Ion exchange equipment

By AMIR SOHAIL
ROLL NO# 15920
Semester 7th
Chemical Engineering Technology
Government College University,
Faisalabad
 Introduction
• Ion exchange is the reversible
interchange of ions between a solid (ion
exchange material) and a liquid in
which there is no permanent change in
the structure of the solid. Ion exchange
is used in water treatment and also
provides a method of separation in
many non-water processes. It has
special utility in chemical synthesis,
medical research, food processing,
mining, agriculture and a variety of
other areas.
• The utility of ion exchange rests with
the ability to use and reuse the ion
exchange material. For example, in
water softening:

• 2RNa+ + Ca2+ $ R2Ca2+ +

2Na+
History of Ion exchanger Equipment
• Ion exchange occurs in a variety of substances and it has been used on an industrial basis
since circa 1910 with the introduction of water softening using natural and later, synthetic
zeolites. Sulfonated coal, developed for industrial water treatment, was the first ion exchange
material that was stable at low PH. The introduction of synthetic organic ion exchange resins in
1935 resulted from the synthesis 1 of phenolic condensation products containing either sulfonic
or amine groups which could be used for the reversible exchange of cations or anions.
• A variety of functional groups have been added to the condensation or addition polymers
used as the backbone structures. Porosity and particle size have been controlled by conditions
of polymerization and uniform particle size manufacturing technology. Physical and chemical
stability have been modified and improved. As a result of these advances, the inorganic
exchangers (mineral, greensand and zeolites) have been almost completely displaced by the
resinous types except for some analytical and specialized applications. Synthetic zeolites are
still used as molecular sieves.
 Ion Exchanger

Definition
• Ion exchange is based on sorption, the transfer of solutes from fluid to solid
particles. Undesired anions or cations from a liquid are exchanged for ions of the
same charge within a resin.
About Ion Exchange
• Ion exchange occurs on a resin. Resins are typically tiny particle-size solid beads.
The picture on the left shows individual resin beads, and the picture on the right
shows a variety of resins.
• The animation of ion exchange at the resin level shows the undesired ions from
the liquid feed, in green, being exchanged for ions of the same charge, in blue,
within the resin. The red co-ions are permanently bound in the resin.
 Ion exchanger characteristic
The use of ion exchangers will be subject to a certain number of conditions:
• ion exchangers have been designed to fix ions and not to filter out suspended solids, colloids or
oily emulsions. When these latter substances are present, they can only shorten the life of an ion
exchanger;
• removal of soluble organic matter is a complex task and requires a special study;
• the presence of large quantities of dissolved gas in water can cause major disturbance to
exchanger activity;
• powerful oxidants Cℓ2, O3, CℓO4 (perchlorate) damage resins;
• finally, the industrial exploitation of laboratory results or documents provided by ion exchanger
manufacturers calls for proven experience.
• the beads are mechanically and osmotically stable (minimum of broken or cracked beads).
• During the exchanges, the exchanger may be required to fix ions or ionized complexes of varying
sizes and weights.
 Cation exchangers
• Cation exchangers can be divided into two
groups:
1. highly acid cation exchangers;
2. slightly acid cation exchangers.
 Anion exchangers
• Anion exchangers can be divided into two
groups.
1. low alkalinity anionic exchangers;
2. high alkalinity ion exchangers.
 Total capacity Resin

• Table provides an indication of

Nature of the Gel Microporou
the total exchange capacities Exchanger type s type
for the various categories of
Low acidity 3.5 to 2.7 to 4.8
exchangers expressed in
cation 4.2
equivalent-grams per liter of
High acidity 1.4 to 1.7 to 1.9
resin
cation 2.2
Low alkalinity 1.4 to 1.2 to 1.5
anion 2.0
High alkalinity
anion 1.2 to 1.2 to 1.4
Type 1 1.4 1.3 to 1.5
Type 2 1.3 to
1.5
 Normal Operation in MBIE
• Water to be treated passes downward through a bed of resins. Soft water
enters from up stream and after passing through resin bed it discharges
from Down stream. The effluent from Large Vessel then becomes the inlet of
the polisher vessel where it enters from up stream . After passing through
polisher, the discharge is collected in the tank (De-min water storage
Tank). Ion exchange between resin and water impurities takes place until
the resin is exhausted. The quality of Demineralized water is monitored
automatically by measuring its conductivity. A conductivity meter is
installed at the outlet of the Mix bed. During the operation, if conductivity
lies above the set value then stand-by Mix bed comes in operation
automatically. The first Mix bed goes to regeneration process and after the
completion it goes to stand by mode.
 Reaction in MBIE
1.Anion Exchange Resin = R+_OH–
2. Cation Exchange Resin = R-_ H+

• R-_ H+ + Ca+CO3 - R-Ca+ + H+CO3 –

• R+_OH- + H+CO3 - R+CO3- + H2O

• After cyclic output of Mixed Bed resin becomes

exhausted, it needs to be regenerated. Resin is
regenerated by using HCl & NaOH. The following
reactions occur during regeneration.

