J Burns wrote:

That sounds similar to what the patent says. It says the particles that
can cause scaling are each surrounded by a cell of water molecules as
they float in suspension. If molecular motion busts the cells, the
particles will collide and, in the near future, not cause scaling on
their way through the plumbing.

Some people seem to have a severe misunderstanding of what a patent is. It is
_not_ an endorsement by a goverment agency, nor does it in any way imply that
whatever is described by the patent application actually does what it says it
does.

All a patent is is an acknowledgement that noone else has ever filed for a
patent on something similar.