Engineered system · Water & Wastewater Treatment
Demineralization & Mixed Bed Plants (DM & MB)
Process water needs a defined quality target.
When a process depends on low mineral content, the required quality must be translated into a treatment and regeneration basis.
Project vision
Water carries dissolved minerals as charged particles: cations such as calcium, magnesium and sodium, and anions such as chloride, sulphate and bicarbonate. A DM plant passes water through two resin beds. The first swaps every cation for hydrogen, the second swaps every anion for hydroxide, and the hydrogen and hydroxide combine to form water. What comes out is close to distilled quality.
A degasser between the beds strips out carbon dioxide, which lightens the load on the anion resin. A mixed bed unit, where both resins sit together, polishes the water further. Our DM units use single-valve operation with each step marked on the valve, are assembled and checked before dispatch, and are built rust-free. We design, supply, install, commission and maintain them.
Illustrative application narrative · no completed installation or measured result is asserted.
Typical business & operational challenges
A typical operational situation
Variable ionic loading and unclear water-quality targets complicate resin sizing and operation.
Our solution
Demineralization & Mixed Bed Plants (DM & MB) is considered around the actual duty, available inputs and operating arrangement. The scope starts with feed-water ionic analysis. It also considers resin duty selection. It also considers conductivity monitoring. It also considers regeneration planning.
Our approach
Establish process-water criteria
Review ionic load and flow
Select DM and mixed-bed stages as applicable
Define monitoring and regeneration routines
Features & deliverables
- Feed-water ionic analysis
- Resin duty selection
- Conductivity monitoring
- Regeneration planning
Selection and inclusion are confirmed through the approved proposal and design.
Expected operational benefits
A clearer basis for feed-water ionic analysis and regeneration planning, supported by an operating approach suited to the application. Actual performance depends on the final design, conditions and operation.
Technology options & engineering basis
Select DM and mixed-bed stages as applicable. Equipment, interfaces and operating requirements are selected after the input review.
Information to bring to the discussion
Source or process analysis, flow and load variation, target quality, space, utilities and operating constraints.
How it works, stage by stage
Pre-filtration
Sand and carbon filters remove suspended solids and chlorine, which would foul or damage the resin.
Cation exchange
Resin in hydrogen form swaps calcium, magnesium and sodium for hydrogen ions.
Degasser
Air blown through the water strips out carbon dioxide formed in the cation stage.
Anion exchange
Resin in hydroxide form swaps chloride, sulphate and other anions for hydroxide ions.
Mixed bed polish
Cation and anion resins mixed in one vessel remove the last traces of dissolved salts.
Regeneration
Spent resins are recharged: cation with acid, anion with caustic soda, then rinsed for service.
Options
Two-stage DM
A cation bed followed by an anion bed. The standard choice for most boiler and process water.
DM with degasser
Adds a degasser tower between beds to remove carbon dioxide and reduce caustic use.
Mixed bed polisher
Cation and anion resins in one vessel, used after the DM beds when very pure water is needed.
Manual or automatic
Manual single-valve units for smaller plants, or automatic regeneration under PLC control.
Where it is used
- Boiler feed
- Pharmaceuticals
- Automobile & battery
- Chemicals
- Hospitals
- Breweries
- Fertilisers
- Power plants
Visual story
The needProcess water needs a defined quality target. Variable ionic loading and unclear water-quality targets complicate resin sizing and operation.
Read the full voiceover script
- The need Process water needs a defined quality target. Variable ionic loading and unclear water-quality targets complicate resin sizing and operation.
- The response Demineralization & Mixed Bed Plants (DM & MB) begins with the application. Establish process-water criteria. Review ionic load and flow.
- The work Select DM and mixed-bed stages as applicable. Then define monitoring and regeneration routines. The details belong to the agreed configuration and scope.
- The next step Start with feed-water ionic analysis, and define what success needs to look like. Discuss your application with ZEAL.
Questions before the next step
Are DM and mixed-bed stages interchangeable?
Their duties differ. The configuration follows feed analysis and the process-water quality requirement.
What is needed for an enquiry?
Feed-water ionic analysis, application details, available records, site constraints and the required delivery scope.
How pure is the water from a DM plant?
A two-stage DM plant removes almost all dissolved salts, giving water close to distilled quality. A mixed bed polisher after it takes out the last traces for boilers, laboratories and sensitive processes.
Does a DM plant need pre-treatment?
Yes. Suspended solids and chlorine foul or damage ion exchange resin, so sand and carbon filters are placed ahead of the DM beds.
How often do the resins need regenerating?
That depends on the salt content of your feed water and how much you treat. We size the beds to give a practical run between regenerations and set this out in the design.
Bring us your application.
Share your requirement and the information you already have. ZEAL can help clarify the options and the information needed for the next step.