Repeat Customer for Industrial Water Softener in Pennsylvania

After over 15 years of operation, one of Res-Kem's customers needed to replace their water softener systems and contacted us for help.

Dual 30" diameter Skid-Mounted Water Softener

Water treatment application:	Softener for boiler feed water
Savings and/or ROI the customer wants to achieve:	Replacing old system
Operating conditions:	24/7 operation, boiler make up
System configuration:	Dual alternating
Materials of construction:	30" diamter Steel tanks, skid mounted, Cast Iron Aquamatic valves Schedule 40 Black Iron Interconnecting Pipe
Threaded or welded:	Threaded
Type of valves and actuators:	Aquamatic V42 Series Cast Iron
Control philosophy:	Metered, Aquamatic controller

Additional Information:
Industrial Water Softener bulletin
Need system sizing help
Complete Res-Kem commercial and industrial water softener product line overview

Industrial Water Softener Installed-Before and After Photos

A Delaware cosmetic derivatives manufacturer installed a dual tank industrial water softener to replace their 25 year old zeolite softeners. The transformation of the building and installation of our water softeners by the mechanical contractor was exceptional!

BEFORE - Existing Softeners During Tearout

AFTER - New Dual Res-Kem Softeners Installed After Building Refurbishment

Water treatment application:	Replacing 25 year old zeolite softeners
Savings and/or ROI the customer wants to achieve	Clean up the zeolite operations and the room where they reside. Automate the regeneration process and the monitoring of the water softeners
Operating conditions:	60-120 gpm boiler make-up
System configuration:	Singe or Dual Parallel operation PLC controlled
Materials of construction:	Since the source water being well water and the room ambient air temperature can be very hot > 95 F, condensation that can form on the tanks, therefore fiberglass tanks were used. Schedule 80 CPVC was used to provide more strength to the system piping Valves were Bray butterfly valves all stainless wetted parts
Threaded or welded:	Glued, Schedule 80 CPVC and flanged unit piping
Type of valves and actuators:	All Bray valve Lug style, 150 ANSI flanges.  Solenoid were mounted directly on each valve to save wiring costs back to panels
Control philosophy:	The plant standardized their automation based upon Rockwell automation, so we provided the regeneration sequence and the necessary P&ID so their in-house PLC programmer.   His panel shop could outfit a local panel and Ethernet connection back to the main powerhouse control room.

Increase Commercial Water Softener Efficiency With a Twenty Dollar Part

On a recent sales call to a local dialysis clinic, the biomedical technician complained about a distinct loss of capacity in his water softener. Asking the typical diagnostic questions, such as resin age, brine system inspection, the Bio Med told me they recently upgraded their Reverse Osmosis machine and they are using considerably more water. End of story correct; more water used, more regenerations required? Well No. We ran the numbers and still concluded he was regenerating the softener too often. Something else was wrong.

 

Tank X-RAY

I had one last trick up my sleeve. “The Tank X-Ray”. Yes, folks, you can X-Ray a softener tank with a 500 watt halogen work light as sold in many home improvement stores. The X-Ray process is easy; you darken the room, turn on the light, and press it against the upper 1/2 of the tank. Now, this only works with a natural color fiberglass mineral tank. The bright light will not penetrate a painted tank. The light will let you gaze at the insides of the tank. Everything will appear as shadows.

 

What we discovered here was the resin beads were all bunched up to one side of the tank. NOT GOOD. The resin should appear as an even, level, dark line across the whole diameter of the tank. AH HA! This tank was suffering from a little known chronic problem called “Diffusion Exclusion”. Someone forgot to include the Inlet Diffuser/Disperser. The inlet diffuser is an option offered with the new control valve that regulates the resin regeneration process. This small critical part is often discarded as unidentifiable.

Pentair Fleck 2859 Valve Without Inlet Diffuser/Disperser  Installed

 

Don't Throw Away the Plastic Inlet Diffuser/Disperser on Left!

