TEXTILE INDUSTRY

Water hardness is the presence of multivalent cations, most remarkably

calcium and magnesium particles in water. These particles happen in higher
fixations and will have higher contributions to the hardness in water. Water is
delegated either soft, moderately hard, hard, or exceptionally hard, contingent
upon the concentration of cations in water. Calcium and magnesium particles
respond with bicarbonate species in water to frame dissolvable salts of
Ca(HCO3)2 and Mg(HCO3)2 that are responsible for hardness. Water hardness
is either temporary or permanent.
Hardness brought about by calcium and magnesium bicarbonates is
known as temporary or carbonate hardness and is easily eliminated by lime-
soda softening processes. Hardness brought about by magnesium chloride or
magnesium sulfate is known as permanent or noncarbonate hardness and can
be taken out by the lime-soda ash softening processes. As applied to boilers,
water hardness is vital for industries, for example, sugar industries, food
processing, and textile industries (Thaxter, 2014).
Textile industry, specially textile wet processing industry need
huge consumption of water for processing different steps like, desizing,
scouring, bleaching, dyeing, washing etc. In textile wet processing industry
different types of methods are used to purify water. If hardness is found in
water, it must be softened before using in the textile processing and this
softening is done by two ways:
1. Undergo the hard water at an appropriate process.
2. Treating the hard water by using sequestering agent.
As per Kiron, M.I., (2021), soda-alum process, lime-soda process, and
base exchange process are the frequently used water purification process in the
textile wet processing industry.
A. Water Purification Processes
 Soda-alum process
Hard water is first pumped into the reaction tank and then
aluminum sulphate is added to it as flocculant. About 20-30 min
is allowed to react and then the impurities are allowed to settle for
about 30 min before filtration.
 Many flocculants need alkali as an assistant flocculant. If
additional alkali is not added, the total alkalinity is reduced and
part of aluminum sulphate, being water soluble may pass through
the filter. As aluminum hydroxide and metals precipitate
downwards, clear water arrives at the top and is decanted.

 Lime-soda process
In this process lime and sodium carbonate are added to precipitate
the calcium and magnesium salts as temporary hardness.

For permanent hardness, the reactions are:

The softened water is usually slightly alkaline with 1-4 degree

residual hardness.

 Base exchange process

When hard water is passed through a bed consisting of zeolites,
which are synthetic material systems composed of complex
sodium, aluminum, and silicate salts (Na2Z), the calcium and
magnesium ions are exchanged. The displacing reactions for
temporary hardness are:

For permanent hardness the reactions are:

 The process is reversible, and the bed (Na2Z) can be regenerated
by passing concentrated salt solution. This method of water
softening yields a very soft water (0.5-1 o hardness).

Water softening by demineralization systems can be accomplished

using either mixed bed (both cation and anion resin in one bed) or
two bed system (resins remain separated according to their
charges). The active sites of the resins are limited, and the sites are
filled when water passes through these columns and must be
regenerated again. Their ion-exchange capacity is greater than that
of zeolite.

B. Sequestering Agent:
A chemical capable of reacting with metal ions so that they become a
part of complex anion. The principle is used to extract Ca and Mg ions from
hard water, Fe (11). Copper ions form peroxide bleach liqueur and serious
metal ions from dye bath. by for many a soluble complex in which the metal is
held in a non-ionization from for example.
Sodium tetra metaphosphate → Na4P4O12
Sodium hexa metaphosphate → Na6P6O12