Softener Calculation

Step1 :- Get the water analysis. See that all analysis is ions are given as ppm CaCO3. You can
not add mg/l as ions and ppm as CaCO3. All ions should be in the same unit.
If not in the same unit ,first convert all ions to ppm CaCO3 and then feed in the analysis shown
below
Water Analysis

Cations as CaCO3 Anions as CaCO3

Ca 85 HCO3 190
Mg 25 CO3 0
Na 140 OH 0
K 30 Cl 60
Fe SO4 30
NO3 5
Total cation 280 Total anion 280
Total Hardness as CaCO3( Ca+Mg) 110 SiO2 10
%N a/TC 0.5 CO2 5
T.AlkalinityasCaCO3(HCO3+CO3+OH) 190
EMA as CaCO3 (Cl+SO4+NO3) 95
%alkalinity/TC 67.85714
%weak acids/T.A 5.357143
%Cl 21.42857
%SiO2/TA 1.785714

Step 2 :- Decide on a Hardness leakage in the effluent and select the regeneration level
Step3 :- From the regeneration level select the Exchange capacity from the graph or Table .
Using correction factor you get the actual operation capacity
Step 4 :- Calculate the OBR required . OBR – output between regeneration is Service flow rate
*time the unit runs. There are many instances when OBR is given by the customer but the flow
rate is not known then OBR/time gives the flow (M3/Hr) If you know the flow feed in the flow
and service cycle duration otherwise feed the OBR .
Step 5 :-Calculate Resin Quantity
Resin quantity = Hardness load (ppm CaCO3)*OBR/ Operating capacity
Step3 :- Decide on thevolumetric flow rate (M3/Hr)
Hourly flow rate 10 M3/Hr 10
Service Cycle hours 24 hours 12
Total OBR between Regeneration 240 M3 120
Step4:- calculate resin quantity
Resin quantity 471.43 liters 235.71
Resin quantity 0.471 M3 0.236

Step6:- Finding the Area and diameter of the softener unit

Area = Volume/Height ( height is here is the Bed Depth )
Since we know the volume of resin and we select 1.2 M as bed depth
(Bed depth according to Resin manufacturer calculation should be between 750 mm to
2000mm .But for all practical purpose bed depth is kept between 1 to 1.5. for residential purpose
smaller bed depth may be used)
Area = Volume of Resin / Bed depth
Area = pD2/4 Where p =3.14 Therefore p/4 =3.14/4=0.785.
Area=0.785D2. Or D2 = sqrt (Area/0.785).

Step5 :- Calculating Softener Dimension

Bed depth 1 Meter 1
Area 0.47 0.24
Diameter 0.800 M 0.500 M
Diameter 800 mm 500.0 mm
Area 0.5024 M2 0.19625 M2
Actual Bed depth 0.94 M 1.201 M

Step 7 :- Calculate the Salt Quantity required for Regeneration

Salt quantity in Kgs = Resin volume in M3 * regeneration Level gm/L

Step 6:_Calculating salt quantity

Regeneration Level 160 gm/L 160
Salt required 75.43 Kgs 37.71

Step 8 :- Check linear and space Velocity

Check linear velocity. The value should be in the range of 10 – 25 M3/hr/M2. A slightly lower
value can be tolerated if the water is clear and slightly more if small increase in the hardness
leakage in the effluent can be tolerated
Linear Velocity = Flow /Area
If the Linear velocity is very high, reduce flow . For a flow of 10 M3/Hr and hardness load of
110 ppm CaCO3 the linear velocity is very for a OBR of 120 M3 and service Cycle of 12
Hours .Increase service cycle this will reduce the flow rate.
There are many instances where the Linear velocity is taken as a starting point for calculation
( Click Here)
Taking the limit of 25 M3/Hr /M2 as Maximum velocity we can calculate the actual number of
regeneration per Day.
Linear Velocity = Flow /Area
Number of regeneration per day = Derived Linear velocity /Maximum Linear velocity
Say calculated linear velocity is 20 then
Number of regeneration per day =20/25 =0.8 i.e.1
Now let us consider that calculated linear velocity is 60
Number of regeneration per day =58/25 =2.32 i.e.2
Similarly if calculated linear velocity is 75 than
Number of regeneration per day =78/25 =3 .12 i.e.3
Actual Flow = (Actual Linear Velocity /N)* Actual area
Step 9 Check space velocity
Space velocity = Actual flowM3/Hr / calculated amount of resin in M3
Step10
Finding the correct OBR = OBR per Day in M3/Number of regeneration
 Step 7:- Check Linear and Space velocity
Linear Velocity 19.90 M3/Hr 50.96 M3/Hr
Number of regeneration 1 Per day 2 Per day
Flow per Hour 9.4 M3/Hr 6 M3/Hr
Actual Linear velocity 18.71 M3/Hr/M2 30.57 M3/Hr/M2
Space Velocity 19.94 M3/Hr/M3 25.45 M3/Hr/M3
Step 8 :- find OBR per regeneration 240 M3 60 M3

Step 11 :- Calculate regenrant flow time and flow .

At 3M3/hr/M3 the regenrant flow in M3/hr is resin Quantity X Velocity.
Flow in M3/hr = 3 X M3 of resin

Volume in M3
Time = -------------------
Flow in M3/hr
There are times when the regenrant contact time is assumed to be 30 minutes minimum and
chemical injection flow rate is calculated on this basis.
Volume in M3 Volume in M3
Regenrant flow (M3/hr) = --------------------------- = --------------------------.
Time in hours 0.5 Hours

Step12:- Calculate Rinse timing :- Fast rinse in normally recommended between 12 – 16

M3/hr/M3 velocity. Let us be conservative and use 12 M3/hr/M3 for calculation purpose which is
normally taken by all designers.
Fast Rinse flow = 12 X Resin Qty
Volume of water per M3 of Resin
Fast Rinse period (minutes) = --------------------------------------------
Rinse Flow
Rinse volume is considered to be 5M /M3 of resin. (5 bed volumes)
3

In this case = 5 X 1.071 = 5.355.

5* Resin Volume
Final Rinse period = ----------------------- X 60 = Time in Minutes
Rinse Flow rate

Step13 :- There are many instances when Slow rinse is done after Chemical injection . This is
done to flush out the excess chemical. The flow rate is same as that of injection flow rate.
TECHNICAL DATA SHEET

Parameters Unit Values

Diameter of Vessel Meter
Diameter of vessel mm
Area of Vessel Sq. meter M2.
Bed Depth Meter
Unit HOS Meter
Resin Volume Cubic Meter (M3)
Salt required Kgs
Hardness in influent As CaCO3
Output between Regeneration(OBR) M3
Minimum Treatment Flow M3/Hr
Maximum Treatment flow M3/Hr
Normal flow M3/Hr M3/Hr
Period between regeneration Hours
Regeneration flow M3/Hr
Slow Rinse M3/Hr
Fast Rinse M3/Hr
Minimum pressure Kg/cm2
Maximum pressure Kg/cm2
Backwash Flow M3/Hr
Backwash period minutes

Note
1. There is no Backwash if the unit is upflow.
2. The direction of salt injection is from top to bottom in upflow units.
3. Minimum injection is taken as 30 minutes and regeneration flow rate is calculated on this
basis. Check Step no 11.