Professional Documents
Culture Documents
December 2014
Demineralizers and
Ion Exchangers
Student Guide
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GENERAL DISTRIBUTION: Copyright 2014 by the National Academy for Nuclear Training. Not for sale or
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NOTICE: This information was prepared in connection with work sponsored by the Institute of Nuclear Power
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(a) makes any warranty or representation, expressed or implied, with respect to the accuracy, completeness, or
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Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................................... 1
TLO 1 DEMINERALIZER OPERATION..................................................................................... 2
Overview .......................................................................................................................... 2
ELO 1.1 Demineralizers and Ion Exchangers Purpose .................................................... 3
ELO 1.2 Principles of Operation ..................................................................................... 4
ELO 1.3 Regeneration ..................................................................................................... 6
ELO 1.4 Changes in Demineralizer Operation .............................................................. 12
ELO 1.5 pH Effects on Demineralizer Use ................................................................... 15
ELO 1.6 Decontamination Factor .................................................................................. 17
ELO 1.7 Plant Evolutions that Affect Demineralizer Operation ................................... 20
ELO 1.8 Saturated Demineralizer .................................................................................. 22
DEMINERALIZERS AND ION EXCHANGERS SUMMARY ......................................................... 24
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Demineralizers and Ion Exchangers
Revision History
Introduction
This course will explore how demineralizers and ion exchangers maintain
water quality and water chemistry during nuclear power plant operations.
Water chemistry plays a vital role in nuclear power plant operations; it
helps maintain radiation levels at minimums, controls reactivity poisons,
and improves the durability of plant components through corrosion control.
Rev 1 1
Demineralizers and ion exchangers equipment controls water chemistry in a
plant. Proper water chemistry is important to safe plant operations because
it minimizes corrosion products that could become activated and cause high
radiation levels, and helps maintain level amounts of reactivity poisons in
solution in a pressurized water reactor (PWR).
Objectives
Water quality and water chemistry are important because these factors
provide short-term and long-term benefits and functions within various
plant systems.
Objectives
2 Rev 1
ELO 1.1 Demineralizers and Ion Exchangers Purpose
Introduction
Purpose
Demineralizers (also called ion exchangers) hold ion exchange resins and
transport water through the resins to filter and ionize the water. Ion
exchangers are generally classified into two groups: single-bed ion
exchangers (containing either an anion or a cation resin) and mixed-bed ion
exchangers (containing both anion and cation resins). Key attributes of a
demineralizer are as follows:
Rev 1 3
A demineralizer is a cylindrical tank with connections at the top for
water inlet and resin addition, and connections at the bottom for the
water outlet and resin removal.
Inside the demineralizer, there are upper and lower retention elements
with a mesh size smaller than the resin beads that keep the resin beads
within the demineralizer.
Water that needs purification enters the top at a set flow rate and
flows down through the resin beads where the flow path causes a
physical filter effect as well as a chemical ion exchange, resulting in
purified water exiting the demineralizer.
Knowledge Check
Demineralizers are used in nuclear plants to (select all
that apply)
A. remove ionic impurities.
B. remove small particles.
C. control the pH of water.
D. remove oil impurities.
The process of ion exchange takes place within the demineralizer vessel.
This process removes ionic impurities and replaces them with acceptable
substitutes. Small resin beads serve as the vehicle to complete the ion
exchange within the demineralizer. The resin beads shown in the figure
below are porous and have many exchange sites for ion exchange to take
place. The resin generally contains exchangeable ions that are harmless
such as H+ or OH-.
4 Rev 1
There are different types of resin beads available; the specific application
dictates the appropriate type of resin bead. Anion resins exchange ions with
undesirable negative ions and typically use the OH- or hydroxyl ion. Cation
resins exchange ions with undesirable positive ions and typically use the
H3O+ or hydronium ion.
The reactions that take place within the ion exchanger are reversible and
dependent on the resin selected. Numerous exchange reactions can take
place; below are a few examples:
+ + 2
2
+ +
+ + + + + + + + + + +
The R indicates the organic portion of the resin. The resins represented
above are a hydrogen cation resin R-H+ and a hydroxyl anion resin R+OH-.
The sodium chloride will separate from the water and form the Na+ and Cl-
ions. The hydrogen and hydroxyl ions from the resin react to form water.
The anion resin will exchange the negative Cl- for the negative OH- ion.
The cation resin will exchange the positive H+ for the positive Na+. These
exchanges take place because the resin has a higher affinity for the
undesirable ions than the mobile ions it contains. Ion affinity is selective
and the resin will give up one of its ions in favor of one for which it has a
higher affinity.
Many elements serve as ion exchangers. The table below lists some
common strong acid cation exchanger elements and compounds, as well as
some strong base anion exchanger elements, and compounds.
