Hardness Removal

Hardness Removal
Introduction :
Water Hardness is a measure of the capacity of water to precipitate soap .
Removing hardness from water is called softening .
Water becomes hard by being in contact with soluble, divalent, metallic cations.
The two main cations that cause water hardness are calcium (Ca2+) and
magnesium (Mg2+). Calcium is dissolved in water as it passes over and through
limestone deposits. Magnesium is dissolved as water passes over and through
dolomite and other magnesium bearing formations. Because groundwater is in
contact with these geologic formations for a longer period of time than surface
water, groundwater is usually harder than surface water. Although strontium,
aluminum, barium, iron, manganese, and zinc also cause hardness in water, they
are not usually present in large enough concentrations to contribute significantly
to total hardness.
Calcium and Magnesium Hardness : Hardness

caused by calcium is called calcium hardness, regardless of the salts associated
with it. Likewise, hardness caused by magnesium is called magnesium hardness.
Since calcium and magnesium are normally the only significant minerals that
cause hardness, it is generally assumed that:
Total Hardness (mg/L as CaCO3) = Calcium Hardness (mg/L as

CaCO3) + Magnesium Hardness(mg/L as CaCO3)
Carbonate and Non-carbonate Hardness : Carbonate hardness is primarily
caused by the carbonate and bicarbonate salts of calcium and magnesium. Non-
carbonate hardness is a measure of calcium and magnesium salts other than
carbonate and bicarbonate salts (such as calcium sulfate, CaSO4, or magnesium
chloride, MgCl2). Total hardness (which varies based on alkalinity) is expressed as
the sum of carbonate hardness and non-carbonate hardness:
Total hardness (mg/L as CaCO3)= Carbonate hardness (mg/L as

CaCO3) + Non-carbonate hardness (mg/L as CaCO3)
Hard water forms scale, usually calcium carbonate, which causes a variety of
problems. Scale that forms inside water pipes eventually reduces water pipe
carrying capacity. Scale that forms within appliances, pumps, valves, and water
meters causes wear on moving parts. When hard water is heated, scale forms
much faster. This creates an insulation problem inside boilers, water heaters, and
hot-water lines, and increases water heating costs.
The two basic methods of softening public water supplies are chemical
precipitation and ion exchange. Other methods can also be used to soften water,
such as electrodialysis, distillation, freezing, and reverse osmosis. These processes
are complex and expensive and usually used only in unusual circumstances.
Experiment goal : is to measure hardness then to remove it from

water using three different methods ( lime , soda ash , resin ) .
Materials and Tools used :

1- Burette.
2-EDTA (Ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid) ( titrant ).
3-EBT (Eriochrome Black T)
( indicator ). 4-Buffer ( to neutralize
PH to approximately 10 ) 5- Jar Test .
6-
volue
mtric
flask.
7-
MgSO
4.7
H2O
8-
CaCO3
.
9-Beaker.
10-Balance.
11-dropper.
Titration Steps :
1- add 1 ml of Buffer.
2- add 1-2 drops of EBT indicator ( it has originally a dark blue color , but when
add to the sample , the sample becomes pink (wine red ) ( which means that
the sample has hardness ). 3-titrate with EDTA solution till the color becomes
blue , then determine the volume of titrant solution needed.
Hardness removal methods :

Method A : Lime ( CaO , Ca(OH)2 )
Lime softening is a type of water treatment used for water softening which uses
the addition of calcium hydroxide to remove hardness by precipitation.
procedure :
1- Distribute the hard water into the sex jar tests (2 liter in each jar ) .
2-Add the lime dose to each jar .
3-Rappid mixing ( 300 rpm , 1 min )
4-Slow mixing (30 rpm , 15

min ) 5-Slow mixing ( 15
rpm , 1 min ) 6-
Sedimentation for 2 hours .
7- Measure Hardness after that .
Calculations :
Hardness (mg/L as CaCO3)= (A*N*50*1000)/volume of sample (ml)
A : volume of titrant solution ( ml )
N : normality of titrant solution (0.02)
50 : equivalent weight of CaCO3
1000 : for conversion
after titration the sample ( before treatment ) , volume of EDTA used = 36 ml

