Ion Exchange Resins

What you need to know to develop an effective ion exchange system for industrial wastewater treatment - By Carl Galletti

Economic and regulatory factors make metal recovery and wastewater reuse attractive for the electroplating, semiconductor and printed circuit board industries. Cadmium, zinc, copper, chromium, mercury, lead, gold, silver and cyanide complexes of these metals are the common metals requiring control. Ion exchange processes, evaporators, chemical precipitation, reverse osmosis and combinations of various processes are extremely effective tools for treating industrial wastewater streams and meeting current metal discharge requirements. Ion exchange resins were originally developed to remove naturally-occurring ions found in most city water supplies such as calcium, magnesium, sodium, sulfates, chlorides, bicarbonates, carbonates and silica. Common ions found in most city water include: Cations Anions Alkalinity (HCO3-) Sulfate (SO42-) Chloride (Cl-) Silica (SiO2) Calcium (Ca2+) Magnesium (Mg2+) Sodium (Na+)

A cation resin (CR) in the hydrogen form exchanges or removes cations, and an anion resin (AR) in the hydroxide form exchanges or removes anions according to the following chemical reactions: Ion exchange is a viable method for ion removal or metal removal when treating high volumes of relatively dilute solutions. In other words, the resins are used as concentrators of the contaminants, minimizing the volume of waste. Just as common ions found in most city water supplies can be removed by ion exchange, so too can metal ions be removed from waste streams; however, developing an effective ion exchange system for waste treatment is usually more difficult because of the complexity of the stream. For example, metals in waste streams can exist as cations or complexed anions, be monovalent or polyvalent or may not exist as ions. Additionally, waste streams often have oxidizing agents, oils, greases and detergents that harm ion exchange resins, and should be removed prior to any ion exchange system. Therefore a complete understanding of the wastewater stream chemistry is needed to properly design the ion exchange system. The following is important information about wastewater stream chemistry: TDS (or conductivity) with min. and max. if variable

pH and temperature with min. and max. if variable Basic inorganic analysis of ions (Ca, Mg, Na, Cl and SO4) Presence or absence of oxidants; in order to determine if a chelating resin is appropriate to use, it is necessary to know the basic details of the water to be treated Presence or absence of complexing agents Level and type of organic molecules Level of suspended solids

Electroplating can cause environmental contamination because of rinse water discharge and disposal of spent plating bath solutions. Because the plating baths contain such high levels of metals, reclamation by precipitation followed by filtration is already being practiced. The problem is that the majority of metals being discharged to the environment come from the plating operations rinse waters. The rinse waters have been a challenge for the industry because the level of metals is too low for effective precipitation methods and meeting discharge requirements. An application perfectly suited for an ion exchange process, the best available technology is treating high volumes of solution with low concentrations of contamination. Although ion exchange processes can be implemented to treat most rinse waters, it must be noted that the greatest obstacle to applying this technology appropriately is when components other than the metals of interest are not considered. To design the most effective ion exchange process for removing metals from plating operation rinse water, a full analysis must be available. As an example, lets evaluate a copper plating rinse water using city water as the make-up for the rinse tanks. The question is, which resin to use? A standard strongly acidic cation exchanger in the sodium form (softener resin) such as ResinTechs CG-8 (Na) can be used to remove the copper but will also remove the calcium and magnesium. If you use an exchange capacity of 30 kilo grains of CaCO3/cu ft, you can treat 1,350 gal/cu ft. An alternative would be to use an iminodiacetic chelating resin such as ResinTechs SIR-300, which is selective for the copper and other heavy metals. If you use an exchange capacity of 15 kilograins CaCO3/cu ft, you can expect to treat up to 42,000 gal/cu ft because you are only removing the copper.

