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What is ph?
pH, or Hydrogen potential, is a term used to indicate
the alkalinity (base) or acidity of a substance as
ranked on a scale from 1.0 to 14.0. Acidity increases
as the pH value decreases, alkalinity increases as
the pH value increases. See the graphic below for
the pH of some common liquids.
The pH scale measures the logarithmic concentration
of hydrogen (H+) and hydroxide (OH-) ions, which make
up water (H+) + (OH-) = (H2O). When both types of
ions are in equal concentration, the pH is 7.0 or
neutral. Below 7.0, the water is acidic (there are
more hydrogen ions than hydroxide ions). When the
pH is above 7.0, the water is alkaline, or basic (there
are more hydroxide ions than hydrogen ions). Since
the scale is logarithmic, a drop in the pH by 1.0
unit is equivalent to a 10-fold increase in acidity.
So, a water sample with a pH of 5.0 is 10 times as
acidic as one with a pH of 6.0, and pH 4.0 is 100
times as acidic as pH 6.0
What are
TQM, DI, NSF, RO, TDS, and GPD?
DI
- Deionized
NSF - National Sanitation Foundation
RO - Reverse Osmosis
TDS - Total Dissolved Solids
TQM - Total Quality Management
GPD - Gallons Per Day
What are water softeners?
BY THOMAS KLENCK ( Popular
Mechanics; August 1998 )
It's easy to forget how important water is in our
lives. Of course we need it in our diet, but in our
homes, it's a tool–a fluid medium that carries
material from one place to the next. And one of the
reasons it does this job well is that it's very good
at holding things, either by suspending them or dissolving
them.
Unlike most tools, though, water doesn't come with
an instruction manual. If it did, you'd know why the
dishes you thought were washed are covered with spots
when dry, why the water in your shower leaves a film
on everything it touches, and why what you thought
was clean water has clogged up your plumbing system.
The Solution Is The Problem
While water is in the ground, it picks up soluble
bits of whatever it passes through. While this can
mean contamination that makes the water unfit to drink,
in many cases it simply means that the water contains
minerals found in the earth. Of these, calcium and
magnesium are of particular importance because they
affect the water's ability to function in our homes.
These minerals make our water hard.
One effect of hard water is that soaps and detergents
lose some effectiveness. Instead of dissolving completely,
soap combines with the minerals to form a coagulated
soap curd. Because less soap is dissolved, more is
required. And the sticky insoluble curd hangs around–it
clings to the skin and may actually inhibit cleansing.
Washed hair seems dull and lifeless.
In the laundry, things aren't much better. The soap
curd can work its way into your clothes as they're
being washed in your automatic washing machine. This
can keep dirt trapped in the fibers, and it can stiffen
and roughen the fabric.
In addition to affecting the actual washing process,
insoluble soap deposits leave spots on everything
you wash–from your dishes to the family car–and
a soap film will build up in your bath and shower.
Another reason to be concerned about hard water is
its effect on your plumbing system. Calcium and magnesium
deposits can build up in pipes, reducing flow to taps
and appliances. In water heaters, these minerals generate
a scale buildup that reduces the efficiency and life
of the heater.
The Fix
The solution to the problem is to get rid of the calcium
and magnesium. While there are chemical treatments
that do this, the most popular answer is a water softener.
The typical water softener is a mechanical appliance
that's plumbed into your home's water supply system.
All water softeners use the same operating principle:
They trade the minerals for something else, in most
cases sodium. The process is called ion exchange.
The heart of a water softener is a mineral tank. It's
filled with small polystyrene beads, also known as
resin or zeolite. The beads carry a negative charge.
Calcium and magnesium in water both carry positive
charges. This means that these minerals will cling
to the beads as the hard water passes through the
mineral tank. Sodium ions also have positive charges,
albeit not as strong as the charge on the calcium
and magnesium. When a very strong brine solution is
flushed through a tank that has beads already saturated
with calcium and magnesium, the sheer volume of the
sodium ions is enough to drive the calcium and magnesium
ions off the beads. Water softeners have a separate
brine tank that uses common salt to create this brine
solution.
In normal operation, hard water moves into the mineral
tank and the calcium and magnesium ions move to the
beads, replacing sodium ions. The sodium ions go into
the water. Once the beads are saturated with calcium
and magnesium, the unit enters a 3-phase regenerating
cycle. First, the backwash phase reverses water flow
to flush dirt out of the tank. In the recharge phase,
the concentrated sodium-rich salt solution is carried
from the brine tank through the mineral tank. The
sodium collects on the beads, replacing the calcium
and magnesium, which go down the drain. Once this
phase is over, the mineral tank is flushed of excess
brine and the brine tank is refilled.
In ion exchange, hard water ions replace sodium ions
on beads. Process is reversed to flush minerals away.
The Brains
Most popular water softeners have an automatic regenerating
system. The most basic type has an electric timer
that flushes and recharges the system on a regular
schedule. During recharging, soft water is not available.
A second type of control uses a computer that watches
how much water is used. When enough water has passed
through the mineral tank to have depleted the beads
of sodium, the computer triggers regeneration. These
softeners often have reserve resin capacity, so that
some soft water will be available during recharging.
A third type of control uses a mechanical water meter
to measure water usage and initiate recharging. The
advantage of this system is that no electrical components
are required and the mineral tank is only recharged
when necessary. When it is equipped with two mineral
tanks, softened water is always available, even when
the unit is recharging.
In ion exchange, hard water ions replace sodium ions
on beads. Process is reversed to flush minerals away.
Judging Water Hardness
Companies that sell water softening equipment generally
offer test kits that help you determine the hardness
of your water. For commercial testing sources, check
your Yellow Pages under "water analysis."
Water hardness is measured in grains per gallon (GPG)
or milligrams per liter (mg/l, equivalent to parts
per million, or ppm). Water up to 1 GPG (or 17.1 mg/l)
is considered soft, and water from 60 to 120 GPG is
considered moderately hard. A water softener's effectiveness
depends on how hard the incoming water is. Water over
100 GPG may not be completely softened.
Health Concerns
Hard water poses no health hazard. On the other hand,
the sodium that remains in softened water may be a
problem for those on sodium-restricted diets. Other
people simply may wish to avoid the slightly salty
taste of treated water. In either case you can install
a separate water dispenser that bypasses the softener.
You also can use potassium chloride instead of salt,
although this costs about three to four times more.
