DM Plant Operation

RAW WATER & IMPURITIES

✔ Raw water is basic requirement of any
industry
✔ Its physical & chemical properties
depend on source & strata on which it
flows
✔ It picks up mineral salt from soil
✔ It further gets polluted with multifarious
organic and inorganic substances
✔ Besides dissolved salts it contains
suspended solids also
✔ Silicate matter is also present
VARIOUS IMPURITIES
✔ Suspended particle

✔ Alkaline salt such as Bi-Carbonates &

carbonates of Ca, Mg & Na

✔ Neutral salts such as Sulphates , Chlorides &

Nitrate of Ca, Mg & Na

✔ Dissolved metal like Fe & Manganese

✔ Organic compounds

✔ Silica

✔ Dissolved CO2
RAW WATER QUALITY
Parameter Unit Raw water DM water
pH 7.5 to 8.1 8.5

Total Alkalinity 440 NIL

Ca Hardness 137.5 NIL

Total hardness ppm as 330 NIL

CaCO3
Silica 55 0.05

Chlorides 255.6 NIL

Sulphates 57.5 NIL

Turbidity NTU 15 NIL

Organic ppm 5 NIL

TDS ppm > 400 1

Conductivity US/cm >600 1

 Common water impurities

TOTAL DISSOLVED SOLIDS -

• The primary inorganic ions that make up TDS
is Calcium Ca++, Magnesium Mg++, Sodium
Na+, Iron Fe++, Manganese Mn++,
Bicarbonate HCO3-, Chloride Cl-, Sulfate
SO4--, Nitrate NO3-, Carbonate CO3--.

✔ The TDS can be estimated by measuring the

specific conductance of the water
✔ Source TDS - mg/l
✔ Distilled Water 0
✔ Two-column Deionizer Water 8
✔ Rain and Snow 10
✔ Lake 170
✔ Rivers 210
✔ Oceans 35,000
✔ Brine Well 125,000
✔ Dead Sea 250,000
HARDNESS -
• Temporary Hardness Salts is due to
presence of HCO3 , CO3 of Ca++ &
Mg++
• Permanent Hardness is due to
presence of SO4, NO3 , Cl of Ca++ &
Mg++

Equivalent Mineral Acidity :

Sum of all ions of SO4,Cl & NO3
ALKALINITY -
are of three types :
Bicarbonate alkalinity
Carbonate alkalinity
Hydroxide & Caustic alkalinity

Total Alkalinity = HCO3 + CO3 + OH

 CARBON DIOXIDE -

Rain water as it is falling through the

sky absorbs Carbon Dioxide to
make Carbonic Acid
✔ The pH value will drop as the
concentration of carbon dioxide
increases,
✔ and conversely will increase as the
bicarbonate alkalinity content increases.
H2O + CO2 <====> H2CO3 <====>
H+ + HCO3-
SILICA -
• Silica (SiO2) is an oxide of silicon,
and is present in almost all minerals.
• Silica evaporates in a boiler at high
temperatures and then redeposits on
the turbine blades. These deposits
must be periodically removed or
damage to the turbine will occur.
IRON-

✔ Iron can exist in water in one of

two forms or both. Treatment
depends on the form of iron
present.

• Waters containing "ferrous iron" are

clear and colorless when drawn.

• Exposure to air converts ferrous iron

into the the insoluble, reddish brown
"ferric iron".
 Importance of Treatment

✔ To prevent scaling on steam generating

surfaces

✔ To give adequate protection to various

metallic surface from corrosion attack

✔ To prevent turbine & its auxiliaries from

failure

✔ To achieve maximum heat utilisation for

increasing efficiency
Treatment stages :
To make raw water suitable for boiler
the treatment is carried out in three
stages

✔ Pretreatment

✔ Demineralisation

✔ Chemical Conditioning
Pre Treatment :
✔ The purpose of pre-treatment is to make
raw water suitable for DM plant

✔ Pre-treatment make water free from

suspended, colloidal and organic impurities

✔ Process involves :
✔ settling and coagulation

✔ Filtration
Settling and Coagulation
Remove turbidity and suspended matters
Heavy particles of suspended matter easily removed by
settling water in a tank
Turbidity, micro-organism and colour are present in colloidal
form, so they do not settle easily
Coagulation is a process of breaking-up of colloidal solutions
into suspended solids, which settles down easily
Alum is most commonly used as coagulant because of lower
cost and least corrosive to handle
Al2 (SO4)3 + 3Ca (HCO3)2 = 2Al (OH)2 + 3CaSO4 + 6CO2
Filtration :
is defined as passing of fluid through porous
medium to remove matters held in
suspension.
It removes :
✔ Suspended silt
✔ Clay
✔ Colloidals
✔ Micro-organisms (algae, bacteria & virus )

