Water Softeners & Deionization
Water Softeners are often used to:
q Reduce the level of “Hardness” in process water chiefly consisting of Calcium Carbonate and Magnesium Carbonate, among other
q Prevent the deposit of “Hardness” minerals on downstream equipment and plumbing in the form of Scale
q Split Ammonia from Chloramine (emerging substitute for chlorine disinfection in municipal product water) leaving Chlorine to be removed by a downstream Activated Carbon Filter.
Water Hardness, while not generally hazardous when consumed by humans, may be hazardous, or destructive to equipment and processes. Calcium and Magnesium Carbonate in unacceptable concentrations may cause mineral scaling with can foul Reverse Osmosis (RO) Membrane Elements, restrict and clog plumbing and piping, inhibit effectiveness of surfactants, and other chemical reactions. Our Water Softeners employ “Ion Exchange”, or IX resin beads, which soften the water by exchanging hardness ions from Calcium and/or Magnesium with either Sodium or Potassium ions.
Advantages of Water Softeners Include:
q Reduction of Scaling and Fouling in downstream Piping, Plumbing, and Equipment
q Protect Reverse Osmosis (RO) Membranes from Scaling and premature replacement
q Reduced cost of Chemicals, especially Detergents by increasing their effectiveness
Water Softener Operating Cycles:
Service Cycle: Decreases water hardness via ion exchange. The water flows through the Ion Exchange Resin and is softened. In the process, the Ion Exchange Resin gradually looses effectiveness as it gives up its sodium or potassium ions and must be “Regenerated.”
Backwash Cycle: As with carbon and multimedia filters, when the softener begins to clog or when the head loss (pressure drop) though the resin bed increases, flow rates are reduced. To prevent solids “break through“ and the resulting degradation of water quality, the Service Cycle flow is reversed, fluidizing the resin bed. The reverse flow is directed, by the control valve(s) to drain, carrying with it, any particulate matter that has built up during the Service Cycle.
Regeneration Cycle: Depleted Softener Ion Exchange Resin is easily regenerated in a bath of salt brine. The Control Valves on most Softeners manage this by filling a separate “Brine Tank”, which contains bulk salt crystals, with water creating a source of Salt Brine. The Control Valve then draws this brine into the Softener Tank to regenerate the Ion Exchange Resin.
Rinse Cycle: After Regeneration, the Ion Exchange Resin Bed is rinsed of brine to prepare the Softener for another Service Cycle.
Continuous Versus Periodic Service: In most operations, demand for process water is tied to work shifts. If those work shifts consume all 24 hours each day, and the demand for process water is constant, the Softener system may need to be designed to operate in stages across multiple tanks, so that the Backwash, Regeneration, and Rinse Cycles can occur in one or more tanks while the other tanks are operating in the Service Cycle mode. If the demand for process water is periodic, Backwashing, Regeneration, and Rinsing can usually occur during off hours, which decreases the size and complexity of the Softener Filtration system. Our standard products are designed to accommodate either scenario up to 400 gallons per minute; however, specific applications may require additional design modifications.
Common Water Softener Configurations:
Single Tank Water Softener System shown with brine tank and operating flow (Left).
Twin Alternating Water Softener system with operating and regeneration flows shown (Right)
Common Water Softener Configurations:
Residential and Light Commercial
Residential and Light Commercial Water Softeners are designed to meet generally lower flow rates and to regenerate during hours of of little or no activity. They are typically designed to blend in with their surroundings, with consideration to aesthetics and consumer-oriented controls. Many systems, like the Ultimate II softener (above image), are programmable to accomodate a wide range of operating parameters covering usage requirements and metering, however, in the residential setting in partiucular, programming is usually performed by a trained water treatment equipment dealer.
In warmer climates, residential units may be installed outside in a semi-protected area, such as under the eaves of a roof, while in colder climates, freezing temperatures mandate an indoor installation, usually in the lowest floor, or basement of a building.
Industrial
Industrial Water Softeners are designed to meet the demands of high flow rates and are often configures with controls and flow paths that enable full time use, without service interruptions. In many cases, units are paired to allow a one-running/one-on-standby operating mode to insure a reliable flow of softened water. Industrial may also provide a means of interoperability with other equipment or downstream processes.
Deionization
This industrial deionization (DI) skid is designed with easy-to-exchange portable mixed bed dionization pressure vessels. This conficuration is engineered to operate continuously, even while one set of the DI bottles are being regenerated, either on site, or off site.
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