Make-up Demineralizers Water Filter Solutions
We engineer high-capacity polystyrene gel ion exchange resins with uniform particle size and Gaussian distribution, ensuring efficient regeneration and optimal capacity utilization in power generation make-up demineralizers.
Make-up demineralizers are critical ion exchange solutions designed to remove dissolved minerals and ionic contaminants from water used in steam power generation cycles. These solutions address evaporative losses and water discharge that necessitate continuous water addition to maintain optimal steam cycle performance. The primary function involves sequential treatment through cation exchange, anion exchange, and mixed bed polishing to achieve ultra-low conductivity and silica levels. At Graver Technologies, we offer reliable and durable make-up demineralization solutions that ensure consistent water quality standards for industrial applications. These demineralizers provide comprehensive ionic contaminant removal, preventing scaling and metallurgical attack of steam cycle components while maintaining the highest purity standards required for efficient power generation operations.
Make-up Demineralizers Offered by Graver Technologies
Our inclusive range of make-up demineralizers features advanced GRAVEX® UPS ion exchange resins engineered for superior performance in demanding industrial environments.
• GRAVEX® UPS GR-1-0 US DM (OH) - Strongly Basic Type 1 Anion Exchange Resin: This high-capacity polystyrene gel resin features trimethylammonium quaternary amine functionality with 1.1 eq/L minimum total exchange capacity. The uniform particle size of 590 ± 50 µm with 1.1 maximum uniformity coefficient enables complete capacity utilization and superior separation characteristics. Operating effectively up to 60°C (140°F), this resin achieves 95% minimum hydroxide conversion with excellent friability ratings of 350 g/bead minimum average strength. The distinctive white to light yellow appearance allows visual monitoring during regeneration processes.
• GRAVEX® UPS GR-2-0 US DM (H) - Strongly Acidic Cation Exchange Resin: Featuring sulfonic acid functional groups, this amber-colored resin delivers exceptional performance with 1.9 eq/L minimum total exchange capacity and 99% minimum hydrogen conversion. The larger particle diameter of 660 ± 50 µm provides optimal flow characteristics while maintaining 1.1 maximum uniformity coefficient for consistent performance. With superior thermal stability up to 130°C (265°F) and exceptional mechanical strength of 500 g/bead minimum, this resin ensures long-term operational reliability. The 8% swelling ratio from sodium to hydrogen form minimizes operational complications during service cycles.
• GRAVEX® UPS GR-1-0 US CGF (OH) - Condensate Grade Anion Exchange Resin: Specifically formulated for high-flow condensate polishing applications, this resin operates efficiently at service rates up to 40-150 m/h (16-60 gpm/ft²). The quaternary ammonium functionality provides 1.1 eq/L minimum exchange capacity while maintaining superior friability characteristics. With reduced minimum bed depth requirements of 800 mm (2.6 ft) and specialized regeneration protocols, this resin optimizes condensate treatment efficiency while reducing operational complexity.
• GRAVEX® UPS GR-2-0 US CGF (H) - Condensate Grade Cation Exchange Resin: This specialized cation resin handles demanding condensate polishing conditions with 2.0 eq/L minimum exchange capacity and enhanced thermal tolerance up to 150°C (302°F). The sulfonic acid functionality combined with uniform particle distribution ensures consistent performance across varying flow rates and contamination levels. Advanced friability characteristics of 500 g/bead minimum provide exceptional durability under high-flow condensate polishing conditions.
Key Features and Technical Advantages
Graver Technologies’ make-up demineralizers are built with features that ensure reliable performance and cost efficiency in industrial water treatment systems.
• Uniform Particle Size and Gaussian Distribution: The cation, anion, and mixed bed resins are manufactured with a highly uniform particle size, which enables consistent hydraulic behavior throughout the resin bed. This uniformity provides stable flow characteristics, reduces channeling, and maximizes contact efficiency. Gaussian particle distribution ensures reproducibility across cycles, delivering predictable water quality.
• Superior Anion-Cation Separation During Regeneration: This solution enables excellent separation of anion from cation resins in the regeneration process. This precision ensures complete ionic exchange, minimizes cross-contamination, and allows the resins to return to their maximum functional capacity. Effective separation is vital for achieving high-purity water suitable for sensitive industrial systems.
• Reduced Rinsing Requirements: Following regeneration, these demineralizers require significantly less rinse water to achieve conductivity targets. This efficiency conserves water resources, lowers operating costs, and shortens turnaround times, allowing the systems to resume service more quickly. Reduced rinsing also enhances sustainability by minimizing wastewater discharge.
• Visual Observation through Color Differentiation: The distinct color difference between cation and anion resins allows operators to monitor separation during regeneration visually. This feature provides a practical operational advantage by confirming proper resin classification, preventing errors, and ensuring consistent cycle quality without complex monitoring equipment.
• Extended Resin Durability: Advanced polymer structures in the GRAVEX® UPS resins provide excellent mechanical strength and resistance to osmotic shock. This durability allows the resins to withstand repeated regeneration cycles without degradation, prolonging service life and reducing replacement frequency.
• Improved Chemical Efficiency: Lower chemical requirements during regeneration reduce operational expenses while maintaining effective ionic removal. This efficiency contributes to a smaller environmental footprint and aligns with sustainable water management practices.
Applications of Make-up Demineralizers
Make-up demineralizers are integral to numerous power generation applications where high-purity water is essential for protecting assets and maintaining process efficiency.
