GUJARAT TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY

Chandkheda, Ahmedabad
Affilted

Shroff S.R. Rotary Institute of Chemical Technology

(Managed by Ankleshwar Rotary Education Society)
Approved by AICTE, New Delhi, Govt. of Gujarat & GTU Affiliated

A REPORT ON-
DESIGN AND FABRICATION OF ION EXCHANGE COLUMN FOR
IONISED WATER

Under subject of

Project

B.E. semester- 7

(Chemical Engineering)

Submitted by:

ABHISHEK SHARMA (140990105001)

RAIS MISHRA (140990105024)
NISHANT BHATT (140990105031)
DHAVAL GOSWAMI (150993105001)
PROJECT ID 10436

Dr. Alok Gautam

(Faculty Guide)

Dr. Alok Gautam

(Head of the Department)

Academic year
(2017-2018)
 Shroff S.R. Rotary Institute of Chemical Technology
(Managed by Ankleshwar Rotary Education Society)
Approved by AICTE, New Delhi, Govt. of Gujarat & GTU Affiliated
___________________________________________________________________________

Certificate

This is to certify that the report entitled DESIGN AND FABRICATION OF ION
EXCHANGE COLUMN FOR IONISED WATER, being submitted by Abhishek Sharma,
Rais Mishra, Nishant Bhatt, Dhaval Goswami of Chemical Engineering Department, have
satisfactorily completed his term work in Project. This project work has been carried out
under my guidance and supervision and it is up to my satisfaction.

Date:-

Place:-

Signature and Name of supervisor Signature and Name of HOD

Dr. Alok Gautam Dr. Alok Gautam
 Acknowledgement

It is our great pleasure to record profound gratitude to our guide, Dr. Alok Gautam Head Of
Department of Chemical Engineering, SRICT, for his constant inspiration and invaluable
guidance throughout the course of investigation.

We gratefully acknowledge his painstaking efforts in thoroughly going through and

improving the Manuscript without which this work would not have been completed. We
extend special gratitude to all the esteemed seniors as well as other colleagues in our
Department, who were so easily approachable, helpful and a source of encouragement during
this span of work.
Plagiarism checking software report
 CHAPTER 1
INTRODUCTION
Ion exchange resins are solid polymer materials that hold fixed positive and negative
charges. These charges are exchanged with mobile cations, or anions, in a process called ion
exchange. Throughout the whole process, electro-neutrality is maintained in both the mobile
liquid phase and the fixed solid phase. The process is reversible, through a process called
regeneration, which allows the resin to be used multiple times.
Currently, two of the primary applications of ion exchange are water softening and
deionization. The softening process used in industry and popular in homes, uses a cation
exchange resin to remove the calcium and magnesium ions from water. Water deionization is
slightly more complex as two exchangers are used concurrently. The first, a cation exchanger
to remove all cations and replace with H+, the second, an anion exchanger to remove all
anions and replace them with the OH- fixed charge.
These constitute the most important class of ion exchangers. Their frame-work called the
matrix, consists of an irregular, macromolecular, 3-D network of hydrocarbon chains. The
matrix carries ionic groups such as SO3 , COO in cation exchangers and NH+3 , NH+2 in
anion exchangers. Ion exchange resins are thus cross linked polyelectrolytes. The matrix of
the resins is hydrophobic. However, hydrophilic components are introduced by the
incorporation of ionic groups such as SO3H. Linear hydrocarbon macromolecules with such
molecules are soluble in water. So ion exchange resins are made insoluble by introduction of
cross-links which Interconnect the various hydrocarbon chains. An ion-exchange resin is
practically one single macromolecule . Its dissolution would require rupture of C-C bonds.
Thus resins are insoluble in all solvents by which they are not destroyed. The matrix is elastic
and can swell by taking up solvent , a fact referred to as heteroporosity or heterodictality.
The chemical, physical, and mechanical stability and the ion-exchange behavior of the resins
depend primarily on the structure and the degree of cross-linking of the matrix and on the
nature and number of fixed ionic groups. The degree of cross-linking determines the mesh
width of the matrix and thus the swelling ability of the resin and the mobility of the counter
ions in the resin, which in turn determine the rates of ion-exchange in the resin. Highly cross
linked resins are harder and more resistant to mechanical breakdown.

