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Industrial processes rely heavily on the use of water, and due to the sensitivity of machinery and equipment, the mineral levels need to meet the required standards. Public water in the UK is safe for human consumption; however, it can negatively impact some domestic and industrial processes because 65% is classified as “hard". In simplified terms, it is deemed hard because it contains high levels of calcium and magnesium (and iron in some cases), which can lead to limescale buildup, in turn damaging expensive plumbing and equipment. The solution can be the installation of an industrial water softener. What is Hard Water? Rainwater in its purest form has low levels of minerals; however, when it hits the ground surface where the geographical formation is sedimentary rocks (such as sandstone, limestone, chalk, and flint), it percolates and dissolves the minerals found in these types of rocks. According to The Open University, the bedrock in the majority of areas in the UK is made up of sedimentary rocks. Because of this, there are high dissolved mineral levels of calcium and magnesium – this is basically how hard water is formed and classified. High levels of these two minerals cause problems such as limescale buildup on kettles, toilet bowls, showerheads, and taps. In industrial processes, it can impact the flow of coolant, leading to a rise in temperature, which in turn causes damage to the equipment. It also leads to deterioration and corrosion of the plumbing system, affecting production efficiency. In this article, you will learn the process of using an industrial water softener and the mechanics of combating problems caused by high mineral levels. 1. Ion Exchange process During this process, hard water passes through a resin bed, which contains resin beads charged with sodium ions. The calcium and magnesium ions are exchanged with sodium ions to reduce undesirable minerals. Sodium is more soluble and doesn’t cause scaling. 2. Regeneration or Rejuvenation of Resin Bed The resin beads require “servicing” or regeneration to flush out calcium and magnesium ions built up in the system. This is done by feeding the resin bed with a sodium chloride solution (brine). The sodium ions displace the unwanted ions, which are then flushed out as wastewater to rejuvenate the system. It is worth noting that during regeneration, there is a cut-off supply of soft water. 3. Simplex Water softener This consists of a single vessel that uses an ion exchange process. The system can be either time-controlled or a metre-controlled. A time-controlled system is equipped with a control mechanism to undergo regeneration when there is no requirement for a constant supply. A metre-controlled system, on the other hand, doesn’t allow for this autonomy, which means it can pose issues that can disrupt industrial processes. 4. Duplex Industrial Water Softener Instead of a single column, this version uses two vessels that work interchangeably to carry out the ion exchange process. This prevents a cut-off supply during degeneration, because when one vessel goes through the rejuvenation process, the second one continues with the ion exchange process, and vice versa. Industrial processes require the maintenance of a strict level of dissolved minerals in water to maintain the efficiency of equipment and prevent possible damage to plants and machinery. Because of this, it is always a goal for industrial and manufacturing sectors in the UK to reduce the high content of magnesium and calcium and replace them with more soluble sodium ions. To achieve this, the recommendation is to consult a reputable company to install an industrial water softener, in order to maintain high efficiency at all times. Author Plate Sean Clifford is an advisor at AllWater Technologies Ltd, a wholly independent company providing consultation and water treatment equipment, including industrial water softener systems and effluent treatment plant. Bringing together a host of experience and specialist knowledge, the company is committed to building and maintaining long-term relationships and creating maximum value and benefit for their customers.
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