CHAPTER SEVEN

WATER SOFTENING
AND
OTHER MISCELLANEOUS
 What is Hardness?
• Hardness is the term often used to characterize a
water that:
 Dose form a foam or lather well and cause soap scum

This increase the amount of soap needed for washing

 cause scaling on pipes and hot boilers.
 cause valves to stick due to the formation of calcium
carbonate crystals
 leave stains on plumbing fixtures
 WATER SOFTENING
 Hard water:
– Water contains a high concentration of ions like.

– Its concentration expressed in terms of the CaCO3

equivalent.
 Formation of Hardness
s
 Water Softening
Softening:
 Is the removal of hardness from water.
 Achieved by lime-soda, caustic soda or Ion exchange.
 Needed when hardness is above 150-200 mg/L;
 Hardness 50-80mg/L is acceptable in treated water.
 Hard vs Soft Water
• If hardness is too high
precipitation of soap,
scaling on pipes, boilers, cooling towers,
heat exchangers.
• If too low
 water is corrosive.
Effect of Hard Water
 Types of hardness
Carbonate hardness (temporary hardness) and
Non-carbonate hardness (permanent hardness).
Carbonate and non carbonate
Hardness

TH= Total Hardness

 Methods of Softening

1. Boiling
2. Lime treatment
3. Lime-soda process
4. Ion-exchange method
Softening methods
 Softening methods
3. LIME-SODA PROCESS:
• Used to remove both carbonate & non-carbonate
hardness.
• Used to convert calcium and magnesium into insoluble
calcium carbonate and magnesium hydroxide
flocculated suspensions.
• Reaction with soda ash
 Softening methods
CAUSTIC SODA (NaOH)
1. H CO + 2NaOH = Na CO + 2H O
2 3 2 3 2

2. Ca(HCO ) + 2NaOH = CaCO + Na CO + 2H O

3 2 3 2 3 2

3. Mg(HCO ) + 2NaOH = MgCO + Na CO +

3 2 3 2 3

2H O 2

MgCO + 2NaOH = Mg(OH) +Na CO

3 2 2 3

4. MgSO4 + 2NaOH = Mg(OH)2 +Na2SO4

5. CaSO + Na CO = CaCO +Na SO
4 2 3 3 2 4
 Softening methods
4. Ion-exchange
• It involves passing the water through a column containing a
special ion-exchange material, like;
Natural substances called zeolites
Expressed as sodium alumino silicate
Available naturally (green sand or gluconite) or
prepared artificially.
Synthetic resins.
• When water containing Ca2+ & Mg2+ ions is in contact with
these materials, an exchange of ions takes place.
They are taken up by the resin, whereas sodium ions,
Na+, are released into the water.
 Ion-Exchange…
• It can produce water with almost zero levels of hardness,
but this in not really desirable.
• Very soft water may be aggressive, or corrosive, causing
damage to metal pipes and plumbing.
 Iron and Manganese Removal
• Fe2+ & Mn2+ can be dissolved from
sandy soils, shale, sandstone and other
rocks.
• Composition consumes the oxygen and
produces carbon dioxide, which is acidic.
• The iron is usually in the form of ferrous
bicarbonate and the manganese in the
form of manganese oxide or bicarbonate.
 Fe and Mn…
• Iron & Manganese in potable water can cause
 Color in the water
 Staining of plumbing fixtures and clothing
 Fe –brown
 Mn - black
 Astringent, metallic or medicinal taste in the water
 Growth of iron bacteria(Crenothrix & Leptohrix)
 Feed on iron when the DO content is low & form slimes which
clog well screens and pipes & water meters.
 Brown stains on cooked vegetables & discolored etc.
• Ground Water containing soluble iron (ferrous) are clear & colorless
when it is first drawn
 Upon contact with air, a yellowish to reddish brown precipitate of ferric
hydroxide is formed.

Manganese
 Causes Stain, bad taste & growth of microorganisms
 It appears with iron.
In Natural Water found as- Manganous bicarbonate Mn(l+CO3)2
Manganous chloride(MnCl2)
Manganous sulphate(MnSO4
 SOFTENING OF Fe AND Mn
1. Aeration
– Raises the PH by removing CO2, & adds oxygen.
– 0.14 mg/L of DO is needed to oxidize 1mg/L of iron.
SOFTENING OF Fe AND Mn…
2. Sedimentation
– Separate precipitates of insoluble
compounds.
3. Filtration
– Promote oxidation by the catalytic effect of
deposits on the sand grains.
4. Lime
5. Chlorination
– 1.25 mg/L of free chlorine is needed for each mg/L
of iron or manganese.
SOFTENING OF Fe AND Mn…
6. Contact oxidation
• It provides a catalytic effect, speeding up the
oxidation.
• Achieved using layers of coke or gravel on tray
aerators, or by providing a bed up to 1.8 m
deep with ventilation holes.
• Hopper bottomed clarifiers have been used to
oxidize iron and manganese in the sludge
blanket, using potassium permanganate
solution as a catalyst.
Thank you!