Water treatment

water treatment

Caustic soda (sodium hydroxide, or NaOH) is a commonly used water treatment chemical that raises the pH of water by absorbing water and carbon dioxide. Read below to learn how sodium hydroxide can benefit your water treatment plant.

Hard Water

When water is “hard,” it causes corrosion. Hard water has an abundance of dissolved magnesium and calcium. Minerals adhere to the tanks and lines in a water treatment facility, which inhibits water flow and, if not treated, can eventually corrode through the line. Hard water is also renowned for lowering the saponification of soaps and detergents; clothes feel scratchy and look dingy, dishes and glasses are spotty, and a buildup forms on skin and appliances. Caustic soda increases the pH of water and can easily change hard water to a much closer approximation to neutral when injected into the water treatment system.

Decreases Dangerous Metals

Caustic soda decreases the solubility of dangerous metals, such as lead and copper. In their insoluble state, these metals are both heavy and bulky, giving them a greater likelihood of being caught in a filtration system or falling to the bottom of a tank to be gathered.

Corrosion Inhibitor

Unlike other additives that release calcium carbonate as a by-product of sequestration, caustic soda acts as a corrosion inhibitor without the uneven distribution of calcium carbonate. Although calcium carbonate adheres to the walls of pipes, giving them a level of protection against caustic chemicals, an abundance and uneven distribution prevents water from freely moving.