Iminodiacetate Functional Group

Although the iminodiacetic chelating resin performs better as a concentrator, there are other considerations. The cost of an iminodiacetic chelating resin is higher than a standard strongly acidic cation resin. The regeneration of an iminodiacetic chelating resin is more complicated using a two-stage regeneration of acid followed by caustic, whereas the standard strongly acidic cation resin is typically with just brine. Another option worth investigating is to redesign the system to remove competing ions from the city water feeding the rinse tanks by installing a softener, demineralizer or reverse osmosis. With no competing ions present, a less expensive, standard cation resin can be used for removal of the copper with high throughputs similar to the iminodiacetic chelating resin. In addition to iminodiacetic chelating resins, there are other types of chelating resins available whose chelating functional groups can be aminophosphonic, thiouronium and picolyamine. Although the removal mechanisms of these resins are similar, their unique functional groups make them selective for different metals and able to perform under different conditions.

Chelating resins are more selective than standard resins because the removal is not only based on an ion exchange mechanism, but by also forming a chelate.

Aminophosphonic Functional Group

Aminophosphonic chelating resins are able to form chelate divalent metal ions in the absence of calcium. They are generally used for removing hardness from brine but have occasionally been used instead of iminodiacetic resins when the TDS is greater than 1,000 ppm or conditions are slightly basic.

Thiouronium Functional Group

Thiouronium resins are not true chelating resins but are highly selective for mercury, gold, silver, platinum and palladium. Their primary use is for removing mercury to low levels in the presence of high levels of heavy metals.

Picolyamine Functional Group

Picolyamine chelating resins are highly specialized resins used to remove heavy metals. What makes them unique is their ability to operate at extremely low pH levels. They are typically used to remove transition metals from plating baths, not rinse water. Often overlooked, weakly acidic cation resins in sodium, such as ResinTechs WACMP, should be considered as an economic alternative to iminodiacetic chelating resins for heavy metal removal. In most cases, determining the use of either a weakly acidic or iminodiacetic type is entirely based on pH and its effect on the operating capacities of these resins. A weakly acidic cation resin will outperform an iminodiacetic cation resin on soft water with a neutral or slightly basic pH. As mentioned already, most of the hazardous waste produced in metal finishing comes from the wastewater generated during the rinsing operations that follow cleaning and plating operation. Efforts to increase rinse efficiency are vital. Ion exchange processes for treating make-up water to rinse tanks and for reuse should be used. Another process change that can optimize wastewater management is waste segregation. Older operations typically have a common trench to which all rinses drain. The wastewater chemistry for these combined rinses make metal recovery and water reuse more difficult. When evaluating an ion exchange process in your facility, it is vital that you have complete knowledge of the wastewater chemistry (this requires more than simply identifying the metals of concern and their concentrations); effluent requirements (the goal to meet discharge, recover or reuse); flow rate requirements; and regenerable (onsite or offsite) or sacrificial requirements.

The Best System for the Application

Learning to properly size residential POE softeners can increase efficiency and boost sales - By Jerry Horner

Manufacturers are often asked to size a softener system for a typical residential application. I would like someone to please define the attributes of the influent water supply and makeup of this so-called typical residence. Is it the one with three residents, 10 grains per gal of total hardness and 2 mg/L of chorine? Or does it have seven residents, 25 grains per gal hardness, plus 2 mg/L of iron? How about the 4,000-sq-ft home with two permanent occupants and the occasional temporary increase to nine residents? The point is that there is no typical residential application, with the exception of specific geographic regions where sizing requirements and contaminant levels are very consistent. Lets examine some of the parameters used to determine the most efficient and best system for various typical residential point-of-entry (POE) applications.

Understanding Efficiency Ratings

Calculating softener capacity requires a basic understanding of salt to hardness removal factors. For example, it is common to see water softeners advertised with 30,000 to 35,000 grains removal capacity per cu ft. Based on favorable conditions, 35,000 grains per cu ft can be obtained by regenerating with about 20 lb of salt. This calculates to an efficiency rating of 35,000 grains divided by 20 lb of salt, which results in 1,750 grains of hardness removed per pound of salt. This is atrociously inefficient. Many regulations now require an efficiency rating of 4,000 grains removed per pound of salt. The efficiency curves show significantly higher efficiency ratings as salt levels are reduced. Under favorable influent and proper equipment conditions, you can expect to achieve in excess of 4,000 grains per pound of salt in the 3 to 5 lb per cu ft range. In most conditions, hardness leakage will remain less than 1 grain per gal even at these lower, environmentally friendly salt settings. This level of hardness leakage will still allow excellent soft water performance for residential applications.