Backwashing is done periodically to remove

dirt accumulated in Filter
 OVERVIEW OF DM PLANT
Degasser
tower
Weak Strong
Raw water
Acid Acid
inlet
cation cation
Pressure
filter Degasser
tank

DM Water
storage tank
Weak
Strong
Base Mixed
Base
Anion Bed
anion
DM water supply to
unit
Demineralisation System

The process of Demineralisation based

on the
✔ conversion of salts to their
corresponding acid by Cation
exchangers

✔ removal of acids by Anion

exchangers resin

✔ Two exchangers are normally in

series (Cation precedes anion unit )
ION EXCHANGE RESINS
Ion exchange resins are synthetic resin made by
polymerisation of various organic compounds
organic compounds are styrene & Divinyl
Benzene
Long chained Co polymer formed from theses
compounds (80%-92%) & Minor portion Di-
venenyl Benzene (8% to 20%)
Dievenyl Benzene acts as cross link to hold
polymer chain
To make SAC resin polymer is treated with
Concentrated H2SO4
To make anion resin the matrix is
chloromethylated or aminated
Cation resin are Strongly or weekly acidic

✔ Strongly acidic resin contain sulfonic acidic group

SO3H

✔ Weekly acidic contain Carboxylic acidic group

COOH

Anion resin are Strongly or weekly basic

✔ Strong base resin have quaternary ammonia

function group

✔ week base resin have polyamine functional group

containing amine NH2 , secondary amine NHR ,
tertiary amine NR2
Operation of DM plant

Cation Exchanger :

WEAK ACID CATION :

Cations of Alkaline salts are removed

Exchanger Process :

2HR + CaCO3 CaR2+ H2CO3

2HR+Mg (HCO3)2 Mg R2 +2H2 CO3
Strong Acid cation :
Cation of neutral salts are removed
Exchanger Process :
2HR + Na2 SO4 2NaR + H2SO4
HR + NaHCO3 NaR+H2CO3
2HR + CaSO4 CaR2 + H2SO4
HR + NaCl NaR + HCl

✔ Exhaustion of resins can be monitored by

sodium leakage from the bed as Na is
monovalent and starts slipping first
✔ At the time of Exhaustion FMA drops
.
REGENERATION of CATION UNIT :
✔ Either H2SO4 or HCL is used as regenerant

✔ Regeneration of Strong acid cation & Week acid

cation are being done in thorough fare

✔ Effluent of SAC is used as regenerant of WAC

✔ Counter-current regeneration of SAC is preferred

for better water quality and chemical optimisation
✔ Effluent during cation regeneration is acidic

2NAR+ H2SO4 2HR + NA2 SO4

CaR2+2HCL 2HR + CaCL2
MgR2+2HCL 2HR + MgCL2
Anion Exchanger :

WEAK BASE ANION RESIN :

✔ removes only highly dissociated acids (H2SO4,
HCl & HNO3) from Effluent of Cation Exchanger
✔ Cant remove either weekly dissociated Carbonic
acid or Silicic acid

Exchanger Process :

ROH + HCl RCl + H2O

2ROH + H2SO4 R2SO4 +2H2O
ROH + HNO3 RNO3 + H2O
Strong Base Anion :
✔ Remove both weekly dissociated & strongly
dissociated acids
✔ Strongly dissociated acids come as slip from WBA
Exchanger Process :
ROH + H2SiO3 R2SiO3 + 2H2O
2ROH + H2CO3 R2CO3 +2H2O
ROH + HCl RCl + H2O
Exhaustion of resins can be monitored by
✔ Increase in conductivity
✔ Decrease in pH
✔ Silica Leakage
◆ Silica is the main criteria of exhaustion of anion
resin .During Silica leakage conductivity remains
steady
 ANION EXCHANGER
Air vent

WATER INLET

Caustic
injection
WEAK BASE STRONG BASE
ANION ANION
Air vent

WATER
OUTLET

D
r
a
I
n
REGENERATION OF ANION UNIT :
✔ NaOH is used for regeneration of Anion
unit
✔ Effluent of SBA is used regenerant of
WBA

Regeneration Process :

RCl +NaOH ROH + NaCl

R2SO4 + 2NaOH 2ROH + Na2SO4
R2SiO3 + 2NaOH 2ROH +
Na2SiO3

Effluent during anion regeneration

process is alkaline
Function of Degasser :

✔ Carbonic acid is very week acid , it

decomposes into H2O & CO2 when fall on
pressurized Air

H2CO3 H2O + CO2

Non functioning of Degasser will increase load

on SBA
Mix Bed Unit :

✔ Mix Bed unit is known as polisher

✔ it produces DM water of conductivity
around 0.2 µS/cm
✔ Silica Leakage is <0.05
✔ It consists of Mixture of Strong acid
Cation and strong base anion resin
✔ It acts as infinite series of
Demineralising pair
✔ Exhaustion point is very sharp
 MIXED BED
AIR VENT
Caustic inlet
WATER INLET

