Water Softener Salts: What You Need To Know
Water softeners are devices that use a process called ion exchange to remove minerals like calcium and magnesium from your water, making it softer and more pleasant to use. But how do water softeners work, and what role does water softener salt play in the process?
Here is a bit of information about water softener salts.
What Is Water Softener Salt?
Water softener salt is a type of salt that's used in an ion exchange water softener. This salt is mostly made from sodium chloride (NaCl), but it may also contain minute amounts of potassium chloride (KCl), impurities, and chemical substances that aid the softening process and prevent clogs in the water-softening tank. Salt is added to the brine tank in the water softener system, where it dissolves in water to form a brine solution.
How Does Water Softener Salt Work?
The brine solution is used to regenerate and clean the water-softener resin, which is a bed of tiny plastic beads that capture the hard water minerals. As hard water passes through the resin, the beads attract and hold onto the calcium and magnesium ions, releasing sodium or potassium ions in exchange. This way, the hard water is softened by replacing the minerals with salt.
However, over time, the resin becomes saturated with calcium and magnesium ions, and it needs to be regenerated to restore its softening capacity. This is where the brine solution comes in.
The water softener system flushes the resin with the brine solution, which reverses the ion exchange process and washes away the hard water minerals from the resin. The brine solution, along with the minerals, is then drained out of the system, leaving behind a clean and regenerated resin ready for another cycle of softening.
What are the Different Types of Water Softener Salt?
There are different types of water-softening salt available on the market. Here are the most common varieties.
Salt Pellets
These are compacted granules of sodium chloride or potassium chloride that are easy to handle and store. They are also less likely to form salt bridges or mushing in the brine tank, which are common problems that can affect the performance of the water softener system. Salt pellets are usually more expensive than other salt types but offer better quality and efficiency.
Solar Salt
This is a natural type of salt that is produced by evaporating seawater. It has a high purity level and a coarse crystal structure that dissolves easily in water. Solar salt is cheaper than salt pellets, but it may contain more impurities and insoluble matter that can clog the brine tank or the resin.
Rock Salt
This is a mined type of salt that is extracted from underground deposits. It has a low purity level and a large crystal structure that dissolves slowly in water. Rock salt is the cheapest type of salt and has the most impurities and insoluble matter.
To learn more about water softener salt, contact an industrial specialist in your area.
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