Calculating Softener Capacity

In most applications, plan to use 5 lb of salt per cu ft of resin to achieve about 20,000 grains of capacity per cu ft. Use a quality hardness test kit to calculate the hardness. Add 3 to 4 grains for every part per million (ppm) of iron and manganese. Thus, for a hardness of 14 grains per gal with 1.5 ppm of iron, calculate your capacity based on about 20 grains per gal compensated hardness. For a 1-cu-ft system regenerating with 5 lb of salt, you will generally expect about 20,000 grains of capacity divided by 20 grains of hardness, which results in a capacity of about 1,000 gal between regenerations. Standard single meter delayed systems may reach the calculated capacity nearly 24 hours before regeneration will be initiated. These systems will require a reserve capacity to be calculated, usually based on one days water use. This can significantly alter the efficiency of the system, as it will normally regenerate far earlier than actually needed. A softener with a 1,000-gal capacity being used by a household of five using an average of 75 gal per person daily will need to be set to regenerate about every 625 gal. Using a higher capacity softener, a softener with an automatically adjusted reserve capacity or one with immediate

regeneration will help mitigate this inherent inefficiency with single systems. Twin alternating systems that theoretically use the entire capacity of each unit before regenerating are an excellent option.

Flow Rate Capabilities

POE residential softener systems have both maximum and minimum flow rate capabilities. The peak flow should be maintained in the range of about 15 to 20 gpm per sq ft of bed area. This calculates to a peak service flow of about 9 gpm for a 9-in. diameter mineral tank. Excessive flow rates will cause increased pressure drop and can actually damage or crush the resin beads. In the most extreme cases, there may not be enough contact time to accomplish adequate ion exchange. On the low end, most meter-initiated control valves can accurately monitor flow rates well under 0.5 gpm. However, flow rates of less than about 3 gpm per sq ft of bed area will result in channeling within the mineral tank. In excessively low flow conditions, the water enters the mineral tank following the path of least resistance. This is typically right through the center of the resin bed, with the pattern of flow resembling a funnel. This leads to poor distribution of the hardness removal, lower than expected capacity and loss of efficiency. Much of the flow even in larger homes is at or below 2.5 gpm. To maintain good flow characteristics at 2.5 gpm, the system would need to be no larger than 12 in. in diameter. At about 0.78 sq ft of bed area, a 12-in. diameter mineral tank can theoretically flow relatively consistently down to about (3 x 0.78) 2.34 gpm. Compare this to a 16-in. diameter tank that will flow consistently down to about (3 x 1.39) 4.17 gpm. A flow rate of 2.5 gpm through a 16-in. diameter tank would likely channel within the resin bed requiring an adjustment to the calculated capacity setting. When a larger residential system is required, consider using multiple smaller systems that can be brought online based on flow rate needs. These demand flow style systems are perfect for commercial and some large residential applications that have wide swings in water flow demand.

Utilizing Proper Sizing

Poorly sized POE water softener systems often take care of the hardness removal duties, and in many cases, the residents will not even notice the otherwise poor and inefficient overall performance. These incorrectly sized systems generally work because they are regenerated too often, using exorbitant amounts of salt and water. An undersized unit may regenerate daily, putting excessive strain on the resin and valve components. Under sized systems are salt hogs, using a large portion of their capacity to cover the required reserve capacity. Pressure drops can be drastic, and system longevity is significantly compromised. Oversized systems have lower than calculated service runs and may need to regenerate far ahead of actual capacity capabilities. Specifying the correct system for a particular job is one of your best defenses against the low-price cookie- cutter softeners found in so many large retail outlets. Learning to size properly will help you sell more systems, focusing on efficiency, environmental concerns and overall value.