 

Penatir Fleck 19608-15 Inlet Diffuser/Disperser Installed on Pentair Fleck 2850 Valve

The inlet diffuser is attached to the underside of the control valve during tank assembly. Its main purpose it to diffuse the path of the water flowing into the resin bed during the DOWN FLOW service cycle. The diffuser forces the water evenly outside, then down. Without the diffuser, the water path is straight down. The result is a drilling effect. The drilling gets worse as the flow increases.

 

Two bad things happen:

1. The resin is usually blasted and gets bunched up.
2. You lose efficiency at high flow because the water isn't flowing evenly through the resin bed, it's drilling past it. 

In Conclusion:

Avoid Tank Turmoil. X-Ray your tank. It’s actually fun to do. Even more fun is to start your softener into a regeneration cycle and watch your resin expand upward during backwash and float around like lava, then see it settle down during the rinse cycles.

 
For More Information:
To Buy Fleck Valve Parts Use Our Interactive Drawings

• DISPERSER, COMMERCIAL 1 1/2"for 2850/2900/9500 Valves
• DISPERSER, COMMERCIAL, 2", for 3150 Valves

Links to Industrial and Commercial Water Softener information and bulletins
Pentair Fleck 2750 Valve Service Manual
Pentair Fleck 2850 Valve Service Manual
Pentair Fleck 2900S Valve Service Manual

Water Softener Shipped to Luxury Hotel in Delaware

Water softener for a new luxury hotel in Wilmington, Delaware was shipped from our Res-Kem Aston facility.  This system treats all the incoming Wilmington city water for the entire hotel including bathrooms, restaurant, etc.  With the special piping configuration, dual flowmeters and special Pentair NXT controller, the system operates in alternating, parallel or demand modes with simple programming changes.
 

150 gpm Continuous Water Softener System with
Carbon Steel Face Piping and Interconnecting Headers

Enduser	Water softener for a new luxury hotel in Wilmington, Delaware to treat all the incoming water for the entire building sold to through a local engineering firm
General water treatment application	Two large 48”X60” water softeners for removal of water hardness and iron.
Operating conditions	150 gpm continuous operation
System configuration	Dual ASME-Code 48” X 60” alternating softener tanks each with a separate Seametrics flowmeter 40 cu ft of 8% crosslinked softener resin per vessel 50” X 60” polypropylene brine tank
Materials of construction	Skid mounted Internally and externally epoxy coated, carbon steel pressure vessels Schedule 40 welded /flanged face piping
Type of valves and actuators	Cast iron, Series 42 Pentair Aquamatic diaphragm valves
System Control	Each softener has an Pentair Aquamatic NXT stager/controller Special piping, dual flowmeters and special controller allows for alternating, parallel or demand operation with simple programming changes
Special Features	System was skid mounted to allow for lifting of unit to the top floor of the building during construction

Additional Information:

Industrial water softener brochure

Commercial water softener brochure

Dual Tank Commercial water softener brochure

I need help sizing a water softener

Carbon and Multi-Media Filters Shipped to Eastern Pennsylvania Power Plant

Res-Kem shipped a multi-media filter and a carbon filter as pretreatment to an RO system.  Previously, this coal-fired power plant purchased a softener from Res-Kem. Also, we supply DI service vessels for post-RO polishing. 

Multi-Media Filter and Carbon Filter with Media Ready for Shipment

The general system arrangement is:

Well => Multi-Media Filter => Activated Carbon Filter => Softener => RO => Storage Tank => Service DI => To Use

What the company does	Coal fired electric generation plant
Water treatment application	Backwashable Multi-media filter Backwashable Activated carbon filter This water enters a previously provided Res-Kem softener which pretreats the water before entering the RO system
Operating conditions, e.g. flow, temp, continuous, etc.	The systems treat the plant’s well water. Inlet temperature approximately 55 F Flow rate 40 gpm
System configuration, e.g. # of tanks, standby units, etc.	Single, 48” ASME code 100 psig, tank multi-media filter Single, 48” ASME code 100 psig, activated carbon filter
Materials of construction of tanks, piping, valves, frame, media, etc.	Threaded carbon steel face piping PVC hub and laterals Res-Karb CS1240 activated carbon
Type of valves and actuators	Cast iron, Series 42, Aquamatic diaphragm valves
Control philosophy	Time clock backwashed multi-media filter using Aquamatic NXT stager/controller Time clock backwashed activated carbon filter Aquamatic NXT stager/controller

For Additional Information:
Multi-Media Filter Brochure
Activated Carbon Filter Brochure
Industrial Water Softener Brochure
For help specifying a system

Water Softener Shipped to Hawaiian Resort Hotel

A water softener was shipped to a luxury resort hotel on Maui.  The system will treat the water for the hotel's laundry.

