FOCUS ON COMMERCIAL PLUMBING & HEATING
MANUFACTURER - ALTECNIC
OEM SALES UK AND ROI HEAD MARK MOGEY EXPLAINS WHY A CHEMICAL- FREE APPROACH TO WATER TREATMENT, ALREADY POPULAR IN CONTINENTAL EUROPE, IS GAINING GROUND IN THE UK… VDI 2035 water treatment offers proactive system protection
Mark Mogey, Head of OEM Sales UK and ROI, Altecnic.
If you’ve never heard of VDI 2035, now’s the time to pay attention. It could change how we protect heating systems from corrosion, without relying on chemicals. As the UK embrace low-carbon technologies and more efficient heating solutions, attention is shifting toward maintenance practices that are cleaner, simpler and more sustainable. One such practice gaining serious ground is VDI 2035, a water treatment standard developed by the Association of German Engineers. Unlike traditional approaches that rely heavily on chemical dosing and regular inhibitor testing, VDI 2035 offers a preventative strategy by conditioning the water itself. WHAT IS VDI 2035? VDI 2035 is a standard that aims to prevent corrosion in closed-loop heating systems by controlling the properties of the fill water, namely its electrical conductivity and pH level. Rather than neutralising corrosion after it starts, VDI 2035 stops the process at its root. By lowering conductivity
and adjusting pH, the water becomes a poor medium for electrochemical reactions, effectively halting corrosion before it can begin. This represents a shift from reactive to proactive system protection. How it works The core principle is simple: remove the minerals and salts from the water that enable corrosion to take place. This is typically achieved by passing the system fill water through a resin- based deionisation cartridge, which strips out ions like calcium, magnesium and chlorides. Once conditioned, this ultra-pure water is introduced into the heating system. As long as the system remains sealed and uncontaminated by raw water, it can operate for years with minimal degradation. In larger or more complex systems, continuous monitoring or reconditioning units ensure stability over time. SIMPLIFIED MAINTENANCE One of the biggest advantages of VDI 2035 is the reduction in ongoing
maintenance complexity. With no chemical inhibitors to monitor or replace, the focus shifts to straightforward, user- friendly checks: • Digital conductivity meters monitor resin cartridge performance • Flow counters track resin usage over time • Magnesium anode visual checks ensure protection in mixed-metal systems These simple diagnostic tools mean even non-technical users can assess system health, an especially important feature in commercial buildings, schools and housing developments where service access may be limited. GROWING ADOPTION IN THE UK VDI 2035 has long been standard practice in Germany and other parts of Europe, but its uptake in the UK is accelerating. In recent years, industry leaders such as LSAT UK and Caleffi have begun supplying VDI-compliant
“The rise of low-carbon heating systems, such as heat pumps and district energy networks, requires a fresh look at traditional maintenance methods.”
34 | PLUMBING & HEATING MAGAZINE
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