Sizing Softeners
water softener sizing considerations - By Jerry Horner

Related Terms from WaterInfoLink.com: water softening, POE, residential There is a wide range of sizing parameters and issues available with regard to point-of-entry (POE) softening systems. Big-box retailers offer a limited number of choices when it comes to system sizes and capabilities, and many dealers try to simplify their business model by operating in the same manner. Use this to your advantage by marketing custom-designed conditioning systems for each specific application. After all, customers have varying needs and water quality expectations. A household of eight requiring hardness and chlorine removal will need a significantly different system from the retired couple next door with a desire for a nonregenerating scale-reduction system. Use your expertise to allow the flexibility in system design that will give you an edge over the competition. Sizing a residential softener system may seem simple but there are many factors to consider. A family of five that uses about 375 gal of softened water per day (75 gal per day per person) at an influent hardness of 20 grains per gallon results in a daily softened-water capacity need of about 7,500 grains. A 1-cu-ft 32,000-grain softener seems to fill the need perfectly because it will theoretically last four days between regenerations; however, the 32,000-grain rating is based on an inefficient salt setting of about 15 lb and nets an efficiency rating of only 2,133 grains removal per pound of salt (32,000 divided by 15). Due to various economic, environmental and legal issues, it is now common to set softeners to regenerate with 6 lb of salt per cubic foot of resin. A well-designed 1-cu-ft softener regenerated with 6 lb of salt should provide a more environmentally friendly capacity of about 24,000 grains. This works out to an efficiency rating of 4,000 grains removal per pound of salt. This lower salt setting results in a nearly twofold salt efficiency rating provides many benefits and in most applications will have few, if any, drawbacks. Thus, from an efficiency standpoint, the 1cu-ft softener is now capable of removing about 24,000 grains, or softening 1,200 gal (24,000 grains capacity divided by 20 grains influent hardness) before needing regeneration. Based on the 1,200-gal capacity divided by 375 gal used per day, the 1-cu-ft softener will need to regenerate about every three days. Regeneration Initiation Now lets consider the type of regeneration initiation and required reserve capacities. Time-clockinitiated softeners are generally less efficient, especially in residential applications, and have become far less popular. For our purposes, we will focus on the more common demand-initiated systems. Installing a single-tank meter- initiated softener in a residence requires a certain amount of reserve capacity. This is to account for the set delayed regeneration time, usually 2 a.m., and the amount of capacity that is needed to maintain soft water during the period between the call for and the actual start of regeneration. The softener, for example, may receive a need-to-regenerate prompt nearly 24 hours before it is able to actually perform the regeneration. This is because the set capacity may be reached at 4 a.m., but the delayed regeneration function will prevent regeneration until 2 a.m. the next morning.

Regeneration is delayed to a low-volume timeframe like 2 a.m. to lessen the use of hard water and to prevent hard water from filling the water heater during regeneration when soft water is not typically available. Reserve capacities are generally calculated as one full day of soft water use by multiplying the number of people in a household by the 75-gal average daily soft water use. Variable reserve functions available on most modern digital valves help to mitigate this issue by automatically adjusting the reserve capacity based on historical water-use data. Twin-alternating systems nearly eliminate the need for a reserve capacity by using an immediate regeneration function. Commercial Softeners The reserve-capacity issue is exacerbated when applied to many commercial applications. Inconsistent water use in hotels and restaurants cry out for twin-alternating or demand-flow systems. Adding a full-day reserve to a single metered commercial softener may require such a large part of the available capacity that the meter becomes moot. The large reserve capacity may result in daily regenerations unless the system is grossly oversized. Oversized softeners may sound like a good option, but this can lead to channeling and further efficiency issues. So now we must adjust the 1-cu-ft systems capacity setting from 1,200 gal less the 375-gal reserve to 825 gal between regenerations. Now the regeneration schedule is trimmed to about every other day. Other factors such as TDS, iron or manganese can further lessen the available capacity to the point where the 1-cu-ft system will require daily regeneration. The required reserve capacity of 375 gal remains unchanged whether we are talking about a 1- or 2-cu-ft system. For the 1-cu-ft system, more than 30% (375 gal reserve divided by 1,200 gal capacity) of the capacity is set aside, mostly wasted, for reserve. Compare this to a 2-cu-ft system in the same application. Only about 15% (375 gal reserve divided by 2,400 gal capacity) of the capacity is set aside for reserve. In this example, the 2-cu-ft system is far more efficient from a capacity standpoint. If a 2-cu-ft system is better than a 1-cu-ft, how about using a 10-cu-ft system instead? Considering only efficiency, this might make sense because the reserve-capacity factor would be reduced to only about 3%. However, even negating the space, cost and other pertinent objections, large systems with low service flow demand will suffer from internal channeling. Making the most of available capacity is dependent on getting relatively equal flow through the entire resin bed. Hub and lateral style or distributor plates will help to provide a consistent flow through the resin bed. To limit channeling, size the system to flow at least 3 gal per minute per sq ft of bed area. This would be about 2.3 gal per minute for a 12-in.-diameter mineral tank. A 10-cu-ft system using a 24-in.-diameter mineral tank would need to flow at a minimum of about 10 gal per minute to limit channeling issues. The typical residential application generally has a flow demand in the 2- to 5gal-per-minute range. This is why the oversized residential system will suffer from efficiency issues due to channeling. A system that is channeling due to low flow rates will typically be difficult to diagnose hard water problems because it will run out of soft water prior to the calculated gallon figure. Peak softener flow rates should not exceed about 15 gal per minute per sq ft of bed area. In a 9in.-diameter tank, this is about 6.5 gal per minute and about 12 gal per minute for a 12-in.diameter mineral tank. Excessive service flow rate results in increased pressure drop, lower capacity and can even damage the resin. Undersized softeners are inefficient, work the components harder, increase pressure drop and will likely fail sooner. Oversized softeners are wasteful and inefficient. Properly sized softener