Selectivity

Ion exchangers prefer one species over another due to several causes :
1. The electrostatic interaction between the charged framework and the counter ions depend
on the size and valence of the counter ion.
2. In addition to electrostatic forces, other interactions between ions and their environment
are effective.
3. Large counter ions may be sterically excluded from the narrow pores of the ion exchanger.
All these effects depend on the nature of the counter ion and thus may lead to preferential
uptake of a species by the ion exchanger. The ability of the ion-exchanger to distinguish
between the various counter ion species is called selectivity.
Separation Factor

The preference of the ion exchanger for one of the two counter ions is often expressed by the
separation factor, defined by

The molal selectivity coefficient , which is used for theoretical studies, is defined as

The selectivity of the ion exchange process depends on the properties of the ion exchanger
used and the composition of the aqueous phase . In the case of two ions having the same
charge and very similar radii, the selectivity due to the properties of the ion exchanger (such
as acidity, basicity, and the degree of cross linking ) is not sufficient for ensuring effective
separation. In such a case, an appropriate complexing agent has to be added to the aqueous
phase: the selectivity attained is then either due to the difference in the stability constants or
to the different charges or structures of the complexes formed. Increased selectivity can be
brought about in many ways. For eg., one can exploit the preference of an exchanger for
highly charged ions in dilute solutions, or one can choose a chelating resin.

CERTAIN PROBLEMS RELATED TO ION EXCHANGE RESINS:

1) CALCIUM SULFATE FOULING
The most common regenerant (chemical used to recharge the resin) used for cation
resin is sulfuric acid. Some extremely hard water contains high amounts of calcium,
and when this calcium reacts with the regenerating sulfuric acid, it forms calcium
sulfate as a precipitate during the regeneration process. This precipitate can foul the
resin beads and can block the pipes in the vessel.
2) IRON FOULING
Feed water from the underground water bores has soluble iron in the form of ferrous
ion. Small amounts of this iron is removed by the ion exchange softeners, but if this
feed water comes in contact with air before treatment, the ferrous ions are converted
ferric ions. These ferric ions precipitate as ferric hydroxide after reacting with water.
This compound can clog the resin beads and affect the resin efficiency. This can even
result in failure of the softener column.
3) ADSORPTION OF ORGANIC MATTER
Feed water from lakes and rivers usually contain high amounts of dissolved organic
matter. The yellow or brown color of this feed water is due to the decayed vegetation
and other organic matter present in it. These organic substances may be permanently
adsorbed within the resin beads, resulting in reduced resin efficiency. The treated
water quality is thus degraded. These organic contaminants can be removed prior to
 treatment with resin by treating the feed water with alum to precipitate the organic
matter.
4) ORGANIC CONTAMINATION FROM THE RESIN
The ion exchange resin itself can sometimes become the source of organic
contamination. The new ion exchange resin often has organic elements remaining in
the resin beads after manufacturing. Such contamination of the resin may be treated
by passing the treated water through an ultra filtration treatment plant.
5) BACTERIAL CONTAMINATION
Ion exchange resins do not remove microorganisms like bacteria from the feed water
but sometimes aid in the bacterial growth. The resin beds may accumulate organic
matter which serves as a source of nutrient for continued growth of bacteria. When
sterile water is required after the treatment, the demineralized water produced by the
ion exchange treatment plant should be treated by heat, ultraviolet irradiation or very
fine filtration. Ion exchange resins beds can also be treated with disinfectants such as
formaldehyde but, not with heat or chlorine, as they will damage the resin.

Parameters in Ion Exchange

Ion exchanger type

On the basis of origin, there are two general types of ion exchange materials, they are resins
and natural exchangers; for the former one, the majority are synthetic polymers available in
cationic and anionic forms whereas the latter exists in cation-exchange form only (e.g.,
zeolites and betonites). Thus, synthetic ion exchange materials can be cationic, anionic, and
combined cationic/anionic (amphoteric) exchangers considering the nature of fixed ion
exchange sites (functional groups).

pH
The performance of ion exchange is influenced by the pH of the solution. In the experiments
done by (R.R.Harries, 1988), it can be concluded that anion exchange is faster in an acidic
medium and cation exchange is more rapid in alkaline medium.

