Hard Water Vs Soft Water | How Does A Water Softener Work - (Zeolite)

A water softener softens water by lowering the magnesium or calcium concentration in the hard water. Hard water has high amounts of calcium and/or magnesium ions. These ions result in problems several problems such as pipes clogging due to built up deposits inside the water heaters and water pipes. If hard water is used to cook food, then one would find calcium or magnesium buildup in cookware, especially kettles and coffee machines.

This is due to the fact that the ions readily dissolve in water and get stuck together. The ions also quickly form to bonds with other substances for example copper in the water pipes. When the few ions bond with substances like copper it only takes a few hours a matter of time before other ions bond with them as well.

Eventually clusters of magnesium or calcium ions develop what could be described as "scale" or commonly known as "build up". These ions result in problems in the pipes and a shower in warm water the ions react with the soap and result in the formation of horrible sticky scum, and causes the soap not to lather smoothly.

To prevent problems such as these the hard water needs to be treated to lower the magnesium or calcium concentration. There are other techniques that can reduce these concentrations, however for a household most of those ways are much too costly. Thus water softeners are introduced.

Water softeners come in two forms, beads-filter or zeolite chemical-matrix-filter form. Water softeners serve one main purpose - they replace calcium and magnesium ions with sodium ions. Sodium Ions solves hard water problems because sodium does not create massive deposits such as those created from calcium or magnesium. Water softeners produce sodium ions which do not form sticky substance with washing soap.

How do water softeners works and what is the best technique to install a water softener?

Water softeners work in a simple way... the water flows through beads or past the beads or zeolite - which are filters saturated with sodium ions. When calcium or magnesium ions come along they exchange places with the sodium ion. The end result is that the magnesium and calcium ions remain on the bead or in the zeolite matrix while sodium ions enter the water into the water, magnesium or calcium free.

Eventually all the calcium or magnesium ion residue inside the zeolite matrix and on the beads are removed when the filter is replaced. Here is how to install a water softener

What Are Zeolites?

Zeolites are minerals that have a porous structure. and to date there are roughly about four dozen known zeolite minerals. Synthetic varieties are even more than this. Zeolites are hydrated alumino-silicate minerals that have an "open" structure that can house a wide range of positive ions, such as Na+, K+, Ca2+, Mg2+ and others. Positive ions such as these are are loosely held and can easily be exchanged for others in a contact solution. Well known mineral zeolites include analcime, chabazite, heulandite, natrolite, phillipsite, and stilbite. An example mineral formula is: Na2Al2Si3O10-2H2O, the formula for natrolite.

Natural zeolites develop where ash layers and volcanic rocks react with alkaline groundwater. There are several types of synthetic zeolites that form by a process of slow crystallization of a silica-alumina gel in the presence of alkalis and organic templates.

Zeolites are commonly used as ion-exchange beds in domestic and commercial water purification, softening, and other applications. In chemistry, zeolites are used to separate molecules (only molecules of certain sizes and shapes can pass through), as traps for molecules so they can be analyzed, or as catalysts by confining molecules in small spaces, which causes changes in their structure and reactivity

There are a wide range of water usage articles which cover issues such as water usage in the house, filters, softeners, heaters and water in the garden as well. Links to topics change every time you visit the page.