systems, especially single tanks with adjustable reserve capability, twin-alternating or demandflow systems, offer the best capacity and efficiency capabilities. Twin-alternating softeners theoretically regenerate when the full capacity of one tank is exhausted, immediately bringing the standby tank into service. Twin-alternating units are great for most applications and especially those with high or fluctuating capacity demands. Temporary pressure drop due to regeneration water demand can result. Demand-flow systems bring tanks online based on fluctuating water flow requirements. A bank of four units will typically bring one, two or even three units into service as flow needs dictate, with one tank left in regeneration or standby. These are beneficial for inconsistent flow applications such as hotels. Be sure to base sizing on the system capability, not on pipe size. A 2-in. pipe can generally flow at a much higher rate than a softener with 2-in. connections. It is not unusual, for instance, to use a softener system with a 3-in. controller for an application with a 2-in. pipe. Brine tanks are typically sized for lower salt settings. Make sure the salt and brine capacities are adequate for the regeneration levels required. Many factors must be considered when sizing any kind of POE softener or filtration system. Seek guidance when needed, size and apply appropriately and you will gain the long-term rewards that come from customer referrals and a reputation for doing the job right.

Basic POE System Maintenance

Regular inspection and cleaning benefits the customer and the service provider Resin can have good appearance and texture, yet be fouled to the point of uselessness. - By Jerry Horner

Periodic proactive maintenance of point-of-entry (POE) water conditioning equipment will benefit the end user and the service provider. Consumers generally prefer to be taken care of on a set schedule rather than waiting for a malfunction to occur. For residential applications, an annual visit is typically adequate and can often be combined with other point-of-use drinking water filter service. For commercial customers, more frequent attention is often required, usually with monthly visits. Efficient service hinges on being prepared, so have the proper tools and parts to do the job correctly the first time. The goal is to prevent an avoidable return trip that costs you time, money and most importantly, can have a deleterious effect on your credibility. Arrive On Time Start by being on time for your appointment. Because most service appointments are behind schedule, being punctual will impress your customer and start things on a positive note. Check the water quality performance of the effluent and observe the systems settings. Compare these results with the influent conditions. In other words, make sure the system is removing the contaminants, hardness, chlorine, iron or whatever else it was designed to remove. This should give you an idea of whether you are dealing with a simple maintenance issue, or whether you also must diagnose and repair the system. Visual Inspection You will need to visually check all the mechanisms, gears, dials, motor and other ancillary parts. The valve internals will need to be inspected for undue wear, grooves or scratching. Inspect and service the sensitive, all-important meter or sensor components. It is critical to test these components for accuracy. Reusing suspect parts, seals or O-rings is a disservice to your customer and will inevitably lead to otherwise avoidable return trips. You will earn a few extra

