When inventor Waldo Moraga set out to design a more sustainable water pH management system than conventional sulfuric acid and sulfur burner units, he zeroed in on mimicking natural rainfall by injecting carbonic acid into irrigation supplies.
Rain picks up carbon dioxide (CO2) as it falls. The carbon dioxide that dissolves into the rainwater forms carbonic acid, gently reducing pH. Moraga replicated the concept in his ECO2MIX system, dissolving CO2 from tanks into irrigation water.
Mixing is a must
The challenge in working with CO2, Moraga notes, is that free bubbles of carbon dioxide in irrigation water can actually increase levels of bicarbonate (HCO3) in soil, leading to the opposite effect—soil pH can increase, and salts can build up as bicarbonate molecules strip calcium out of the soil.
The bottom line is that thoroughly injecting and mixing CO2 into a solution is vital to making a carbonic acid pH system work. Based on his decades of experience with Mazzei injectors in irrigation systems, Moraga quickly integrated injectors into his ECO2MIX system. The system diverts a portion of the irrigation water through Mazzei venturi injectors. The injectors use the flow of water to create a vacuum that draws in a precise amount of CO2, naturally maintaining the proper proportions of gas to liquid. Internal mixing vanes in the injectors' cones create microbubbles to maximize the surface area available for gas transfer and create turbulence that increases transfer efficiencies to more than 90 percent. The result is high-efficiency mixing and the reliable formation of carbonic acid—without free CO2 bubbles and moving parts. In addition, injectors require a relatively low-pressure differential to operate, minimizing pumping energy and cost.
The acidified side stream is reintroduced to the main flow through carefully engineered and precisely placed nozzles to blend the carbonic acid into the irrigation supply. In a matter of a few feet, the blending is thorough and complete. ECO2MIX electronically monitors pH and CO2 flow throughout the system to ensure that the proper level of treatment is being delivered at all times.
Without the drama
Irrigation water passing through the ECO2MIX system steadily reduces soil pH without the drama—or the potential hazards—of handling sulfuric acid. Reducing pH in irrigation water minimizes scale in water lines and improves distribution uniformity and nutrient uptake in the crop. Water that has been pH adjusted with carbonic acid also increases plant metabolism and photosynthesis, strengthens plant cells to make them more resistant to damage from pests and pathogens, promotes the dissolution of nutrients in water, and boosts foliar nutrient absorption, notes Moraga. Healthy soils with pH balanced by the ECO2MIX system also contain more glomalin, he adds, the sticky substance secreted by Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi (AMF) that contributes dramatically to soil structure and water infiltration.
Shared values: sustainability
The ECO2MIX pH control system takes an environmentally friendly approach to pH management of water and soil. Mazzei injectors contribute significantly to the result, and they do it in a way that reflects the same care for the environment—with minimal energy, physical footprint, and chemical consumption. Incorporating Mazzei components enhances the efficiency and efficacy of a wide range of gas and liquid mixing systems and is increasingly a sign of quality, performance, and environmental friendliness.