Hot Water Softener with Stainless Steel Piping and Bray Butterfly Valves

System Specifications:

Operating Temperature	140F water for laundry
System Configuration	Single hot water softener with automatic bypass
Materials of Construction	Carbon steel tank, non-code 304L stainless steel face piping 304L stainless steel internals Cast iron Bray lug valves with 316 butterfly discs
Piping Connections	Welded
Valves and Actuators	Bray Butterfly Series 31 valves with Series 93 Air to Open/Spring Return actuators
Control Scheme	Single, time clock initiated regeneration with automatic hard water bypass

304L Stainless Steel Hub and Lateral Bottom Distributor

For Additional Information:
Res-Kem Industrial Water Softeners
For more information

Temporary Exchange Softeners for Unplanned Equipment Repairs

Temporary, skid mounted softeners can get you back up and running when unplanned repairs are required to your in-house zeolite softeners.   Depending on the extent of the problems, repairs can take several weeks or longer.  Tanks are simply hooked up to your water source via cam-lock connections and 2" industrial Goodall hose.  As the tanks exhaust, Res-Kem will bring new tanks with regenerated resin.  No backwash is required, no salt is required and no hard piping is required.  

Skid-mounted Exchange Water Softener form Res-Kem

In order for water tube or firetube boilers to operate efficiently they need low hardness quality feedwater. If you've recently had a boiler opening and discovered scaled boilertubes due to non-functioning boiler pretreatment zeolite softeners and ineffective boiler internal chemical treatment. Res-Kem can provide ASME code 100 psig temporary skid mounted softeners good for flow ranges- 15-120 gpm. These tanks can be provided within a 150 miles radius of our locations in near Philadelphia, PA, New Britain, CT, Avon, MA and Colonial Heights, VA.

The tanks are delivered via a Res-Kem truck with a liftgate for dock deliveries or ground deliveries.  We transport the tanks short distances within your plant to the point of use via a motorized pallet jack.

 

Failing Water Softener.  Look familiar?

Siemens Selling Water Treatment Business

The big news in the water treatment industry for this past week has been Siemens' announcement to sell the water treatment equipment and water systems service business.  Bloomberg announcement states that the Siemens Water Technologies division includes wastewater, municipal and industrial water purification services and membrane filtration systems.  Most of these technologies were parts of the former US Filter Corporation acquired by Siemens in 2004 from Veolia Environnement for $993 million.  

According to a statement by Siegfried Russwurm, member of the Siemens AG Managing Board and CEO of the Industry Sector, "This business shows only minor synergies with our industrial portfolio, as the skills for water treatment are primarily based on chemical expertise. Instead of investing into that business, we want to gear our resources toward our core portfolio."

In related news, Kemira Oyj, Europe’s largest supplier of chemicals to treat water, will not be bidding for the water business of Siemens AG.

Industrial Water Softener Shipped to Repeat Food Flavorings Customer in New Jersey

Res-Kem recently shipped a second 84 inch industrial water softener to the same food flavorings plant in southern New Jersey. The water treated by the water softener is used to make steam to sterilize the raw plant material prior to extraction and to extract the flavoring. The softener is the replacement to a second existing tank which has failed after 40 years of service.

Second 84"Water Softener prior to Shipment to Food and Flavorings Plant

Emptying and Removal of Old System:
Before the system was shipped, our service team coordinated their work with the company's mechanical contractor to remove the resin and gravel from the existing, corroded system. Our service team brought our trailer mounted diesel vacuum system to remove the media and prepare for disposal by the customer. After we were finished, the old system was cut apart for scrapping by the contractor.