Anion exchange
To find the relation between anion exchange kinetics and pH, the mass transfer coefficient of
chloride and sulphate were tested in the condition where strong base resin was used. Its
found that there is a strong decrease in chloride or sulphate exchange kinetics in moving from
an acidic influent to a neutral or alkaline influent.
The reaction occurring during the exchange can be represented by the following equation:
(R+OH-) + A- (R+A-) + OH-
R+ is the charged matrix and A- is chloride or sulphate.
Based on the above, anion exchange is more favorable under acidic environment. The
reaction will be more shifted towards the right when there are enough H+ reacting with OH- .

Cation exchange
The variation of cation exchange kinetics with pH was carried out. Sodium and ammonium
ions were tested in the condition where strong acid resin was used.There was an increase in
exchange rate as the pH was increased. If the permeate has a pH of 5 which is basic, it would
help to increase the pH. Thus it would also to increase ion exchange rate.
Volumetric flow rate
At a low flow rate, there is a static water layer around the resin held by friction. The diffusion
of ions through the matrix of the resin is faster than the diffusion of ions across the static
film. The film diffusion is a rate determining factor.

Ion Exchange capacity

The exchange capacity of an ion exchange material is a measurement of the ability, in which
of an insoluble material to experience replacement of ions previously attached and loosely
incorporated into its structure, by oppositely charged ions present in the surrounding solution.
It is a constant value for a given exchange material. The unit is expressed as mg/g of dry
resin.
 CHAPTER 2
Design Analysis
1. Knowledge of the maximum and typical analysis is critical when choosing the cycle time.
No point choosing short cycle time on the design analysis if the worst water has a much
higher TDS. This will mean the time between regenerations is too short.

2. The analysis should balance i.e. The cations and anions expressed as mg/l CaCO3 or in
meq/l should be very similar (within 5%)

3. We have to design the plant to cope with the worst water, but if that water is very
infrequently seen then all design operating costs and design decisions need to be based on the
typical water analysis.

DESIGN PROCEDURE:

The breakthrough curve for an ion exchange column and absorption column are
similar.
The contacting techniques are almost similar.
Therefore the same procedures used for designing of absorption column can be used
for ion exchange column design .
The scale up approach
The kinetic approach

A laboratory scale breakthrough curve is required for both procedures.

The breakthrough for a column shows the solute or ion concentration in the effluent on y axis
versus the effluent throughput volume on x axis.
The area above the breakthrough curve represents the amount of ions or solute taken up by
the column and is
From V=0 to V= allowable throughput volume under consideration.
The area above the breakthrough curve is equal to the amount of ions removed by the
column.
At complete exhaustion, C = Co and the area above the breakthrough curve is equal to the
maximum amount of ions removed by the column. At complete exhaustion, the entire
exchange column is in equilibrium with the influent and effluent flows. Also, the ion
concentration in the influent is equal to the ion concentration in the effluent.
Another design approach is to determine the meqs or equivalent weights of the ions removed
by a test column using the breakthrough curve. The throughput volume under consideration
should be the allowable breakthrough volume, VB, at the allowable breakthrough
concentration, Ca. The ratio of the amount of ions removed per unit mass of exchanger is
computed.
Then, using this ratio, the mass of exchanger required is calculated from the allowable
breakthrough volume for the design column and the concentration of the polyvalent metallic
ions to be removed from the liquid flow. For this method to be valid, the flowrate used for the
test column in terms of bed volumes per hour must be similar to the flowrate of the design
column.

=
( )
+
C = effluent solute concentration
Co = influent solute concentration
k1 = rate constant
qo = maximum solid phase concentration of the sorbed solute
M = mass of the adsorbent
V = volume treated
Q = flow rate

Taking natural log. of both sides yield the design equation,


=

Comparing the above equation with equation of straight line we get,

y= , x=V , m= , c=

REFERENCES:

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ion_exchange , last opened date- 12/10/2017.

2. http://www.axeonwater.com/pdf/Ion_Exchange.pdf, last opened date-
12/10/2017.
3. file:///C:/Users/Lenovo/Downloads/Brian_Windsor_calculation.pdf , last opened
date- 09/10/2017.
4. DYER, A., HUDSON, H.J., WILLIAMS, P.A. (Eds), Ion Exchange Processes
5. Advances and Applications, Royal Society of Chemistry, Cambridge (1993).
HALASZOVICH, S., GOMOLL, M., Incineration of ion exchange resins from
NPP, Waste Management 91, Vol. 2 (Proc. Int. Conf. Tucson, AZ, 1991), Arizona
Board of Regents, Phoenix, AZ (1991) 397399.
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