Hard water and boilers do not mix. Calcium and magnesium form scale on tubes, scale wastes fuel and, in the worst case, causes tube failure. For most mills and process plants, ion exchange resin is the simplest, most reliable way to stop that.
How ion exchange works
Resin beads carry charged sites. As water passes through, unwanted ions in the water swap places with harmless ions on the bead.
- Cation resins remove calcium, magnesium and other positive ions.
- Anion resins remove sulphate, chloride, silica and other negative ions.
When the beads are full, you regenerate them with salt, acid or caustic and use them again.
Which DUOLITE grade for which job
- DUOLITE C-20 Na – strong acid cation resin in sodium form, for water softening.
- DUOLITE C-206 – cation resin for demineralisation (DM) plants.
- DUOLITE A-101 D and DUOLITE A-102D – strong base anion resins for DM plants.
- DUOLITE A-113 – anion resin for applications needing good organic fouling resistance.
Benefits
- No scale on boiler tubes – better heat transfer and lower fuel use.
- Fewer boiler shutdowns for descaling.
- Consistent water quality for process use.
- Long resin life with proper regeneration.
Use cases
- Boiler feed water in paper mills, sugar mills and textile units.
- DM water for chemical and pharma processes.
- Softened water for soap & detergent plants.
- General water treatment plants.
Making resin last
- Pre-filter water – suspended solids and iron foul resin.
- Remove chlorine before the resin bed.
- Regenerate on time with the right concentration – under-regeneration gives poor water; over-regeneration wastes chemicals.
- Backwash properly to keep the bed loose.
- Test treated water every shift.
Topping up or replacing resin? Tell us your plant type, bed volume and water analysis – we will recommend the right DUOLITE grade. Ask about resins →