Vacuum Trailer used to Remove Ion Exchange Resin
and Gravel from Existing Water Softener

New System:

The new system is an 84" diameter steel vessel and is finished in an epoxy coated interior and exterior. The customer asked us to change our normal blue color to red.  We hope to provide the white tank next fiscal year (do you see the theme??)  We also were asked to change the face piping to Schedule 10 304 stainless steel. As before, the valves are Bray valves with Bray air-to-air actuators. The system is controlled by an Aquamatic 962 controller. At this point, regeneration will be initiated manually when production will allow. To handle the existing uneven floor, four jack legs were provided.

System Operating Parameters:

Since most of the steam ends up in the plant matter and the extracted flavor ingredient, very little steam condensate is returned. This make the makeup flow very large. Each of the three softeners operate at 200 gpm and 80 psig. Because to the system's age, corrosion of the tanks and piping have become a maintenance nightmare.

Improving Efficiency of Water Softeners at a Hospital

A customer found they could reduce the salt and water costs of regeneration by 63% by having our service person diagnose the problems they were having and make changes to the system.

Situation:A hospital customer has a 20 cubic foot water softener used for domestic water.  The system was designed for run length of of 20,000 gallons between regenerations, but recent records indicate the run length has reduced to 10,000 gallons.  The hospital demand is approximately 10,000 gallons per day.  The following is the cost information:

• Water and Sewer Cost - $4.00/1000 gallons
• Salt Cost - $0.05/lb

Findings:
After inspection of the unit and analysis of resin samples, several problems were found:

• The softener had 7 cu ft missing in the softener
• The resin was fouled with iron
• The regeneration cycle needed to be adjusted

Changes:
The following changes were made:

• 7 cubic feet of cation softening resin was added to the softener
• The resin was cleaned to remove iron and a preventative maintenance program will maintain clean resin in the future
• The regeneration cycle was changed to the design conditions

Results:

The following are the benefits the customer realized by making the recommended changes:

• The number of regenerations dropped from 365 to 182 per year
• The salt use per regeneration dropped from 180 lbs to 120 lbs.
• The water use pre-regeneration decreased from 2590 gallons to 2090 gallons

Calculations:

Cost	Calculations	$/year
Salt Before	(180lb/regeneration)($0.05/lb)(365 regenerations per year)	$3,285/year
Salt After	(120lb/regeneration)($0.05/lb)(182 regenerations per year)	$1,092/year
Salt Savings		$2,193/year
Water Before	(2590 gallons/regeneration)($4.00/1000 gallons)(365 regenerations per year)	$3,781/year
Water After	(2090 gallons/regeneration)($4.00/1000 gallons)(182 regenerations per year)	$1,522/year
Water Savings		$2,259/year
Total Savings		$4,452/year

Downloadable Catalog of Water Treatment Equipment Updated

For 2012, we updated our downloadable industrial water treatment catalog.  (Given the number of equipment choices we provide, the catalog file is very large, so please be patient during the download.)



Res-Kem's Industrial Water Treatment Equipment Catalog for 2012

 In addition to the updated XL, CL and ML Series RO system bulletins list in my previous post, we have updated the two bed demineralizer sections of our catalog to include all of the standard sized DI systems up to 96" in diameter.

To many water treatment system choices?  Contact us for help!

Water Softener vs. Condensate Polisher – Knowing the Differences Can Help you "Get Greener"

Many companies are on a constant quest to run their business in the most energy-conscious, money-saving way possible. For those whose operations involve a low-pressure boiler system environment, investing in a condensate polisher is one of the easiest ways to “get greener” through energy efficiency and dollar savings.

In most every boiler plant, cold water softeners are used to treat boiler water makeup. What’s less common is the use of a condensate polisher which treats condensate return for resuse as boiler feedwater. There are several differences between a water softener and a condensate polisher. Let’s look at a few:

Water Softener vs. Condensate Polisher
Installion – a water softener is typically installed “upfront” with the boiler system in order to meet the ASME/manufacturer’s water quality specifications. A condensate polisher is often an “add-on” to an existing boiler system once steam traps, condensate piping, and condensate receivers age and form deposits (such as iron, copper, and magnesium) that cause thermal resistance to drop.

