How do Water Softeners treat lime?
Water is an all-purpose solvent. As soft rainwater travels over rocks and through soil, it takes up naturally existing dissolved minerals such as calcium and magnesium carbonates, hardening it. Hardness is present in almost all source water. To make source water appropriate for use in manufacturing processes, boilers, cooling towers, and rinse water applications, water treatment is frequently necessary.
The basic goal of hard water softening is to prevent hard water minerals from precipitating and accumulating in equipment and pipelines. Physical water treatment equipment or, in restricted cases, chemical additions can be used to reduce or eliminate hard water scaling.
What is Hardness: Definition and Source
The term "hardness" refers to limestone that has been dissolved in water. Ground water dissolves limestone from old deposits in the following ways:
a) Carbon dioxide reacts with water to form carbonic acid, which is primarily found in the environment as the bicarbonate ion (HCO3-1);
b) Microscopic marine organisms consume this as carbonate and form calcite skeletons, which were deposited over millions of years to form limestone deposits found all over the world;
c) Ground water is frequently slightly to moderately acidic due to anaerobic decomposition and the action of bacteria in the soil. Because of its acidic nature, limestone dissolves in the form of calcium and bicarbonate ions, causing it to harden.
Hard water problems_
Calcium carbonate is moderately soluble in water and will precipitate (i.e., come out of solution) in the form of a hard scale when its concentration in water exceeds its solubility constant. This propensity can lead to clogging in hot and cold-water pipelines, water heaters, boiler tubes, cooling towers, and other surfaces. It also interacts with soap and detergent, generating a "scum" that shows up as spots on glasses and cutlery, as well as "bathtub ring." The accumulation in boilers can obstruct heat transfer and potentially result in boiler tube collapse.
What is the process of removing limescale using a water softener?
It's important to remember that a water softener won't get rid of limescale build-up in our plumbing fixtures or pipes by itself. The soft water produced by a water softener will gradually dissolve the existing scale accumulation as it passes through the pipes.
The hardness build-up observed in a home's plumbing has accumulated over a lengthy period of time, frequently several years. As a result, when the softened water is brought into the system, the problem will most likely take just as long to resolve.
The most important thing is to use soft water to prevent the accumulation of hardness in the pipes. At the point of entrance into your water system, soft water will remove limescale-producing minerals, preventing them from causing harm. Simultaneously, it will begin to dissolve existing limescale deposits, mirroring the natural process of water flowing underground to form cave networks. Your water softener removes hardness from your pipes over time, flushing it out through your taps or water-fed appliances and into the toilet.
Choose a solution that is both practical and cost-effective!
The only long-term, hassle-free, and permanent approach to removing limescale is to soften the water where it enters your home. Water softeners prevent the problem from arising in the first place. This means you'll have soft water running through your house all of the time, ensuring that your appliances last longer, your plumbing and heating systems operate more efficiently, and your bathroom and kitchen look great.
If you are fed up with limescale and its damaging effects on your property or business, it’s time to start thinking. Call Netsol Water if you're ready to get rid of the stains and make your home's water supply cleaner and healthier! Our services include the greatest water and wastewater treatment, as well as a variety of useful after-sales services. Our professionals will check the customer's location first, then explain the available options and thus allow you to select what is best for your property. You can always find useful information by liking and following us on YouTube and LinkedIn.