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What is a Nitrate removal system?
A nitrate removal system comprises of a vessel, resin beads, a pump and a brine tank. The unit works to remove nitrates that may naturally be occurring in water. The system also attracts sulphates due to the chemical likeness.
What are nitrates?
Nitrates are colourless, odourless and tasteless. Despite this, having nitrates present within you water supply can be particularly problematic. Particularly in industry use. The only way to detect is nitrates are in your water supply is to have you water professionally analysed. Industrial Water Equipment provide a water sampling service and details of which can be found here :
IWE Water Analysis
Nitrates in drinking water in a domestic setting can also be very problematic, not least for infants under six months old. Infants should not consume nitrates in their water/ formula feed as this can lead to a serious condition known as Methaemoglobinemia or blue baby syndrome. This is a serious condition that restricts oxygen flow through the babes hears and leaves extremity limbs a blue colour.
Nitrates are commonly found when there are farms locally that use fertilisers. Water may be contaminated when it is supplied from a private borehole.
What effects do nitrates have?
As mentioned above, nitrates in a domestic setting can cause the very serious condition, Methaemoglobinemia in babies where consumed water is particularly rich in nitrates. Nitrates are also particularly harmful to pregnant women and those whose immune system is compromised.
Within industry, there is another set of problems caused by the presence of nitrates. Nitrates can discolour foodstuffs. This can have a detrimental effect on a production line.
Nitrates can also be very harmful to animals. Farms which source their water from wells or boreholes can be particularly susceptible to high nitrate levels.
How does a nitrate removal system work?
A nitrate removal system works much the same way as a water softener. With nitrate removal, a different polymer ion exchange resin us used that is targeted at removing nitrates and sulphates replacing them with chloride ions. Once the bed is exhausted, the system kicks into a regen cycle.
What happens during the regen cycle?
During a regen cycle, there will no longer be any feed water coming through the unit. There will be approximately two hours where the system will be off-line. If required bypass valve can be fitted to ensure that when the system is in regen, there is still access to un treated water. During regen, the unit will be going through three phases :
Back wash – During a backwash cycle, water is flushed through the system in reverse up through the resin bed. This agitates the resin and separates it allowing for the subsequent phases to be most effective.
Brine cycle – Once the resin has been flushed and agitated by reverse water flow, the system then fills the main vessel, submerging the resin bed with a brine solution drawn from the brine tank. During this process, the resin releases the previously captured nitrates and sulphate and replaces it with sodium ions. The calcium and magnesium ions are then washed away and sent to waste along with any other waste brine solution leaving the resin bed regenerated and like new, and recharging the resin.
Rinse cycle – This phase involves the system being flushed with water to remove any remaining brine solution. Once this process is complete, the system is ready to get back online.
Which type of valve should I use?
This all depends on your intended usage and your daily routine. Much like water softening, a basic time controller is perfectly surfactant for a regulated flow. The system will regen at a pre-determined time regardless of whether or not the resin has been exhausted. Regen times are usually pre selected at 2am as this is deemed the time you are less likely to require water usage although this can be changed should you require.
If you require a more precise regen method and are concerned about salt wastage, a meter controlled system may be more suitable. These systems are usually more expensive but will be able to ensure that the system is only regenerated once the resin had been exhausted. These systems are particularly useful when used in duplex, as when the first column goes into regen, the second column will be put into service.
Does a nitrate removal system require maintenance?
It is recommended that your nitrate removal system is serviced at least twice a year to ensure that the unit and the media remain in a good working order. IWE provides several service packages and servicing on an ad hoc basis. More information regarding servicing can be found under equipment servicing
Nitrate Removal
Industrial Water Equipment Limited provide our customers with both of the Nitrate removal processes available, The first being a removal process by ion exchange and the other process is to remove the Nitrates via Reverse osmosis technology.
The most cost effective treatment is ion exchange but in some cases such as applications where other contaminants have to be removed reverse osmosis water filters can be used. Using our ion exchange process, Nitrate rich water passes through a grp vessel containing a nitrate selective resin similar to water softening resin.
This Nitrate selective resin is manufactured specifically to remove Sulphates and nitrates out of feed waters. The sulphates and nitrates are then removed by washing the resin with a salt solution. This process is automatic and referred to as the regeneration cycle. The Nitrates and sulphates are then washed to drain leaving the resin free to begin the removal process again.