Materials of construction – water softeners are constructed of epoxy coated tanks or poly-lined FRP tanks, with cast iron or PVC valves and black iron or PVC piping. Res-Kem’s standard condensate polisher systems are fabricated completely with stainless steel. This all stainless steel construction is the best material choice for safe operation over a long time.

Temperature & flow rate – condensate polishers are built to operate at a much higher temperature and flow rate. Where water softeners operate below 80 degrees F, polishers operate substantially above 120 degrees F. The higher temperature and flow rate allow a polisher to acts as both an ion exchange device AND filter, removing copper and iron oxides that cause scale buildup. This oxide removal is not possible with a water softener system, which act only as an ion exchange device with limited filtering capabilities.

Stainless steel surface preparation – condensate polishers are passivated. After fabrication, to further enhance the corrosion resistance of our stainless steel components, all of our welded stainless steel piping and tanks are passivated. This is an expensive, multi-step process which includes bead blasting and passivation, for the longest condensate polisher life.

So what do all these differences ultimately mean for a customer who invests in a condensate polisher?

1) Fuel savings – a condensate polisher saves fuel by allowing higher boilerwater cycles of concentration by reducing the Fe and Cu oxides that cause scale buildup. Fuel savings is also realized through the reuse of heat in the steam condensate.

2) Reduced chemical usage – because of the reduction of oxides and scale buildup in the steam loop, less investment is needed in internal boiler treatment chemicals that are used to remove buildup.

3) Longer and safer service life – a condensate polisher’s passivated, stainless steel construction ensures optimal operation for many years, with minimal routine maintenance. The typical life expectancy of a condensate polisher is 10-20 years.

Learn more about the customizable standard features and specifications of eight of Res-Kem’s recently manufactured condensate polisher models. Download our brochure today, then give us a call to see how we can help you “get greener” with more energy efficiency and more money in your pocket.

Composite Fiberglass Softeners Versus Lined Carbon Steel Softeners

Epoxy Coated Dual Tank Water Softener with Optional Stainless Steel Piping

Here are a few pro's and con's for a lined carbon steel softener option and a composite fiberglass softener system

Advantages of carbon steel lined softener system:

• Lined carbon steel system has top man ways and side wall handholes. Having these access points to get to the resin bed and underdrain hub and lateral can be extremely helpful when changing the resin. Changing the resin can take place every 3-8 years and is contingent on chlorine levels in raw water. 
• If the underdrain fails the lined carbon steel tank would stay in place with face piping left in-tact. The repairs could be accomplished from the side wall handholes. 
• Lined carbon steel tank can resist being damaged with a passing forklift or other moving equipment 
• If power fails and water pressure is still available, the unit can be generated manually. This is done by manually turning the pilot stager to each service cycle for the specified time in the step. 
• If a temporary vacuum was ever introduced on a lined carbon steel tank it would likely not have any damages to the liner or tank. 
• Higher flow rates can be achieved with lower pressure drops on 2" inlet/outlet 30" diameter carbon steel softener system versus a fiberglass system same tank diameter using a Fleck 2" 2900 valve

Disadvantages of a carbon steel lined system: 

• Lined carbon steel pressure vessel softeners are more costly and more expensive to assemble
• Longer lead times associated with these systems (4-8 weeks) 
• Lined carbon steel tanks make for a lot of condensation and unlike fiberglass tanks aren't as resistant to corrosion even with a primed and painted exterior
• Longer Lead Time to procure system components and to build the softener system

Manual Fiberglass Water Softener 

Advantages of a composite fiberglass tank softener system:

• Lower cost materials to build the softener system 
• A spare identical multi-port valve and control can be kept as a complete spare and be changed out in kind.
• Shorter lead time. valves and composite fiberglass tanks are readily available. (1 - 3 weeks)
• Pressure vessel is resistant to corrosion from tank condensation

Disadvantages of a composite fiberglass tank softener system: 

