LIME SOFTENING SYSTEMS

Hard water can cause scaling problems in water heaters and soap does not lather well in hard water. Therefore, some water utilities soften water to improve its quality for domestic use. Lime softening is best suited to groundwater sources, which have relatively stable water quality. The combination of variable source water quality and the complexity of the chemistry of lime softening may make lime softening too complex for small systems that use surface water sources. Chemical precipitation is one of the more common methods used to soften water. Chemicals normally used are lime (calcium hydroxide, Ca(OH)2) and soda ash (sodium carbonate, Na2CO3). Lime is used to remove chemicals that cause carbonate hardness. Soda ash is used to remove chemicals that cause non-carbonate hardness.

When lime and soda ash are added, hardness-causing minerals form nearly insoluble precipitates. Calcium hardness is precipitated as calcium carbonate (CaCO3). Magnesium hardness is precipitated as magnesium hydroxide (Mg(OH)2). These precipitates are then removed by conventional processes of coagulation/flocculation, sedimentation, and filtration. Because precipitates are very slightly soluble, some hardness remains in the water--usually about 50 to 85 mg/l (as CaCO3). This hardness level is desirable to prevent corrosion problems associated with water being too soft and having little or no hardness.

LIME ADDITION
Hardness Lime Precipitate
  1. CO2. + Ca(OH)2 -> CaCO3 + H2O
  2. Ca(HCO3)2 + Ca(OH)2 -> 2CaCO3 + 2H20
  3. Mg(HCO3)2 + Ca(OH)2 -> CaCO3 + MgCO3 + 2H20
  4. MgCO3 + Ca(OH)2 -> CaCO3 + Mg(OH)2

CO2 does not contribute to the hardness, but it reacts with the lime, and therefore uses up some lime before the lime can start removing the hardness.

Two stage softening

Two-stage softening is sometimes used for treatment of high magnesium water (where excess lime is required). Excess lime is added in the first stage to raise pH to 11.0 or higher for magnesium removal. Following first stage treatment, carbon dioxide is added to reduce the pH to between 10.0 and 10.5, the best value for removal of calcium carbonate. If non-carbonate hardness removal is needed, soda ash will be added at this point. After second stage treatment, the water flows to a secondary recarbonation tank, where pH is reduced to between 8.3 and 8.6.

Single-Stage Softening

Single-stage recarbonation is the one most commonly practiced (Because of the high capital cost for building this type of two-stage treatment train). There are some benefits to using the twostage method, including reduced operating cost since less carbon dioxide is needed. Better finished water quality is usually obtained through the two-stage process.