Briefly explain the desalination principle of anion and cation exchangers?
Thread Content
Briefly explain the desalination principle of anion and cation exchangers?
Cation and anion exchangers are generally used together to achieve desalination. In a cation exchanger, the cation exchange reaction results in the adsorption of cations from the water, while the H+ ions released as a result combine with the existing anions in the water such as HCO3-, Cl-, SO42-, etc., to form corresponding acid solutions. When the water exiting the anion exchange resin bed enters the cation exchange resin bed, a reaction takes place; as a result, the cations and anions present in the water are absorbed by the respective resin types, thereby reducing the salt content in the water. To reduce the load on the anion bed, a decarburizer is added after the cation bed to remove carbonic acid.
Sodium-magnesium plasma is adsorbed by the resin and then desorbed using hydrochloric acid.