, volume of sample= 50 ml . hardness before= (36*0.02*50*1000)/50 =
720 mg/L as CaCO3.
Volume of lime used :

N1 = 10 gm/L
1- lime = 100 mg/l
N1 V1 = N2 V2
10000* V1 =
100 * 1000 V1
= 10 ml/L = 20
ml/2 L.
2-N2=150 mg/l , V2=30 ml.
3-N3=200 mg/l , V3=4O ml.
4-N4= 250 mg/l , V4=50 ml.

5-N5=300 mg/l , V5=60 ml.
6-N6=350 mg/l , V6=70 ml.
volume of titrant solution , respectively (mL) :
30,34,28,26,25,21
for the first sample:

Hardness after treatment :
EDTA = 30 ml.
Hardness = 30*0.02*50*1000/50=600 mg/L as CaCO3.
Efficiency (%) = (hardness before-hardness after)/hardness

before *100% for the first sample: efficiency = (720-600)/720 *100%
=16.7%
Result :
after Completing calculating the hardness and efficiency for the rest of samples , the
results were :
Sample Lime dose ( mL ) Hardness (mg/L as CaCO3) Efficiency ( % )

1 20 600 16.7
2 30 680 5.6
3 40 560 22.2
4 50 520 27.8
5 60 500 30.6
6 70 420 41.7
result :
The optimum dose of lime is the dose that achieve the highest efficiency ( 41.7% )
with a hardness of 420 mg/L as CaCO3.
Hardness(mg/L as CaCO3)
800
700
600
500
400
Hardness(mg/L as CaCO3)
300
200
100
0
30 34 28 26 25 21
Method B : Soda Ash ( Na2CO3 ) (Sodium Carbonate )

sodium carbonate is a white, odo1rless powder that is hygroscopic ((absorbs
moisture from the air) , has an alkaline taste, and forms a strongly alkaline water
solution. Sodium carbonate is well known domestically for its everyday use as a
water softener . It can be extracted from the ashes of many plants growing in
sodium-rich soils .
Procedure :
1- Distribute the hard water into the sex jar tests .
2-Add the soda ash dose .
3-Rappid mixing ( 300 rpm , 1 min )
4-Slow mixing (30 rpm , 15

min ) 5-Slow mixing ( 15
rpm , 1 min ) 6-
Sedimentation for 2 hours .
7-Measure Hardness .
Calculations :
N1 = 10 gm/L
Volume = 2 L
1- Soda ash conc. = 50 mg/l
N1 V1 = N2 V2
10000 V1 = 50*1000
V1=5 ml/1 = 10 ml/2l
2-N2=100 mg/l , V2=20 ml
3-N3=150 mg/l , V3 =30 ml
4-N4=200 mg/l , V4 = 40 ml
5-N5=250 mg/l , V5= 50 ml
6-N6=300 mg/l , V6=60 ml
after titration the sample ( before treatment ) , volume of EDTA used = 36 ml

, volume of sample= 50 ml . hardness before= (36*0.02*50*1000)/50 =
720 mg/L as CaCO3.
Volume of titrant solution , respectively ( mL) :
11 , 8 , 7 , 5 , 14 , 17
For the first sample :
Hardness = (11*0.02*50*1000)/50 = 220 mg/L asCaCO3 .
Efficiency = (720 – 220)/720 *100% = 69.4%
After completing calculating of Hardness and efficiency for each sample , the results were :
Sample Volume of Soda Ash(mL) Hardness (mg/L as Efficiency (%)

