Water Softening

[mozhigopi]

What are the chemical function of water softner plant?

[ecoli]

to remove minerals, I think.

[iNow]

Indeed. When water is "hard," it implies a high mineral content. Water softening is the process by which minerals are removed from the water and the water is "softened."

 

According to wiki:

 

Hard water primarily consists of calcium (Ca2+), and magnesium (Mg2+) metal cations, and sometimes other dissolved compounds such as bicarbonates and sulfates. Calcium usually enters the water as either calcium carbonate (CaCO3), in the form of limestone and chalk, or calcium sulfate (CaSO4)

 

It is often desirable to soften hard water, as it does not readily form lather with soap. Soap is wasted when trying to form lather, and in the process, scum forms. Hard water may be treated to reduce the effects of scaling and to make it more suitable for laundry and bathing.

 

 

Process

A water softener, like a fabric softener, works on the principle of cation or ion exchange in which ions of the hardness minerals are exchanged for sodium or potassium ions, effectively reducing the concentration of hardness minerals to tolerable levels and thus making the water softer and gives it a smoother feeling.

 

The most economical way to soften household water is with an ion exchange water softener. This unit uses sodium chloride (table salt) to recharge beads made of the ion exchange resins that exchange hardness mineral ions for sodium ions. Artificial or natural zeolites can also be used. As the hard water passes through and around the beads, the hardness mineral ions are preferentially absorbed, displacing the sodium ions. This process is called ion exchange.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hard_water

[swansont]

That's one of the things most people don't understand about water softeners — the softening takes place with the resin (beads), not the salt. The salt is used to recharge the resin.

[mozhigopi]

Thank You iNOW,

 

I want to know more about Resin.

[iNow]

Google is your friend.

 

 

http://www.allwaterpurification.com/water-softener-supplies.html

Resin beads are the physical media used to remove minerals and other particles that make the water hard. They are usually made of carbon, which is considered a very effective material to filter out impurities.

 

There are two kinds of resin for water softeners: standard hi-cap and fine mesh. Standard resin, as you could infer from its name, is the type frequently used by most models of water softeners.

 

Fine mesh, on the other hand, removes iron more effectively than the standard hi-cap resin. It is usually preferred for softening up well water. However, it works only on softeners that are specifically configured for fine mesh resin.