Fouling of ion exchange resin of DM plant by hydrochloric acid from organic source.

To get consistent and expected results from the DM plant, it is important to maintain the resins in good condition and in a suitable environment. During the ion exchange process, water is passed through a resin bed and certain ions, depending upon the nature of the resin, are removed. Since the resin has only a certain capacity to exchange, it needs regeneration, once exhausted. The exhausted cation resin is regenerated by hydrochloric acid (HCl) and the anion resin by sodium hydroxide solution. Depending on the water quality, ion exchange resins may get fouled in different ways, resulting in loss of resin efficiency to deliver pure water. The present paper discusses some typical problems of fouling of cation and anion resin by hydrochloric acid, which is obtained from an organic chemical manufacturer.  This type of fouling is not mentioned in any available literature.