Mixed
Bed Acid inlet

WATER OUTLET
z
Air In

Drain pit
OPTIMIZATION IN DM PLANT
OPERATION

DM Plant operation can be optimized by :

✔ Proper selection of regeneration system

✔ Using atmospheric degasser

✔ Selection of layout and resin type

✔ Output based on water quality

✔ Minimizing deposit
Regeneration system :

➨ Co - current regeneration
➨ Counter current regeneration
Counter current regeneration has
following advantages
✔ Reduced chemical consumption

✔ Improved water quality

✔ Less effluent discharge

STRONG ACID CATION RESIN

Operating capacity verses Regeneration

level : (Na = 40 %, Alkalinity = 50 %)

Regeneration Exchange Capacity

level ( Kg CaCO 3 / M 3 of Resin )
3
(Kg of HCl / M of Resin)
Co-Current Counter current

50 46 55.2
60 51 59.5
70 55 63.36
80 58.5 66.72
90 61.5 69.12
100 64 71.52
110 66.5 73.44

120 68.5 75.36

Increase in output of 10 to 20% in

68.575.36

countercurrent with same regeneration level

STRONG BASE ANION RESIN
Operating capacity verses Regeneration
level : (SO4 = 25 %, CO2 = 20 % , Silica =
25 %)
Regeneration Exchange Capacity
level ( Kg CaCO3 / M3 of Resin )
(Kg of NaOH / M3 of
Resin) Co-Current Counter current

40 26.2 30.0
50 27.6 32.2
60 29.4 34.0
70 31.3 35.4
80 33.6 36.8
100 36.3 38.2
120 38.2 39.1
6 8.57 5.36
STRONG ACID CATION RESIN
Sodium leakage verses Regeneration level :
(Na / TC = 50 %); TC = Total cation

Regeneration Sodium leakage

level
(Kg of HCl / M3 of Resin)
Co-Current Counter current

50 3.9 %
60 3.0 %
Average
70 2.5 % sodium
leakage is
80 2.0 %
less than
100 1.5 % 100 ppb
(i.e. 0.1 ppm)
120 1.2 %
150 0.9 %
6 8.57 5.36
STRONG BASE ANION RESIN
Regeneration level verses Silica leakage :
( Silica / TA = 25 %); TA = Total Anion

Regeneration Average silica leakage

level (PPM)
(Kg of NaOH / M3 of
Resin) Co-Current Counter current

40 0.23 0.030
50 0.19 0.025
60 0.15 0.020
80 0.085 0.012
100 0.065 0.008
120 0.048 0.005
6 8.57 5.36
Selection of vessel configuration
The plant configuration will depend on
✔ feed water composition,
✔ water quality required
✔ economics of operation.
➭ A) [SAC] - [WBA]:
Is used to obtain a partially deionized
water without removal of CO2 and SiO2.
➭ B) [SAC] - [SBA]:
Preferred for treating low mineralized
water or for small size plants.
 ➭ C) [SAC] - [WBA] - [SBA]:

Well suited to treat waters with low

alkalinity, when the FMA (Cl + NO3 +
SO4) is typically > 60% of the total
anions.
➭ D) [WAC] - [SAC] - [SBA]:

Preferred with feed waters containing a

high proportion of temporary hardness
(>60%) and low FMA.
DEGASSER :
✔ Removing of CO2 before it reaches
to anion resin will reduce load on
anion , thus chemical
consumption will reduce
✔ For larger plant if CO2 is greater
than 80 - 100 mg / l the use of
degasser is very ecomomical
Output based on water quality :

✔ Raw water analysis is required on

regular basis.
✔ Output cutoff point based on

– Conductivity comparator of SAC

– Conductivity of SBA and MB

– Silica leak from SBA and MB

High reading of conductivity comparator :

✔ Sodium leakage
✔ Improper regeneration

✔ Calcium sulphate precipitation in case of H2SO4

Regeneration

➭ To avoid CaSO4 precipitation , strength of H2SO4 during

initial stage of regeneration should be 0.5 to 1 %
Anion output may be effected by
✔ Organic fouling

✔ Silica deposit

➭ For removal of organic fouling brine

treatment is required
➭ Silica deposit can be encountered by
double regeneration
High conductivity of Anion

•Na leakage from cation

•Chlorine leakage from Anion
•Improper regeneration.
•Organic fouling
Minimizing deposits:
Mainly three types of deposit affect
resin performance:
• Caso4 precipitation on cation resin.
•Organic fouling on Anion resin
•Silica deposit on SBA resin
Effect of deposits:

•Conductivity remains on higher side.

•Silica slippage
•Low output
Remedial measures for deposits:
•Caso4
•Use low strength of H2So4(0.5 to 1%)
during regeneration
- HCL wash
•Organic fouling
•Brine wash
Silica deposit
- Double regeneration of Anion