in the pipe systems of over 20,000 public offices, including Cheong Wa Dae. The technology is now used in some 50,000 business entities nationwide. 

"Water is the source of everything. It is the source of life. Humans cannot survive even a few days without water," Shim said. "I always believe it is my duty to provide clean and healthy water to people, even poor people and especially poor children," he added. 

Shim's Jinhaeng Waterway also introduced a home water purifier, Greenbi, in 2008. The purifier has gained recognition in the water purifier market in Korea as it uses the ISB technology to preserve as many minerals as possible. 

Shim added that he and his company will "strive until the day comes when people in Korea can drink tap water."

Source: Korea Times

Read More Related Content On This Topic - Click Here

Media

Taxonomy

• Technology Demonstration
• Inspection technology
• Automation Technology
• Technology Utilization