Chemicals we use include:
Potassium carbonate. Naturally occurring salt. The carbonate portion neutralizes the carbon dioxide in water to elevate the pH. Carbon dioxide creates carbonic acid that is usually the cause of low pH (acid) water.
Liquid chlorine bleach. Creates hypochlorous acid in water that kills harmful bacteria for potability and also bacteria causing sulfur (rotten egg) odors and iron bacteria. Also an excellent oxidizing agent to pre-oxidize iron and manganese prior to filtration. Keeps filter media clean and in a regenerated state. Properly fed, the chlorine is consumed by chemical and biological demand (COD and BOD) with only a slight remaining residual in the water. Chlorine reverts naturally to salt.
Hydrogen peroxide. Used as a direct replacement for chlorine without the taste, odor and disinfectant by products (DBP’s) associated with chlorine. Reverts to water in presence of light.
Sodium Hexametaphosphate. Tiny quantities in water (1 or 2 mg/l) will react with metals such as calcium to coat metal pipes and fixtures to prevent corrosion. Phosphate is a plant nutrient thus favored for corrosion in irrigation systems.
RO anti-scale chemical. Normally a weak organic acid combined with a surfactant. Eliminates the need for a pre-RO softener thus saving the operator capital cost and operating expense. Normally fed into the raw feed water at a level of 1-2 mg/l. This trace chemical volume remains in the reject water with none appearing in the treated water.
The key to the application is to treat a relatively constant flow so that a simple on/off feed pump as shown here can be employed. This is usually the situation with RO pre-treatment and for flows between a well and a storage tank either atmospheric or hydro pneumatic. If variable flows are to have chemical injected, a meter that produces a pulse proportional to flow and a pump that can be paced with such a meter must be employed —a much more expensive set of components.
Two types of pumps are normally used:
Diaphragm – where a flexible material is moved back and forth creating vacuum on pull and a pressure on push.
Peristaltic – where a tube is pinched and released with vacuum on release and pressure on pinch. Application, serviceability, available materials, and price determine the selection.
Dime Water, Inc. does everything possible to avoid the use of regeneration chemicals when working with customers to solve water related problems. In the last 21 years of practicing this policy we have prevented the discharge of hundreds of millions of gallons of chemically tainted water being discharged into waste water plants, aquifers, and surface water sources.