• R-_ Ca+ + H+ Cl - R-_H+ + CaCl2 (Drain)

• R+_CO3- + 2Na+OH- R+OH- + Na2CO3

(Drain
 Reaction in MBIE
• The demineralization plant is fed with soft
water. The soft water is routed to the
cationic exchanger first. The cationic filling
material in the bed removes the cation like
calcium, magnesium, sodium and introduces
H ions instead. Following chemical
reactions takes place:
1. RH2+ Mg(HCO3)2 RMg + 2H2O
+2CO2
2. RH2+ Ca(HCO3)2 RCa + 2H2O +
2CO2
3. RH2+ MgCl2 RMg + 2HCl
4. RH2+ CaSO4 RCa + H2SO4
5. RH + NaC l RNa + HCl
6. RH2+ Na2SO4 RNa2+ H2SO4
 Types of Ion Exchangers

Fixed Bed Ion exchanger

• Fixed bed ion exchangers are the most
basic and most commonly used type of
ion exchanger. They contain a packed
bed of resin where the ion exchange
takes place.
 Types of Ion Exchanger
Counter current ion
exchanger
• Counter current ion
exchangers are considered
continuous process
equipment, although the
process is actually
intermittent. The solution runs
for a period of time, then stops
to allow a slug of resin that is
moved by hydraulic impulse to
flow counter current to the
solution.
 Types of Ion Exchanger

Continuous ion
exchanger
• Continuous ion exchangers
consist of two columns in parallel.
Ion exchange takes place in one
column, while the resin in the
second column is being
regenerated, resulting in
continuous operation.
 Types of Ion Exchanger
Mixed Bed ion exchanger
• Well and surface water normally contain dissolved salts.
• These salts are for example positive charged cation like calcium (Ca), magnesium
(Mg),sodium (Na)
• And also, negative charged anions like chloride (Cl), sulphate (SO4), bicarbonate (HCO3).
• To remove these salts from the water a desalination process, like an ion exchanger can be
applied.
• An ion exchanger removes the dissolved salts from the water through anion exchange.
• Depending on the salt concentration of the raw water, anion exchanger plant can have
different process steps, from part-desalination to full-desalination.
• A mixed bed ion exchange (MBIE) is normally used for full-desalination as final stage,
consisting of a mixed bed with cationic and anionic resins mixed together in one bed.
 Types of Ion Exchanger

Mixed Bed ion

Mixed Bed ion exchanger
exchanger
 Regeneration
• The “reactivation” process is called regeneration and is carried out using a
strong acid for the cation (as a source of hydronium ions) and liquid caustic
(sodium hydroxide) as a source of hydroxyl ions for the anion. Resin is
regenerated on site using hydrochloric or sulfuric acid and sodium hydroxide
(caustic) to regenerate the cation and anion respectively. Controls cause the
resin to backwash and then draw a set amount of regenerant chemical for a
specified period of time and at a specified flowrate, followed by a slow and fast
rinse. In the case of mixed bed resin, a controlled backwash causes the resin to
separate and two manifolds function to direct acid to the cation and caustic to
the anion. Alternatively, the resin may be furnished in vessels by the Water
Professionals® and regenerated off site, with the many advantages shown under
deionization.
 Regeneration

• Step 1-Backwashing/Separation:
• Step 2-Chemical Inflow
• Step 3-Slow Rinsing
• Step 4 - Washing by Main Stream:
• Step 5-Water level drop:
• Step 6-Mixing of Resins
• Step 7-Fill up with water:
• Step 8-Washing to conductivity:
 Neutralization Tank
• During the regeneration of mixed bed or
Polisher, waste water is produced which is
directed towards neutralization tank 50-V33
for the neutralization step before sending the
waste water to sewers. The neutralization tank
has a capacity of 58m3. Tank is equipped with
two agitators (R12/R13). HCL and NaOH are
fed from the top of neutralization tank. Waste
water from MBIE is controlled by pH controller
MQ12.1 and neutralized by maintaining the pH
from 7 to 9 by either adding HCL or NaOH
depending on the pH. At the specified pH, auto
valve opens to drain out the waste water to
sewer.
 Chemical Storage Tanks
• Chemical Storage tanks for HCL are 50-V31/32
having capacity of 35m3 each. Both the tanks
are connected with a balancing line so that the
level in both tanks is always same. Level
control is installed in the V31 vessel. To fill the
tanks, pump P33 is used. First of all the HCL
tanker is connected to the pumping station by
the help of hose which flushed with water
before connecting. After that the air valve and
the pump suction and discharge valve should
be open before starting the pump. HCL vessels
are filled until the specified level is reached.
Level measurement (ML23.1) is set to 90%
filling of tank. If the level reached 95% then
overfull alarm set off and valve VP23.1 (HCL
inlet Valve) is closed for safety reasons and
the filling will stop. Same procedure is carried
out for the filling of NaOH vessel (50-V38)
having pump P32 and inlet valve VP21.1.
Any Question