Rev 1 5
Strong Acid Cation Exchanger Strong Base Anion Exchanger
Sodium
Hydrogen
Knowledge Check
A demineralizer contains resin with the following
properties:
+ + +
B. + + + + +
C. + + + + +
D. + + + + +
Knowledge Check
B. positive; negative
C. negative; hydroxyl
D. hydronium; hydroxyl
Introduction
Sustained operation will eventually exhaust the resin bed, as the ion
exchanges deplete the exchangeable ions. Increased effluent conductivity is
a common indication of resin bed exhaustion. The resin exchange sites no
longer contain sufficient ions to exchange to be effective. Breakthrough
describes that point when the impurities in the outlet or effluent of the
demineralizer indicate resin exhaustion. A very small amount of impurities
or unwanted ions will pass through the demineralizer during normal
operation. Leakage refers to this small and often undetectable amount of
unwanted ions. Larger amounts of leakage indicate breakthrough and
6 Rev 1
require regeneration of the resin bed for the bed to function at peak
performance.
Single-Bed Regeneration
Rev 1 7
Stage What Happens
Return to Once personnel close the drain valve and open the
Service outlet valve, the ion exchanger is ready for service.
Mixed-Bed Regeneration
8 Rev 1
Stage What Happens
Slow Rinse Flow of dilution water continues, with the caustic and
acid supplies cut off. This two-direction rinse flushes
out the last of the regenerating solutions from the two
beds and into the interface drain. Rinsing from two
directions at equal flow rates keeps the caustic solution
from flowing down into cation resin and depleting it.
Vent and Partial The drain valve is opened, and some of the water is
Drain drained out of the demineralizer so that there will be
space for the air that is needed to re-mix the resins. In
the air mix step, a blower usually supplies pressurized
air, which forces air in through the line entering the
bottom of the ion exchanger. The air mixes the resin
beads and then leaves through the vent in the top of the
vessel. When the resin is mixed, slowly draining the
water out of the interface drain while the air mix
continues allows the resin to settle into position.
Final Rinse The air is turned off and the vessel is refilled with
water that is pumped in through the top. Running
water through the vessel from top to bottom and out the
drain rinses the resins, until a low conductivity reading
indicates that the ion exchanger is ready to return to
service.
The following figure shows the regeneration process in its seven steps.
Rev 1 9
Figure: Mixed-Bed Demineralizer Regeneration
External Generation
Regeneration of the separated anion and cation resins uses the same
techniques as single-bed ion exchangers. Sluicing moves the regenerated
resins into a holding tank where air remixes them. Then, sluicing moves the
mixed, regenerated resins back to the demineralizer.
10 Rev 1
spare bed of resins in a holding tank. Then, when a demineralizer needs
regeneration, it is out of service only for the time required to sluice out the
depleted bed and sluice a fresh bed in from the holding tank.
Knowledge Check
Knowledge Check
A. Slow rinse
B. Air mix
C. Regeneration
D. Rinse
E. Backwash
Rev 1 11
ELO 1.4 Changes in Demineralizer Operation
Demineralizer Operation
Differential Pressure
An abnormally high flow rate could cause several problems. Under normal
conditions, the lower retention element holds the resin beads in the
12 Rev 1
demineralizer. A flow rate that exceeds the design rate could force the resin
beads through the retention element. The organic resin material could break
down into small resin fines (material that is not an intact resin bead), which
will pass through the retention element. Resin within the system could
cause problems with other components. High flow rates may result in a
sudden increase in conductivity at demineralizer outlet.
Under high flow rates, channels develop in the resin bed. Channeling of the
resin will reduce not only the ion exchange that takes place, but also the
mechanical filtration. The channel through the resin creates a preferential
path of lower resistance for the fluid, indicated by a decrease in differential
pressure and a probable increase in both ion concentration and conductivity
in the outlet. If the flow rate is too excessive, the ion exchange may not
have time to occur or not enough exchanges will take place. Excessive flow
rate results in an increase in flow measured at the outlet of the
demineralizer.
Temperature
Eventually, the resin bed will be exhausted and unable to function at peak
performance; an increased effluent conductivity is a common indication.
The resin exchange site will run out of enough mobile ions to exchange and
will no longer be effective
Breakthrough is the term used to describe when the impurities in the outlet
or effluent of the demineralizer indicate resin exhaustion. Very small
amounts of impurities or unwanted ions will pass through during normal
operation. This small and often undetectable amount is termed leakage.
Larger amounts of leakage indicate imminent breakthrough and require
resin regeneration to maintain peak demineralizer performance.
Knowledge Check
Rev 1 13
A. increased demineralizer flow rate.
To solve this problem, we must apply the pump law that flow
rate is proportional to the square root of the D/P. Therefore,
Note you have to plug in the expected D/Ps for each flow rate and
find out which one exceeds the expected D/P.
