Chapter #2

2.1 Introduction
The visit for the Water Treatment carried out by the team members
consisted of the following;

- Boiler Water Treatment

2.2 Water Treatment for Boiler

In the context of boiler use, water treatment refers to applying

processes and chemicals to remove impurities and prevent the buildup
of scale and corrosion in the boiler system. The goal is to enhance the
efficiency and longevity of the boiler by ensuring that the water used in
the system meets quality standards. Water treatment in boilers involves
methods such as softening, demineralization, and adding chemicals to
control pH levels and inhibit corrosion, thereby maintaining the boiler's
integrity and improving overall performance.

At LMC, the process employed for boiler water treatment was Ion-
Exchanging.
An Ion-Exchanger plant was set up that was being used to purify water
for boiler use.
Ion-Exchanging:-

Ion exchange is a chemical process in which ions are swapped between

a solid material, known as an ion exchange resin, and a liquid, typically
water. This process occurs because of the reversible exchange of ions
between the solid and liquid phases. The ion exchange resin contains
positively or negatively charged sites that attract and hold ions of the
opposite charge from the surrounding solution. This process turns hard
water into soft water

The ion exchange process involves the following steps:

1. Selection of Ion Exchange Resin:

- Ion exchange resin was used based on the specific ions to be
removed or exchanged in the water. Resins are designed to selectively
attract and exchange certain ions.

2. Column Preparation:
- Set up a column containing the ion exchange resin. The resin is
usually in the form of small beads packed into a column.

3. Loading the Resin:

- Water was introduced containing the unwanted ions to the resin
column. As the water passes through the resin bed, the undesirable
ions are captured by the resin, and the resin releases the ions it was
previously holding.
5. Monitoring and Quality Control:
- Regularly monitoring the efficiency of the ion exchange process by
testing the treated water for the desired ion concentrations. The
concentration at the end of the process is 2 ppm after being treated
from 90 ppm.

6. Regeneration:
- When the resin becomes saturated with unwanted ions during the
ion exchange process, it is regenerated. This involved passing brine
solution through the resin to replace the captured anions and cations.

7. Product:
- The de-ionized, treated water as a product is the purest form of
water that can be used for boiler purposes which will not result in the
formation of scales or sludge inside the boiler tubes.

Advantages and Limitations of Zeolite Softening Process:-

-Advantages=
• Clean and easy process.
• The equipment occupies less space as well as it is compact.
 • Time effective i.e. it does not require much time for water
softening.
• Easy to maintain.
• No precipitation of impurities occurs.
-Limitations
• In case of turbid water supply, the suspended matter has to
be removed by processes like coagulation, filtration or others
before its administration to the zeolite bed as it may cause
clogging.
• The presence of large quantities of Mn2+ or Fe2+ colored ions
has to be removed from the water as they may produce their
zeolites.

• Soda acid must neutralize the mineral acids as they may

destroy the bed of zeolites.