Decarbonization and softening

Water softening involves removing dissolved calcium and magnesium bicarbonates, as well as other compounds of these metals, which cause water hardness. Hard water leads to the undesirable formation of scale (also known as boiler scale) and other deposits, as well as corrosion of materials. Water softening can be done using physical methods (heating), chemical methods (by adding reagents), or ion exchange. Decarbonization of water is one of the chemical methods for softening water and involves precipitation using lime milk, typically for industrial purposes (e.g., water for boilers and cooling systems). Lime milk (calcium hydroxide) reacts with dissolved calcium and magnesium compounds, transforming them into insoluble substances: calcium carbonate and magnesium hydroxide. This reduces the concentration of compounds that cause hardness in water. Decarbonization occurs in special multifunctional reactors known as accelerators, where mixing, agglomeration, precipitation, and separation of the produced calcium carbonate sludge take place.