Silica fouling is a problem that can occur when silica builds up in ion exchange resins, which can reduce the effectiveness of the resin.
What causes silica fouling?
Silica polymerization
Silica molecules can polymerize and form a gel that sticks to the resin. This can happen when the pH of the system drops.
Silica concentration
The amount of silica that can be adsorbed by the resin increases with the concentration of low-molecular weight polysilicic acids.
What are the symptoms of silica fouling?
The resin clumps together
The resin becomes more sensitive to temperature and flow rate variations
The effluent quality decreases
The operating capacity decreases
The run length is short
The pressure drop increases
The WBA effluent conductivity is high
The bed cannot be backwashed
How can silica fouling be prevented?
Maintain proper pH levels
Use a strong base anion (SBA) exchanger to remove ionic silica
Use specialized ion exchange resins to remove reactive silica
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