Cleaning Iron from Softener Resin

[jartgo]

I have a softener that is fairly new and was fouled with iron during the plant startup process. The iron is being removed before the softeners at this point, but the capacity of the resin for hardness removal has been diminished due to iron fouling.

That said, I'd like to try cleaning the resin with a product such as "iron out", but am having trouble finding any information on a suggested dosage or application for a one time cleaning for these 48 inch vessels. I guess what I'd like to see is a dosage based on cubic feet of resin, perhaps. Anyone been through this exercise before?
Thanks in advance.

 

[bimr]

Most resin manufacturers recommend a dose rate of sodium hydrosulfite of 1.25 pounds per cubic foot of resin. Iron removal is straightforward.

http://www.watertechonline.com/wate...ticle/the-abcs-of-ion-exchange-resin-cleaning

http://www.purolite.com.br/downloads/Brochuras/Fouling & Cleaning.pdf

http://msdssearch.dow.com/Published...seps/pdfs/noreg/177-01852.pdf&fromPage=GetDoc

 

[bigbranddan]

In addition to one time cleaning you want to use Rust Out/Iron Out with every regeneration.
Iron is difficult to clean from resin. Using resin cleaner at low levels in every regen and also making sure you are salting correctly makes a big difference.

We try and low salt, 4-7 lbs of salt per cubic foot of resin with most city water.
But when there is iron present 12-18 lbs of salt per cubic foot is often required to get the iron to ion exchange out of the resin.

Dan Saltsburg
Big Brand Water Filter

 

[jartgo]

Dan, just to clarify, the iron is regularly being removed before the softeners. However, during plant startup, iron-laden water was sent straight to the softeners for some period of time, thereby fouling the resin.

It is not customary (where I practice) to either use softeners for iron removal, or to regularly dose them with iron out. Of course this is routinely done in a single-home residential setting, but doing so in a municipal environment (for anything other than very low levels of iron) would be extraordinary.