At 60 percent flow, the D/P should be:
60 2
4 = 5.76
50
At 100 percent flow, the D/P should be:
100 2
4 = 16
50
At 25 percent flow, the D/P should be:
25 2
4 = 1
50
At 75 percent flow, the D/P should be:
75 2
4 = 11.25
50
Only 25 percent flow rate has a higher than expected D/P and
therefore indicates there is accumulation of corrosion products.
14 Rev 1
Knowledge Check
Knowledge Check
Introduction
Rev 1 15
Figure: pH Scale
The ion exchange process results in the formation of H+ and OH- exchanged
ions from resins. The more basic solutions will have an excess of OH- ions,
while the acidic solutions will contain excess H3O+. However, in a mixed-
bed demineralizer containing both resins, the pH effect of one cancels the
pH effect of the other. To counteract this, a different type of cation resin
(lithium) is used. The mixed-bed resin is comprised of a lithium-based
cation resin with the anion resin. The mobile Li+ given up does not
counteract the OH-, thereby increasing the pH.
Knowledge Check
If distilled water has a pH measurement of 7, then a pH
greater than 7 indicates a(n) _________ while pH less
than 7 indicates a(n) __________.
A. base; acid
B. acid; base
16 Rev 1
Knowledge Check
Introduction
Rev 1 17
Determining Impurities Removed
1. Percent impurities %
removed ratio is set up
to compare the outlet = 100
of the resin bed to the
inlet of the resin bed.
5. Determine the
percentage of % = 98%
impurities removed.
18 Rev 1
Demonstration
Rev 1 19
Knowledge Check
B. conductivity.
C. suspended solids.
D. pressure.
System Interrelationship
Since demineralizers and ion exchangers are a support system used to adjust
the chemistry of various systems in a power plant, changing conditions of
the systems they serve can affect them. For example, during plant heatup or
cooldown, a coolant purification system's inlet temperature can vary greatly.
This may change the suspended solids in the coolant system and in turn
affect the performance of the resin bed. The temperature and flow of the
processed water can also directly affect demineralizer resins.
Crud Burst
Oil Contamination
Another potential hazard for demineralizer resin beds is oily water. The oil
will affect the exchange sites and render the resin ineffective. Oil will
create a film on the resin beads that will block or inhibit the resin exchange
20 Rev 1
sites from performing their intended function since oil is an organic
compound.
Knowledge Check
Knowledge Check
Knowledge Check
B. Oily water
C. Radioactive water
D. Makeup water
Rev 1 21
ELO 1.8 Saturated Demineralizer
Introduction
A demineralizer is termed saturated when the resin beads are loaded with
positive or negative ions. Saturation essentially biases the resin so that it
will have a reduced affinity for certain ions. This can occur upon exposure
of an ion exchanger to an overabundance of either hydroxyl or hydronium
ions while in service.
When a resin bead has collected all the unwanted ions that the resin bead
can support, the bead is termed saturated; this is common toward the end of
the beads service life. For example, as an R+OH- resin bead attracts Cl-
ions, the resin bead sites fill with Cl-. This is not a problem as long as
personnel and conditions maintain the resin bead conditions constant.
However, increasing the bead temperature will release some of the Cl- ions
back into solution. This breakthrough can change the chemistry of the
effluent and subsequent process chemistry. Saturating a resin bed
effectively changes the affinity for ions of the whole bed and can be used to
buffer changes in coolant chemistry. There are two types of demineralizer
saturation discussed in this lesson.
Boron Saturation
In PWRs, during lower temperatures, the borate ion bonding to the resin
exchange sites contains three boron atoms, while at higher temperatures
only contains one atom. Lower-temperature resin will remove more boron
and is much more efficient. Lowering the temperature of influent may
increase the affinity for a particular ion such as boron. The lower the
temperature, the more boron the resin will hold. If the temperature is
increased, the resin affinity changes and the resin releases some boron.
Lithium Saturation
22 Rev 1
the form of Li+ and OH-. Initially, lithium concentration is increased to
saturation in one of the coolant purification ion exchangers in order to aid in
reactor coolant system pH control by preventing a large swing in lithium
concentration and subsequent pH when placed in service.
Knowledge Check
Knowledge Check
B. decrease; decreased
C. increase; increased
D. increase; decreased
Rev 1 23
Demineralizers and Ion Exchangers Summary
Demineralizers and ion exchangers are passive components that have a
major effect on system performance by maintaining the system chemistry
stable and reducing the immediate effects of chemical excursions.
A demineralizer is termed saturated when the resin beads are loaded with
positive or negative ions. This essentially biases the resin so that it will
have a reduced affinity for certain ions.
Now that you have completed this module, you should be able to
demonstrate mastery of this topic by passing a written exam with a grade of
80 percent or higher on the following TLO:
1. Explain demineralizer operation and its effect on power plant
operation.
24 Rev 1