Can the resin column regeneration time be extended?

It is acceptable to appropriately extend the online tower operation time, but it is necessary to strengthen the quality analysis of the saline solution. How many times per day can ICP perform analyses? Therefore, to protect the film, it’s best not to take risks, unless it’s absolutely necessary.

In the dual-tower process, calcium and magnesium ion levels remained within acceptable limits for 72 hours; this measure was taken to reduce operational costs and meet the process requirements. It’s not necessary to try such methods unless absolutely essential, as it could result in losses that outweigh the benefits.

In that case, during the subsequent 24 hours, it is essential to strengthen the analysis of the quality of the saline solution. :)

We use a three-tower process; previously, one tower was regenerated every two days. At the beginning, ICP testing was carried out on a daily basis, but this was later changed to once every two days, then once every three days, and now it’s done once a week. Over the past six years, no problems have occurred at all. Based on our practical experience, it is feasible to regenerate one tower every two days. Of course, this isn’t absolute either; it depends on the quality of your brine, as well as the performance of the resin and equipment. You can’t simply apply someone else’s experience in this case. Adjust appropriately according to your own process. This post was last edited by yzhms on 2009-3-24 23:17]

Control the calcium and magnesium content properly, and it should be regenerated daily.

To address this issue, first analyze the total amount of calcium, magnesium, strontium, and iron in the brine stream, as well as the treatment capacity designed for your resin tower; based on this, you can calculate the operating time for each resin tower. Generally, resin towers are designed with a higher capacity; if the quality of the brine is stable, SS measurements are usually taken three times a day. It can extend the regeneration time of the resin column.

Whether to extend the regeneration time of the resin tower depends mainly on whether the quality of the brine fed into the tower is satisfactory and stable. For three towers, you can monitor the quality of the brine coming out of the tower; if its quality is good, then you can proceed with extending the regeneration time. Actually, if it’s feasible, it can save a lot of money at once. Especially when the current production load is not very high. But more attention should be paid to the quality of the saline solution.

Actually, there’s no need to analyze it so many times a day; once a day is enough. The two towers operate, with one being regenerated every 48 hours; of course, this is on the assumption that the quality of the brine remains relatively stable.

This is a matter of coordinating design and management; it’s best to regenerate one per day from a management perspective, so as to avoid confusion. The design should be tailored as much as possible to meet management requirements; if regeneration is required every few days, the ability to exchange components is still necessary. However, from a management perspective, it should still be carried out once a day. You think it’s a waste; it’s better to make the tower smaller.

Unless it’s a special situation, it’s better not to do this; it might be harmful to the resin, and if problems arise, it will also affect production. Our factory has twin towers, and yesterday the levels of calcium and magnesium were too high – regeneration takes 24 hours

We also considered it; although the tracking data was good, we didn’t go ahead with it, mainly due to safety concerns. Moreover, for the resin tower, it takes another month to carry out regeneration at double the rate, in order to ensure that all parameters in the secondary brine are within acceptable limits.

It can be extended appropriately, but the quality of the saline must be ensured; pay attention to conducting ICP analyses of the saline several times – otherwise, it is better not to extend it.

This still needs to be analyzed based on your current specific situation: 1. If the production capacity is currently underutilized and not operating at full capacity, it is possible to extend the time frame, but the frequency of ICP tests must be increased. The existing load level should be maintained for a certain period of time, and by checking the actual operation time based on the data, it can be ensured that the brine meets the required standards. The extended time can then be determined using these guidelines; once it has been set, it cannot be extended any further. Daily testing should be carried out to ensure maximum efficiency in the use of the resin, while also reducing the number of times acid and alkali regeneration is needed, thereby cutting costs. The cost of producing membranes using 2-ion membranes is the highest; our goal is to maximize the lifespan of these membranes. If it is possible to extend their lifespan while ensuring that the quality of the water output remains satisfactory, that would be good. However, minimizing the impact on cationic properties represents the best way to protect the membranes. Therefore, from this perspective, I think it’s better to focus first on the requirements regarding water quality – if those are met, this approach can be used, but it isn’t the ideal solution. The use of resin is not affected by the passage of time in terms of its quality, as the saturated adsorption capacity of the resin remains constant. The resin needs to be regenerated only when it reaches saturation or when the concentration of salts in the solution exceeds certain limits. On the other hand, as time passes, the number of times the resin needs to be regenerated decreases, and the frequency of contraction and expansion due to exposure to acids and bases also reduces, which lowers the rate of damage to the resin and thus extends its usable life.

Personally, I think it’s okay to extend the time as long as the processing capacity of the resin tower can handle it. We’ve all had records of extending it by 8 hours.

Extending the regeneration time is feasible. The prerequisite is that the quality of the primary and secondary brine remains stable. The regeneration quality is stable. The resin tower is designed for full-load salt water volume. If it’s not fully charged yet, there’s no need to recharge it every day. It can extend the regeneration interval. But operational and managerial aspects must keep up.

I think it’s a good suggestion; it can save a lot of money.

If the quality of saltwater is good and stable, that would be fine. The chlor-alkali industry still faces many difficulties at the moment; it’s better to save wherever possible

You may have only performed ICP analysis on the secondary tower, not on the primary one, or your brine flow rate is far below the design capacity of the resin tower; otherwise, your cell voltage will increase significantly.

This issue can be viewed in this way. The regeneration time of the resin is calculated based on the production volume of caustic soda, the size of the tower, and the resin exchange rate (in equivalents). The main factors involved are as follows: 1. It is essential to check whether the ion content in the brine exiting the tower exceeds the specified limits, with inspections generally carried out on an hourly basis. 2. Is the pressure drop of the resin column within the specified range? 3. Check the height of the resin after backwashing each time during regeneration. 4. Is there any flow deviation in the saline distributor?