How do water softening systems work?

Answer 1

Hard water is caused by excessive dissolved calcium and magnesium in water, which are positively charged. A sodium cycle water softener works by removing calcium, magnesium, and other positively charged ions, and replacing them with an equivalent amount of sodium or potassium.

This exchange takes place on the surface of sodium zeolite resin beads inside the resin tank. The resin beads inside a water softner are massively negatively charged and covered with singly positively charged sodium ions (Na+). Calcium and magnesium are doubly positively charged (Ca++ and Mg++). The Ca++ and Mg++ ions attach to the negatively charged resin bead, and a Na+ ion is kicked off the bead to make room for the Ca++ and Mg++. The Na+ ion is flushed out of the resin tank with the product water.

During the regeneration cycle, concentrated sodium chloride solution is run over the resin beads which reverses the above reaction. Na+ ions attach to the resin beads and Ca++ and Mg++ ions are kicked off and sent down the drain. The chloride from the brine solution is also sent down the drain and does not end up in the product water of a properly functioning water softener.

Some water softeners use potassium chloride rather than sodium chloride to regenerate the resin. In this case, the potassium ion (K+) acts the same as the sodium ion in the above process.

Water softeners can also remove other positively charged ions such as iron. If high iron concentrations are present in raw water, the resin bed can be fouled and require replacement.

Answer 2

It gets rid of the calcium and magnesium. Mosy water softeners are a mechanical appliance that's plumbed into your home's water supply system. 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.Read more: How It Works: Water Softener - Popular Mechanics

Answer 3

Water softening systems work by removing minerals like calcium and magnesium from hard water through a process called ion exchange. In these systems, resin beads loaded with sodium ions swap places with the calcium and magnesium ions in the water, effectively softening it. The resin beads are periodically regenerated with a brine solution to replenish the sodium ions for continuous softening.