SMBS

Sodium metabisulfite is a chemical compound with the formula Na 2S2O5. It is also known as
sodium pyrosulfite and sodium disulfite. Na 2S2O5 is an ionic compound containing the sodium
cation (Na+) and the metabisulfite anion (S2O52-). In its standard state, sodium metabisulfite
exists as a white or yellowish-white powder

 Na2S2O5 (sodium metabisulfite) + H2O → 2 NaHSO3 (sodium bisulfite)

 NaHSO3 + HOCl → NaHSO4 (sodium bisulfate) + HCl (hydrochloric acid)
 NaHSO3 + Cl2 + H2O → NaHSO4 + 2 HCl

SMBS remove free chlorine and save RO membrane from oxidation due to chlorine

To remove 1ppm chlorine we dose 3ppm SMBS (1:3)

SMBS dosing is done into feed water

Chlorine change the structure of the polyamide layer

SMBS Dosing = feed flow * 3ppm required * running hour

E.g. Feed flow =100 m 3/h running hr. = 24hr

1 m3 =1000 L & 3ppm =3mg/L

So, 100000*3*24 =7200000 mg =7.2Kg

Water required = pump flow * plant Running hour

At 50% pump flow =2.5 liter

2.5*24= 60 liter

Solution

7.2kg in 60 liter water

For SMBS DOSING PUMP Setting

Dosage = (Feed flow* SMBS ppm*2.5*/ Dilution Ratio)/ (1000*Specific gravity*Pump Capacity)

Pump Setting = √Dosage

Also,

Pump output = Max pump output* %Speed* %Stroke

If pump is setup at 50 speed and stroke length 20 so,

5*(50/100)*(0.20) = 0.5 l/h

ANTISCALANT

The chemical added into feed water of RO so that there is no scaling in RO. Before antiscalant
acid would be dosed to decrease the pH of feed water so that salts remain suspended and do
not dissolve in membrane. Following are the properties of Antiscalant. Antiscalant (also known
as scale inhibitor agent) are used to minimize the potential of the scale that deposits on the
surface of a RO Membrane. Scale formation on the surface of membrane can be prevented by
adding antiscalant to the feed water.

It is widely used to avoid scaling by salts like silica, iron, barium sulphate, calcium carbonate,
gypsum etc. High Capacity scaling are Calcium Carbonate (CaCO3), Calcium Sulphate (CaSO4),
Strontium Sulphate (SrSO4), Barium Sulphate (BaSO4) and Low Capacity Scaling are Calcium
Phosphate [ Ca3(PO4)2 ], Calcium Fluoride ( CaF2 ) while Non Harmful scaling is Silica ( SiO2 )

How Does Antiscalant Work?

Threshold inhibition

It is the property of antiscalant which keep particles away from dissolving in water

Crystal Modification

The property of Antiscalant which change the crystal of ions in water due to which no scale can
be formed on the surface of membrane.

Dispersion

This property keep the particle in dispersed form and not allow them to form crystal.

Dosing of Antiscalant

We required 5ppm dosing of antiscalant to be maintained in RO feed.

= Feed flow*dosing chemical ppm * running hours

Feed flow =100 m3/h running hr. = 24hr

Dosing =5ppm

100*5*24

1 m3 =1000 L & 5ppm =5mg/L

12,000,000 mg

12Kg

Water required = pump flow * running hour

Pump flow = 5 l/h, running hour = 24

At 50% stroke Pump flow =2.5 l/h

 2.5*24

60 liter water needed for 12kg Antiscalant

For Antiscalant Dosing Pump Setting

Dosage = (Feed flow* SMBS ppm*2.5*/ Dilution Ratio)/ (1000*Specific gravity*Pump Capacity)

Pump Setting = √Dosage

Also,

Pump output = Max pump output* %Speed* %Stroke

If pump is setup at 50 speed and stroke length 20 so,

5*(50/100)*(0.20) = 0.5 l/h 

What Does Antiscalant Contain? Is It Harmful?

It contains various functional groups, such as phosphonate, carboxylic and sulphonic groups.
These groups have high affinity for the seed crystals that have growing surface. It can be
classified in three categories:

(i) Phosphorus Based: Phosphors based antiscalant are of two types:

(a) Phosphates: Phosphates are compounds that contain P-O bond with the Orthophosphate
ion [PO4]¯³ as the basic building unit. e.g. Sodium Hexametaphosphate (SHMP).

(b) Phosphonates: Phosphonates are compound that contain one or more C−PO(OH)2 groups

that are more stable than phosphates due to the existence of stable covalent C-P bond.

(ii) Synthetic Polymeric: Synthetic polymeric scale inhibitors have partly replaced phosphorus
antiscalant. These polymers contain variety of functional groups in polymer chain and normally
ionic in nature.

Carboxylic functional group on the polymeric backbone is very effective on inhibiting common
metal ion – based ion.

Functional Groups in synthetic Polymeric Antiscalant: Inhibitor that contain multiple functional

groups exhibit better inhibition performance than those with a single functional group due to
synergistic effects.e.g. Hydroxyl, sulphonic, amino etc.

Chlorine Dosing

Chlorine is dosed to kill the bacteria in water and make water pure. Chlorine should be kept till
20 min in water after that you can filter water. We feed chlorine in the form of sodium
hypochlorite into water which dissociate into hypochlorite ions. The pH of water should be
between 5 and 7 during dosage of chlorine
Chlorination Chemistry

Chlorine is most commonly available as chlorine gas and the hypochlorite of sodium and
calcium. In water, they hydrolyze instantaneously to hypochlorous acid:

Cl2 + H2O → HOCl + HCl (1)

NaOCl + H2O → HOCl + NaOH (2)

Ca(OCl)2 +2H2O → 2 HOCl + Ca(OH)2 (3)

Hypochlorous acid dissociates in water to hydrogen ions and hypochlorite ions:

HOCl ↔ H+ + OCl– (4)

The sum of Cl2, NaOCl, Ca(OCl)2, HOCl and OCl– is referred to as free available chlorine (FAC) or
free residual chlorine (FRC), given as mg/l Cl2. As discussed later, chloramines are formed from
the reaction of chlorine with ammonia compounds present in the water. These chlorine-
ammonia compounds are referred to as combined available chlorine (CAC) or combined residual
chlorine (CRC). The sum of free and combined available/residual chlorine is called the total
residual chlorine (TRC).

TRC = FAC + CAC = FRC + CRC

Hypochlorous acid is 100 times more effective than the hypochlorite ion OCl–.

When chlorine is dosed pH should be between 5 and 8.5 but the best condition for chlorine is
6.5-8. If not in this range hypochlorous acid won’t be produced. Hypochlorous acid kills the
nutrients for bacteria due to which bacteria is killed.

The chlorine dosing is not limited you can add according to your water quality but the range is
from 0.2ppm to 2ppm. When chlorine is added then FRC is founded out if it is between 0.2 and
0.3ppm it’s ok and acceptable till 0.6. If the FRC is higher then the acceptable limit it will oxidize
the pipelines and deteriorate them then you have to decrease the dosing of chlorine to the
water.