Water Softeners

Hard water is the most damaging problem found in the boiler feedwater. Hard water (with respect to the boiler) is water that contains dissolved hardness minerals above 1 ppm. Calcium, manganese and magnesium are the most common.

Hardness measurements in terms of parts per million or grains per gallon are the most common. The Term one part per million (ppm) is self-explanatory: one unit per one million units. Grains, or grains per gallon (GPG) is a weight measurement taken from the Egyptians; one dry grain of wheat, or about 1/7000 of a pound. It takes 17.1 PPM to equal 1 GPG.

The most common way to remove hardness from the feedwater is through Ion exchange. An ion exchange water softener uses sodium chloride (salt) to recharge man made plastic like beads that exchange hardness minerals for sodium. As the hard water passes through and around the plastic like beads, the hardness minerals (ions) attach themselves to the bead, dislodging the sodium ions. This process is called "ion exchange".

When the plastic bead, called Resin, has no sodium ions left, it is exhausted, and can soften no more water. Flushing with salt water recharges the resin. The sodium ions force the hardness ions off the resin beads; then the excess sodium is rinsed away, and the resin is ready to start the process all over again. This cycle can be repeated many, times before the resin loses its ability to react to these forces.

Testing the softener on a daily basis is essential to ensure the softener remains charged while it is feeding water to the feedwater system. There are other ways to ensure that the softener does not become exhausted before regeneration.

The oldest way is by a time clock, i.e., your water usage is calculated and the frequency of recharging programmed into the timer. On the appointed day, at the appointed hour, the unit recharges.

A second way to initiate recharge is by electronic sensing. By electronically checking the resin, these units can determine when the resin needs to be recharged. These 'sensor' units can save you up to 42% of your salt and recharge water as well as keep you in soft water even when water usage increases due to production increases.

A third way to initiate recharge is by using a meter. These units have a meter installed in the water line and simply measure how many gallons of water you actually used. The unit is set according to your water hardness, and will recharge when the gallons used approach exhaustion of the resin bed, saving you a high percentage of your recharge salt and water.

Possible science experiment

1. Buy 1 gallon of distilled water.

2. wash your hair using the gallon of distilled water and notice the texture and feel of you hair.

3. wait a few days and wash you hair using regular tap water.

4. write conclusions.