dollars profit by replacing these small items, but the real purpose is to do the job right. This will help prevent return calls and premature failure of the system. How much productive time will be lost if you have to return and replace a leaking O-ring that should have been replaced the first time? Clean the System Thoroughly clean the injector, injector screen and all other related components. Partial clogging of the injector assembly is one of the most common areas of water softener failure. Clear the brine line flow control and backwash flow control. An obstructed brine line flow control leads to poor regeneration and incorrect brine levels, often resulting in low capacity. A drain line flow control must maintain the designed flow rate to keep the media properly cleaned and classified. A severely restricted drain line flow control will prevent proper brine draw, subsequently resulting in hard water. Inspect for the proper drain line flow rate and adjust the flow control mechanism appropriately. Keep in mind that the backwash flow rate is highly reliant on the influent temperature and of course, the type of media in the tank. Most backwash flow rate charts are based on about 50 to 60?F. Colder influent water temperatures will require lower backwash rates, while warmer water will need to be compensated for with a higher rate. Check the Resin Inspect the resin or other filter media on a regular basis. Depending on the application and frequency of service, this step may not need to be completed with each preventative maintenance call. The longevity of softening resin and most filter media varies greatly, being highly dependent on many chemical and physical factors. Exposure to excessive chlorine levels and other oxidants is especially detrimental to softening resin. Undersized systems with excessive service flow rates will literally crush and fracture the resin beads, leading to premature failure. Each media type will need to be evaluated individually based on the application and expectations of the customer. Measure for the proper bed depth as significant media attrition can lead to reduced capacity and inadequate contact time. In general, expect softening resin to require replacement about every five to 15 years for a typical residential application. Drain the water out of the mineral tank so the top of the media bed is exposed and visually inspect for signs of channeling. This will typically be seen as a depression in the center of the media bed or near the tank wall. Channeling is an indication of a deteriorated media bed or other malfunction that will result in reduced contact time and poor, inconsistent performance. Resin beds suffering from channeling problems will provide sporadic hardness removal results and even occasional salty water to service. Whether caused by the media, inadequate backwash, clogged distributor or other malfunction, the corrective repairs must be made. This often involves replacing the media and other related components. Field Analysis Due to cost and time factors, most POE systems are too small to justify a laboratory analysis of the media. For resin beds you will want to use a small diameter pipe to take a core sample of the media. A thin wall 13/16-in. plastic distributor or similar tube works well for this purpose. Slowly insert and simultaneously spin the pipe down into the media bed as deep as possible. Plug the end with a rubber cork or your thumb and pull the core sample out of the tank. Release the resin from the pipe by laying it at an angle slightly over horizontal onto a clean surface. You should have a nice line of resin showing the condition of the media from the bottom to the top of the tank. This sample should be inspected for inconsistencies such as swelling or broken beads. An inexpensive handheld magnifier is helpful for this purpose. Look for possible resin degradation, especially near the top of the sample, as this is where the smaller, lighter and broken beads will settle. Squeeze the resin in your hand and feel for a coarse, firm texture that easily flows through your fingers. If you are not sure, simply use a new resin sample as a guide. If the resin feels soft or somewhat mushy, you are likely confronting a resin bed in need of replacement. Do not attempt to salvage the good part of the resin bed under the deteriorated top portion. The top of the media bed is simply an indicator of what will soon follow with the balance of the resin.