• Power Generation Plants: In power plants, these filters safeguard boilers and turbines by ensuring mineral-free feedwater. They reduce scaling, corrosion, and fouling, thereby extending equipment lifespan and maintaining uninterrupted electricity production.
• Industrial Boilers: Industrial boilers require consistent water purity to prevent deposit buildup. Demineralizers protect heating surfaces, improve thermal transfer, and lower maintenance costs by reducing unscheduled outages and cleaning requirements.
• Petrochemical and Refinery Operations: Petrochemical plants rely on demineralized water for process stability and steam generation. By eliminating dissolved salts and silica, these solution prevent costly downtime and maintain product quality across refinery operations.
High Performance Ion Exchange Resins for Makeup Demineralizers
Operating power generation facilities incur steam cycle water evaporative losses and water discharge, which requires make-up water to be added to the steam cycle. These make-up demineralizers typically consist of one or more trains of three ion exchange resin vessels. First in sequence is a cation exchange vessel, followed by an anion exchange vessel. The final make-up polisher is a mixed bed of cation and anion exchange resins, which produces the highest quality water. The goal is to achieve low conductivity and low silica values in the make-up water. The make-up demineralizers are expected to produce high quality water and limit the impurity levels entering the cycle. High silica levels or high conductivity that indicates high impurity levels can contribute to scaling and metallurgical attack of the steam cycle components. Some systems operate without a mixed bed when the water quality is not as critical. Although strongly acidic cation and strongly basic anion exchange resins are often used, weak acidic cation and weak basic anion exchange resins are used under certain conditions.
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- Cation, anion, and mixed bed resins with uniform size and Gaussian particle distribution products are available
- Excellent anion separation from the cation during the regeneration process
- Lower rinsing requirements following regeneration
- Color difference of the resins allows visual observation of the important separation portion of the overall regeneration process
Product Selection
- GRAVEX® UPS Demineralization and Fossil Condensate Resins UPS GR-1-0 US DM (OH), UPS GR-2-0 US DM (H), UPS GR-1-0 US CGF (OH), UPS GR-2-0 US CGF (H) provide uniform particle size allowing for more complete capacity utilization
Support Literature
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are Make-up Demineralizer filters used in a power plant?
Make-up demineralizer filters prevent dissolved minerals from entering steam cycles, protecting expensive turbine and boiler equipment from scaling and corrosion damage. These solutions maintain water purity standards essential for efficient heat transfer and equipment longevity. Proper filtration ensures compliance with industry specifications while minimizing maintenance costs and operational disruptions.
How does a Make-up Demineralizer filter work?
These demineralizer operates through sequential ion exchange processes, where cation resins remove positively charged ions and anion resins eliminate negatively charged contaminants. Mixed bed polishing provides final treatment to achieve ultra-low conductivity and silica specifications. Regeneration cycles restore resin capacity using acid and caustic solutions for continuous operation.
What types of contaminants do Make-up Demineralizer Filters remove?
It eliminates dissolved minerals including calcium, magnesium, sodium, chloride, sulfate, and silica from makeup water streams. Ion exchange technology removes both cationic and anionic species that contribute to conductivity and scaling potential. Advanced resin formulations achieve removal efficiencies exceeding 99% for most dissolved ionic contaminants.
How often should Make-up Demineralizer Filters be replaced?
Resin replacement intervals typically range from 3-7 years depending on feedwater quality, operating conditions, and regeneration frequency. Performance monitoring through conductivity breakthrough and capacity testing determines optimal replacement timing. Preventive maintenance programs maximize resin utilization while ensuring consistent water quality specifications.
How do Graver Make-up Demineralizer filters help improve plant efficiency?
High-purity makeup water prevents scale formation on heat transfer surfaces, maintaining optimal thermal efficiency and reducing fuel consumption. Clean steam cycles minimize corrosion product transport and deposition, extending equipment service life and reducing maintenance requirements. Consistent water quality enables stable plant operations and reduces unplanned outages.
What is makeup water in a boiler?
Makeup water replaces steam and blowdown losses in boiler systems, maintaining proper water inventory and chemistry balance. This treated water must meet strict purity specifications to prevent scaling, corrosion, and carryover in steam generation equipment. Proper makeup water treatment ensures reliable boiler operation and extends equipment lifespan.
What is the difference between boiler feed water and make-up water?
Boiler feedwater combines returned condensate with treated makeup water to replace total system losses and maintain water inventory. Makeup water specifically refers to the fresh water addition required to compensate for steam losses and blowdown discharge. Treatment requirements differ based on the proportion of makeup water versus returned condensate in the overall feedwater blend.
What is makeup water in a cooling tower?
Cooling tower makeup water replaces losses from evaporation, drift, and blowdown while maintaining proper water chemistry and heat transfer efficiency. Treatment removes hardness and alkalinity that could cause scale formation on heat exchanger surfaces and cooling tower fill material. Proper makeup water quality prevents biological growth and minimizes maintenance requirements.
Can Graver Make-up Demineralizers be customized for different plant capacities?
Graver Technologies designs filtration solutions ranging from small industrial applications to large utility-scale installations with flows exceeding 1000 gpm. Modular vessel configurations enable capacity expansion and provide operational redundancy for critical applications. Custom engineering services optimize system design for specific feedwater conditions and purity requirements.
What is the difference between condensate polishing and make-up demineralization?
Condensate polishing treats returned condensate to remove corrosion products and contaminants picked up during steam cycle circulation. Make-up demineralization treats fresh water additions to replace system losses and maintain water inventory. Both processes use ion exchange technology but address different contamination sources and treatment objectives in the overall water cycle.
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