Patent ID: 6871014

Claim:
A system for treating water comprising: a housing having a water inlet for receiving untreated water and a water outlet for discharging treated water, wherein the housing, at least a portion of which is metallic, comprises a first container defining a water treatment chamber comprising an electric heating element, and a second container comprising a metallic heat exchanger tube, wherein the electric heating element and the metallic heat exchanger tube are capable of heating the water sufficiently to convert dissolved impurities in the untreated water to solid precipitates; and a collector disposed in the housing for collecting the solid precipitates deposited from the water; wherein the metallic portion of the housing and the metallic heat exchanger tube are electrically connected such that the metallic portion of the housing is cathodic and the metallic heat exchanger tube is anodic due to electrochemical exchange through the water between the metallic portion of the housing and the metallic heat exchanger tube.