Resin Fouling Resin can have good appearance and texture, yet be fouled to the point of uselessness. Fouled resin beds, often by iron, have a reduced number of available exchange sites robbing from their rated capacity. They typically provide poor capacity, even with higher salt dosages and will often cause increased hardness leakage. Common resin cleaners are inexpensive and readily available in many forms. Citric acid, phosphoric acid and others are designed for ongoing maintenance of the resin beads. These can be installed as a simple, integral part of the brine tank. Others are specifically designed for one-time use only. Once fouled, it is difficult to readily regain the full capacity capabilities of the resin, thus the best path of action is to avert the source of fouling. Clean the Brine Tank The brine tank is the most neglected part of a water softener system. It collects insoluble matter from the salt or potassium chloride in addition to the trash and debris that enter from outside sources. Dust, leaves, portions of the salt bag and any number of other unwanted materials are commonly found clogging the brine system. These materials will settle to the bottom of the tank and may be drawn up into the brine mechanisms, clogging them and causing general havoc. In extreme cases, this insoluble matter will clog the brine well, leading to inadequate water flow. When clogged, the brine well will quickly overflow from the refill water and either shut off the float mechanism or overflow onto the ground. Poor regeneration follows as much of the brine make up water has been lost or not been allowed to enter the system at all. The brine tank needs to be emptied and thoroughly cleaned. The air check and float mechanisms need to be inspected and serviced. Make sure the customer is using a good quality salt with minimal amounts of insoluble matter. Its all about service, so it is a good idea to bring a supply of salt to refill the brine tank. Update the Settings Check all system functions for proper operation. Update the valve settings based on local conditions and requirements. Use an efficient regenerant dose and adjust for optimum operation. Sufficient for most residential applications, 6 lb of salt per cubic foot of resin will net up to about 24,000 grains of capacity. This results in an efficiency rating of 4,000 grains of hardness removal per pound of salt. The water conditioning industry is under ever-increasing scrutiny with regard to discharge issues, so do your part by using sensible, efficient settings. Sanitize the Components Under normal conditions, the following quick disinfection procedure is sufficient. Initiate the regeneration cycle and wait for the beginning of the brine draw cycle. Add 1 to 2 oz of 5.25% household bleach per cubic foot to the brine well water. The bleach will be drawn into the system, sanitizing all of the water contacting components. Finally, do not leave the location without thoroughly cleaning the system. Aesthetics matter and few things will leave a better impression with your customer than thoroughly cleaning the system and work area. wqp

Commercial & Industrial Pretreatment

Considerations unique to commercial and industrial systems - By Nathan Olszak

Related search terms from www.waterinfolink.com: commercial, industrial, pretreatment When comparing residential to commercial or industrial equipment, the concept and operations may be the same or similar, but they can be two different worlds. Following is a list of a few tips and areas to look at when you are evaluating commercial and industrial equipment. Size Sizing the equipment right can be a huge factor. Many times systems are undersized or oversized, meaning the system is unable to keep up with water demand or just the opposite. If a system is oversized, it may begin to channel or not register flows. When determining flows, you will need to look at water pressure, piping size, service flows, peak flows and, if one system is in backwash or regeneration, will the system maintain its pressure? There are many factors that go into the sizing of the right system. Size No, this is not a typothe equipment size, such as diameter and length, is one that is all too often missed. Make sure you check doorways, elevators, stairwells. How are you going to get the equipment in and out of the building? Besides checking the vessels, if it is a softener system, make sure you check the brine tank size as well. Inlet Pressure Most equipment on the market needs a minimal amount of pressure in order to operate properly. Check with your equipment provider to know how much pressure will be needed. Future One area that is often not considered is the possibility of future expansion. Asking your customer whether or not if there is going to be future expansion may save you a lot of headaches down the road. Customers like it when you are thinking ahead. This can also allow you to size a system as such. Requirements Some systems require special functions or features based on their manufacturing specifications. Make sure that your system covers their needs, such as being hot water sanitizable. Most customers will notify you prior to your quotation submission.

Bells & Whistles Before you sell an upgrade to a system, make sure that it will work in the customers application. Items such as brine reclaim may not work for every situation or may need to be modified in order to work. Communication As in residential applications, there are usually two or more people involved in a commercial and industrial project. When you are proposing a project, make sure that all the parties that will be involved are involved. This can save you time and money on the project. Make sure that all communications are in writing or, if they were done verbally, are recapped in an e-mail or letter. Hot-Button Questions Along with communication, asking the right questions during the discovery phase can set you apart from many other equipment and service providers. Asking your customer what they like about their current system and what they dislike can help you sell the project and shows that you care and understand their needs. Other questions might be: What is important to you? What is a must-have on your new system? Would training be important?