CaCO3)
1 10 220 69.4
2 20 160 77.8
3 30 140 80.6
4 40 100 86.1
5 50 280 61.1
6 60 340 52.8
result :
The optimum dose of Soda Ash is the dose which has the highest efficiency
( 86.1%) which has a hardness of 100 mg/L as CaCO3 .
hardness(mg/L as CaCO
3)
400
350
300
250
200
hardness(mg/L as CaCO3)
150
100
50
0
0 20 40 60 80
Method C : Resin
resin is any natural or synthetic organic compound consisting of a
noncrystalline or viscous liquid substance. Natural resins are
typically fusible and flammable organic substances that are
transparent or translucent and are yellowish to brown in colour.
They are formed in plant secretions and are soluble in various
organic liquids but not in water. Synthetic resins comprise a large
class of synthetic products that have some of the physical
properties of natural resins but are different chemically. Synthetic
resins are not clearly differentiated from plastics.
The basic purpose of resin regeneration is to restore the exhausted
resin back to its proper ionic form for service by connecting it with a
tank of NaCL solution.
Calculations :
-Solution of the given question …
1- Q = VOLUME/TIME
=2 L / 250 min = 0.008 l/min = 0.000133 l/s
2-volume of water treated before hardness reach 90 mg/l ?

volume=Q*t
=0.008*90 = 0.72 L.
3-at what time start regeneration if need hardness of 150 mg/l as CaCO3 ?
by
interpolatio
n … 110/x =
160/150
x=103.125
min
-Hardness before treatment = 500 mg/l as CaCO3
Efficiency of the first sample = (500-0)/500 *100% = 100% ( and so till sample number
6 ) Efficiency of sample number 6 = (500-5)/500 *100% = 99%
Complete for the rest of samples .

Hardness Removal

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Description:

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

Hardness Removal

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

Hardness Removal

Calcium and Magnesium Hardness : Hardness

Total Hardness (mg/L as CaCO3) = Calcium Hardness (mg/L as

Total hardness (mg/L as CaCO3)= Carbonate hardness (mg/L as

Experiment goal : is to measure hardness then to remove it from

Materials and Tools used :

Hardness removal methods :

2-Add the lime dose to each jar .

3-Rappid mixing ( 300 rpm , 1 min )

4-Slow mixing (30 rpm , 15

7- Measure Hardness after that .

after titration the sample ( before treatment ) , volume of EDTA used = 36 ml

Volume of lime used :

1- lime = 100 mg/l

2-N2=150 mg/l , V2=30 ml.

3-N3=200 mg/l , V3=4O ml.

4-N4= 250 mg/l , V4=50 ml.

6-N6=350 mg/l , V6=70 ml.

volume of titrant solution , respectively (mL) :

for the first sample:

Hardness = 30*0.02*50*1000/50=600 mg/L as CaCO3.

Efficiency (%) = (hardness before-hardness after)/hardness

Sample Lime dose ( mL ) Hardness (mg/L as CaCO3) Efficiency ( % )

Method B : Soda Ash ( Na2CO3 ) (Sodium Carbonate )

1- Distribute the hard water into the sex jar tests .

2-Add the soda ash dose .

3-Rappid mixing ( 300 rpm , 1 min )

4-Slow mixing (30 rpm , 15

1- Soda ash conc. = 50 mg/l

V1=5 ml/1 = 10 ml/2l

2-N2=100 mg/l , V2=20 ml

3-N3=150 mg/l , V3 =30 ml

5-N5=250 mg/l , V5= 50 ml

6-N6=300 mg/l , V6=60 ml

after titration the sample ( before treatment ) , volume of EDTA used = 36 ml

Volume of titrant solution , respectively ( mL) :

For the first sample :

Hardness = (11*0.02*50*1000)/50 = 220 mg/L asCaCO3 .

Efficiency = (720 – 220)/720 *100% = 69.4%

Sample Volume of Soda Ash(mL) Hardness (mg/L as Efficiency (%)

=2 L / 250 min = 0.008 l/min = 0.000133 l/s

2-volume of water treated before hardness reach 90 mg/l ?

-Hardness before treatment = 500 mg/l as CaCO3

Complete for the rest of samples .

You might also like

Hardness = 300.0250*1000/50=600 mg/L as CaCO3.

Hardness = (110.0250*1000)/50 = 220 mg/L asCaCO3 .