WATER SOFTENING

Softening Definition, methods of removal of hardness by lime soda process and zeolite process

Water is said to be hard when it contains relatively large amount of bicobonates Carbonetes, Sulphates and Chlorides of calcium(Ca) and magnesium(Mg) dissloved in it

Formation of Hardness

Hard water causes the following troubles

1. It causes more consumption of soap in laundry works 2. It leads to the modification of some of the colors.-thus affects the working of the dyeing system. 3. It causes serious difficulties in the mafg. Process.- paper making, ice mafg. textile. 4. It causes formation of scales on the boilers and other water heating system 5. It makes food tasteless

Hardness Units
milligrams per liter (mg/L) as calcium carbonate (most common) parts per million (ppm) as calcium carbonate

Classification of hardness
classification soft Moderately hard Total hardness as mg/L of CaCo3 50 50-150

Hard Very hard

150-300 300

In municipal water supplies, total hardness is seldom reduced below

50 mg/l. and the carbonate or non-carbonate hardness is generally

not brought below 35mg/l

Type of harness and method of their removal

1. Temporary harness Which is deposited when water is boiled and is usually known as carbonate hardness(of Mg and Ca) 2.Permanent hardnessIs also known as non-corbonate hardness, and is mainly due to the presence of sulphates, chlorides and nitrates of calcium and magnesium

Hardness compounds
Causing temporary hardness Causing permanent hardness

1.Calcium bicarbonate Ca(HCO3)2 2.Magnesium bicarbonate Mg(HCO3)2

1.Calcium sulphate CaSO4 2.Magnesium Sulphate MgSO4 3.Calcium chloride CaCl2 4.Magnesium chloride MgCl2

Removal of temporary hardness

Temporary hardness or bicarbonate hardness can be removed by; By boiling By adding lime

Removal of permanent hardness;

1. Lime soda process 2. Zeolite process 3. Demineralization or de-ionization process

1.Lime soda process

Addition of lime reduces only the bicarbonate hardness. By addition of lime and soda ash(Na2CO3) both the temporary and permanent hardness can be removed the method is known as lime soda process, In which lime and soda-ash are added to the raw water either separately or together.

 The process involves the thorough mixing of the chemicals with the water, followed by slow agitation for 30-60 min. to allow completion of chemical reaction. Precipitated chemicals are removed by sedimentation or filteration or both. Lime soda process may be operated continuously or intermittently, either cold (1021C) or hot (100C) Chemical reaction and sedimentation take place rapidly at higher tempt.

 The aim of the lime soda process is to make the calcium and mg content of the hard water take their insoluble form(such as calcium carbonates and magnesium hydroxide) so they precipitate out. The following reaction take place

Lime-Soda Chemistry
1. 1st Stage Treatment (Lime only)
a. Carbon Dioxide Removal (< 8.3 pH) * CO2 + Ca(OH)2 * Ca + 2HCO3 + Ca(OH)2
* Mg + 2HCO3 + Ca(OH)2

CaCO3 + H2O 2CaCO3 + 2H2O(pH 8.3-9.4)

CaCO3 + Mg + CO3 + 2H2O(pH >10.8)

b. Carbonate Hardness Removal

c. Magnesium Hardness Removal (>pH 10.8) * Mg + CO3 + Ca(OH)2 CaCO3 + Mg(OH)2

* Mg + SO4 + Ca(OH)2 2. 2nd Stage Treatment (Soda Ash)

* Ca + SO4 + Na2CO3
* Ca + Cl2 + Na2CO3

Ca + SO4 + Mg(OH)2

Na2SO4 + CaCO3

CaCO3 + 2NaCl

 Limes reacts with bicarbonates of Ca and Mg to form carbonates and water. Calcium carbonate is insoluble and settles in the form of precipitate. Magnesium carbonate reacts wit additional lime and are converted in to magnesium hydroxide which is insoluble in water and settles in water

From the reactions the following points are noted

Mg and Ca sulphate and chlorides react with soda ash and lime and form insoluble precipitates as is clear from the above chemical reaction

Lime soda process depends on

Amount of free CO2 present Amount of half-bound CO2, which is portion of that in the bicarbonate alkalinity Non carbonate hardness Total mg Content of lime and soda in the commercial chemicals

 It is very economical If this process is combined with sedimentation with coagulation, lesser quantity of coagulants shall be required. The pH value of the water is increased after this process, which will reduce the corrosion of the distribution pipes the total mineral content of the water are also reduced in addition to the hardness removal of water. Up to certain extent the iron and magnesium also removed from the water Some time the increased level of alkalinity kills the pathogenic bacteria and reduces the load on disinfection plant.

Advantages

Disadvantages
It requires skilled supervision Large quantity of insoluble precipitate in the form of sludge is obtained in this method , whose proper disposal is required If proper recarbinisation is not done incrustation of the pipe wall will be done and will causes trouble in the operation of filter This process removes hardness only upto 50mg/l this prosess is not good from laundry point of view for washing clothes.

2. Zeolite or cat-ion exchange /base exchange process

Zeolites are micro-porous, alumino-silicate minerals commonly used as commercial adsorbents The hard water is passed through a bed of zeolite sand (complex silicate of aluminium and sodium), while passing through it the Ca and Mg cations get repiaced by sodium from exchanger and the water becomes soft

Zeolite

 Zeolite unit is provided in place of filtering media of sand and gravel The hard water is allowed to enter from the top and is evenly distributed over the bed of zeolite.
after passing through the zeolite the treated water is collected at the bottom when sufficient quantity of water has been treated and the calcium aad Mg has replaced the sodium of the zeolite.

Zeolite water softener

The sodium from the zeolite and goes on getting exhausted and after some time it can not remove the hardness of the water. But the reactions are reversible and zeolite can be recharged by passing through it in a solution of common salt

Advantages
1. Hardness can be completely removed 2. Process can be made automatically 3. Easy operation. No experts required 4. Less time and sludge 5. Small area requires

Disadvantages
Only Ca+ and Mg+ ions can be removed Large amount of Na ions present in treated water. Leaves other acids which causes corrosion Fe 2+ and Mn 2+ containing water can not be treated because Fe and Mn Zeolite can not be regenerated 5. Water should be free from suspended impurities to prevent clogging on Zeolite beds. 6. Treated water contains more dissolved solids. 1. 2. 3. 4.