Start-Up Over the years many systems are sold with limited to no start-up. Start-up on a commercial or industrial system is more than just plugging it in, turning on the valves and reading the manual. There is a lot involved on start-ups, and they should be performed by experienced water professional. Besides, if something goes wrong, the water professional will most likely be able to fix it on the spot. These are just a few of the items that need to be taken into consideration when sizing your pretreatment systems. There are several avenues for learning more about proper sizing of commercial or industrial equipment, including: WQA: www.wqa.org Illinois Society of Professional Engineers: www.illinoisengineer.com/ professionalengineerillinois.asp.

Designing Systems
Tips & techniques to designing water treatment systems - By John Payne

When designing a water treatment system, there are several things to consider and several things that often get overlooked. The following article offers insight and solutions to consider when designing water treatment systems for your customers. One of the most important aspects of design is to have accurate information from your customer so you both are on the same page. This includes information not only on influent water quality but also on effluent water quality desired for the application. Another question to consider when designing a system would be: Is this going to be a standalone type of system or will there be a need to add on to it in the future? When asked at the beginning of the project, these questions can help determine cost-effective design considerations in the future. In Control When designing a water treatment system, you need flexibility. Both versions of the NT electronic controller (3200NT and 3214NT) offer a solution to this need. When sizing a unit for a customer looking for constant soft water, the 3200NT package is a good choice. A dual alternating NT system with each unit having its own meter instead of the single remote meter can be expanded in a few years if the customers needs change and more capacity is desired. This type of expansion is a good selling pointit will give the customer and the water professional options because cost can be reduced since the original system can be utilized and not replaced. The electronics also make these systems desirable because maintenance is easier and troubleshooting is more manageable. The information these valves save on regeneration, flow rates and gallons used help technicians solve problems when the unit is not working properly. These valves are user friendly and many times service calls can be eliminated, thus creating another cost savings for the customer. The 3214NT is ideal when a customer has sporadic highs flow rates. This option allows units to come online as needed and then take a unit off line when flows return to normal. Both of the NT systems can have up to four units linked in various programming modes for flexibility and ease of operation. The electronics may seem to cost more in the beginning, but when designing for future needs and growth of a system they are the best answer to most water treatment problems. Brine Tank Size & Grids One of the most important things that often gets overlooked in system design, in my opinion, are the brine tanks. Too often a system does not get the proper brine tank or grid, causing system failure. It is very important that the customer understands maximum grain capacity and salt efficiency. Installation constraints and how the system you are proposing will use the salt from the brine tank can change system design. Lets take a look at how much salt is going to be used per regeneration for sizing issues. How many pounds of salt are going to be used8, 10 or 15 lb? This is where the grid is a very important part of the equation.

The height of the grid in the tank is where you want to have the level of the water. One inch above the grid is ideal for wet storage. Water treatment professionals must know their brining goals in order to be sure the grid is cut to the proper height. Grids offer many features. One, for instance, is the space for water storage so that the brine tank does not overflow. The grid will also allow for easier maintenance of the tank. A grid with a properly sized brine tank can offer faster saturated brine than brine tanks with no grid at all. This will help in systems that use a lot of water and if the need arises for quick regeneration at peak flow or water usage. Each gallon of water can only dissolve 2.6 lb of salt. There are several questions that need to be asked when choosing brine tank sizes, but many times it is the room size or door-opening size that determines how large or small of a brine tank can be used. The wrong size tank can have disastrous effects on a systems performance if it is not carefully designed. Some customers want to fill their tank once or twice a year and they want salt efficiency. A good water treatment professional must help the customer understand the system and salt usage. A large brine tank is always an option as long as you remember that grid heights differ as the diameter of the brine tank changes. Be sure to do the math so that the system is regenerated with the proper amount of salt for the type of influent and effluent water needed for the application and that it is designed for optimum efficiency. In summary, have a good overall picture of what your customer wants from all standpoints in the system design. This will provide everyone with a satisfactory outcome to a water problem. Do not just sell products, but provide solutions for your customers.