• Can't withstand a vacuum being drawn on the tank. A lined composite fiberglass vessel under a vacuum would likely have a polyethylene liner failure. For this reason a vacuum breaker should be installed in a tee on the inlet water piping.
• The piping needs to be supported by framework and the connections to the tank need to be flexible. 
• On a fiberglass tank softener system if the hub and lateral needs to be changed the tank would have to be lowered down to the ground in order to reach in and replace the hub and lateral 
• In order to change resin, the unions on the multi-port valve inlet, outlet and drain would need to be broken and the multi-port valve must be to unthreaded from the top of the tank. If this is done multiple times over a short period of time, the tank threads are prone to leaking
• If seismic specifications are needed on the pressure vessels, fiberglass tanks shouldn't be selected 
• If there is an electrical power failure the multi-port valve is not operable and the unit can't be regenerated
• The commerically available controllers that are available with multi-port valve softeners are local only and integration with a PLC is not possible in most cases

300 gpm Industrial Water Softener Shipped to a Virginia University

I nearly missed taking photos of a very nice looking quadruple tank industrial water softener that recently left our plant. As you can see, the system is being prepared for shipment and only two of the four tanks were available in this photo.

System Details:
The system has four 30" water softener vessels commonly called "mineral tanks". Each tank is rated for 75 gpm. The tanks are ASME code carbon steel tanks with a design pressure rating 100 psig.

Given the customizable standard designs we have for all of our water softening equipment and all of our industrial water treatment equipment, Res-Kem was able to accommodate the customer's request for carbon steel tanks with 304L stainless steel face piping. Bray series 21 butterfly valves with stainless steel body, 316 SS disc & stem, Teflon lined EPDM seat. Each of the automated valves were equipped with Bray series 70 electric actuators, two SPDT limit switches and a manual override handle.


The internals of the tanks use stainless steel hubs and stainless steel wedgewire laterals for long life.

The water softener system is being readied for shipment to our customer.


While our standard design uses the AquaMatic 962 controller, we offer as an option an Allen Bradley PLC. This system uses the Allen Bradley MicroLogix PLC with Panelview 600 operator interface terminal mounted in a NEMA 4X fiberglass enclosure was used to control the system.

Please contact us for further information on how to size a water softener for you requirements.

Condensate Polisher Shipped to a Virginia University

This past month, we have built and sent another condensate polisher to a major university in Virginia. This stainless steel system with carbon steel piping is designed to treat 175 gpm and designed to operate at 100 psig and 200 F. The system has dual ASME-code 36 inch diameter tanks. The piping is Schedule 80 carbon steel with flanged connections.
The system has stainless steel ion exchange resin traps on each vessel to protect equipment downstream from catastrophic underdrain damage.

The valves used where Bray butterfly valves with air actuators and handwheel overrides. The system used AquaMatic Controllers.

Softener Service at Power Plant in New Jersey

After reviewing our blog posts over the past 4+ years, I realized we have not talked much about our site service team. Our normal service area is in New Jersey, Eastern Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Maryland. On a case-by-case basis we have gone substantially further.

Situation:
At a power plant in coastal New Jersey, a triple water softener system needed to have a media exchange. Each steel vessel has 20 cuft of softening resin. Res-Kem brought our trailer mounted vacuum.


Services Provided:
Manned by two Res-Kem service people, the entire process of resin removal, underdrain inspection, and refilling took only 5 hours to complete from start to finish. "We could have been done about 1-1.5 hours sooner, but we couldn't shutdown all three units at once" said Joe Urbans III Res-Kem lead rebed technician because we needed to work around the plant's operation.

Testimony:
Our sales representative at the site stated "The Res Kem team was extremely professional! They executed all of the work safely, they worked quickly and efficiently - regularly checking in with the customer. The station engineer was very pleased with the work".

Industrial Water Softener Skid-Mounted Shipped

I try to keep up with our shipments, but with all the systems going out recently, I missed posting this dual tank industrial water softener out about two weeks ago.
The system is a dual tank alternating, skid mounted, water softener, including interconnecting piping and isolation valves. GE Aquamatic composite diaphragm valves are used for system automation. A GE Aquamatic 962 series controller opens and closes the Aquamatic valves during regeneration. The tanks are epoxy lined carbon steel with an epoxy exterior and 100 psi ASME code. Face piping consists of Schedule 80 PVC pipe and fittings. Regeneration initiated by either gallon throughput or timeclock.