Softening

Is the minimum basic treatment, which converts by circulation through resins, the calcium and the magnesium carbonates which produce scaling of the wetted surfaces. These salts are exchanged for the soluble sodium carbonates by contact with the resin. Softener units are presented in the form of vessels containing the resin, which is periodically regenerated using a sodium chloride solution. This type of water treatment alone is not always sufficient for industrial applications as dissolved gases, carbonates, silica and the other ions pass through these resins which can be additional sources of corrosion, fouling, foaming or steam carry-over. In that case, additional treatments (decarbonisation and demineralisation) are needed.