Culligan Commercial & Industrial Water Dealkalization

When water is too alkaline, it may not be suitable for many purposes. Commercial and industrial facilities can reduce their water’s pH level through the dealkalization process, which removes alkaline ions. Chloride cycle anion ion exchange dealkalizers use exchange resins that capture those unwanted ions and replace them.

This process is like the process that sodium cycle cation water softeners operate on, which uses resins made from concentrated sodium chloride (NaCl) solutions. These systems take sodium (Na) molecules out of soft water and replace them with harder minerals like calcium or magnesium.

Dealkalization

What Does a Dealkalizer Do?

What does a Dealkalizer do

Ion dealkalizers target carbonate (CO3) and bicarbonate (HCO3) molecules, nitrates (NO3), and sulfates (SO3) for removal. With a salt or brine resin concentration of 5 pounds per cubic foot, dealkalizers can remove unwanted ions, including:

  • 90-95% of carbonates and bicarbonates
  • 99% of nitrates
  • 99% of sulfates

The exchangers become even more effective by augmenting the resin mixture by 0.25 pounds of caustic soda (NaOH) per cubic foot.

Pretreatment Requirements

Pretreatment Requirements Dealkalization

It is essential to treat water to get the best results out of any ion exchange system. Pretreating the water with a softener increases water use by 10-25%, but it is an essential step for some systems. Keep these tips in mind, especially if your facility will be utilizing a multi-stage water treatment process:

  • For systems with only salt, use soft water for regeneration if the raw water contains either carbonates or hydroxides.
  • For systems with salt and caustic soda, use soft water for regeneration and soften the water before dealkalizing it. Using a sodium cycle softener can reduce the risk of calcium carbonate and magnesium hydroxide depositing on the anion bed as solids.
  • Choose your system’s water softener carefully. Factors such as flow rate and water usage should help determine which softener system is the right fit for your facility.

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Dealkalization Process

Chloride ion exchangers remove alkaline ions by exchanging chloride ions with anions. The exchanger handles this process by forcing the feed water, or pretreated water, to interact with a concentrated anion resin that disrupts the water’s structure.

Before the direct dealkalization process begins, we recommend using a sodium cycle softener first to remove suspended substances from the raw or feed water. A sodium cycle softener also changes the composition of the water to reduce the likelihood of calcium carbonate and magnesium hydroxide deposits on the dealkalizer’s resin bed. If these harder substances precipitate on the bed’s surface, they will disrupt the dealkalizing process. Softened water can then be fed into the dealkalization system.

Dealkalization Process

Different dealkalizers can use resins with varying levels of strength, but they commonly use a Type 2 strong base anion resin. ResinTech SBG2, for example, is a durable enough resin to remove almost all alkaline ions in a system’s feed water. Salt can regenerate this resin, and it removes at least 90% of carbonates and bicarbonates and at 99% of nitrates and sulfates.

However, all resin beds need regular, sufficient regeneration. Without timely applications of salt brine, the captured alkaline ions can start to leak out of the resin bed. One of the first signs that a resin bed hasn’t been receiving sufficient regeneration is the release of bicarbonate ions. Regeneration forces these ions into the bed during regeneration, but some ions can linger and leak during a service run. The amount of bicarbonate leakage depends on the alkalinity percentage and total dissolved solid content of the feedwater.


Check out our dealkalizer systems:

Culligan® Hi-Flo® 50 Series Industrial Dealkalizer Systems

Culligan® Side Mount (CSM™) Series Heavy-Duty Dealkalizer Systems


Choose Reynolds Culligan for Your Dealkalization Needs

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Reynolds Culligan specializes in creating and distributing complete water treatment systems so facilities can safely and efficiently treat water onsite. We’re the only Mid-Atlantic company that offers comprehensive, single-source water treatment services. We can create a personalized water treatment technology system that fits your facility’s needs, so you can treat your water and minimize disruption to your area’s water table.

We have been serving commercial and industrial centers for over 70 years, and our staff has the expertise and technical experience to ensure your company receives the services it needs. Our service representatives and sales consultants can help you navigate local, state, and federal regulatory standards and accommodate the needs generated by the unique chemical makeup of your municipality’s water.

Contact us today to see how we can develop an optimal water treatment solution for your operation.