Figure by MIT OCW. Adapted from: Viessman, W., Jr., and M. J. Hammer. Water Supply and Pollution Control.

7th ed. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Education, Inc., 2005, p. 446.

Before treatment:

0.4

3.5

4.3

4.6

CO2 HCO3

Ca

2+

Mg SO4
2.3
2

2+

Na

Cl

0.4 CO2

2.3 meq Ca(HCO3)2 Carbonate hardness

1.2 meq CaSO4 Non-carb. hardness

0.8 meq MgSO4 NCH

0.3 NaCl

After treatment with lime Ca(OH)2 and intermediate reaction to remove carbonate hardness: (chemical equations 1, 2, & 3)
1.25

1.2

2.0

2.3

Ca2+ OH

Ca2+ SO42

Mg2+

Na+ Cl

1.25 meq excess lime

2.0 meq NCH

0.3 NaCl

After treatment with lime and intermediate reaction to remove noncarbonate Mg hardness: (chemical equations 4 & 5)
1.25

1.8 2.0

2.3

Ca2+ OH

Ca2+ SO42

Mg Na+ Cl

1.25 meq excess lime

2.0 meq NCH

0.3 NaCl

After treatment with soda ash Na2CO3: (chemical equations 8 & 9)

1.25

0.6 0.8

2.8

3.1

Ca

2+

Ca

2+ 2

Mg SO4

Na
2

OH

CO3

Cl

1.25 meq excess lime

residual 0.8 meq hardness

2.0 meq added soda ash

0.3 NaCl

After recarbonation: (chemical equations 6 & 7)

0 0.6 0.8 2.8 3.1

Ca

2+

Mg SO4

Na
2

HCO3

Cl

residual 0.8 meq hardness

2.0 meq added soda ash

0.3 NaCl

Carbonate system equilibrium

1.E+00

1.E-01

1.E-02

1.E-03

D1 - [HCO3]
D0, D1, D2 1.E-04

D0 - [H2CO3*]
1.E-05

D2 - [CO32]
1.E-06

1.E-07

1.E-08

1.E-09 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 pH 8 9 10 11 12 13 14

Summary of chemical dosage calculations required for lime & lime-soda ash softening*
PROCESS
Single-Stage Lime:
For waters with high calcium, low magnesium, & carbonate hardness

REQUIRED CHEMICAL DOSAGE CALCULATIONS

Lime addition for softening:
CaO = {carbonic acid concentration} + { calcium carbonate hardness}

Soda ash addition for softening:

Na2CO3 = none

Carbon dioxide for pH adjustment after softening:

CO2 =

{
+

estimated carbonate alkalinity of softened water estimated residual calcium hardness of softened water

{ {
=

source water alkalinity

{ {
-

source water calcium hardness

{ { {

{
total alkalinity

Excess Lime:
For waters with high calcium, high magnesium, and carbonate hardness; process may be one or two stages

Lime addition for softening: CaO =

{ { {

carbonic acid concentration

{ {
+

{{
+

magnesium hardness

{ {
+

excess lime dose

Soda ash addition for softening:

Na2CO3 = none

Carbon dioxide for pH adjustment after softening:

CO2 = source water alkalinity excess lime dose

+2

{{ {{
+

estimated residual source water - excess lime + calcium hardness total hardness dose of softened water

{{

{{

estimated residual magnesium hardness of softened water

{ {{ { {

Single-Stage Lime Soda Ash:

For water with high calcium, low magnesium, & carbonate and noncarbonte hardness

Lime addition for softening:

CaO = {carbonic acid concentration} + { calcium carbonate hardness}

Soda ash addition for softening:

Na2CO3 = {calcium noncarbonate hardness} and /or {magnesium noncarbonate hardness}

Carbon dioxide for pH adjustment after softening:

CO2 =

{ { {

source water alkalinity

{{
+

soda ash dose

{{

source water estimated residual calcium + calcium hardness hardness of softened water

Excess Lime - Soda Ash:

For waters with high calcium, high magnesium, and carbonate and noncarbonate hardness; process may be one or two stages

Lime addition for softening: CaO = concentration + concentration

+ excess lime requirement carbonic acid

{{ {

calcium carbonate

{ {

magnesium magnesium + 2 carbonate + noncarbonate hardness hardness

{{

Soda ash addition for softening:

Na2CO3 =

calcium noncarbonate hardness

{{

magnesium + noncarbonate hardness

{ {{ {{
estimated residual + magnesium hardness of softened water

Carbon dioxide for pH adjustment after softening:

CO2, first stage =

estimated hydroxide excess lime alkalinity of softened = dose water

CO2, second stage =

{ {

source estimated hydroxide soda ash source water - water total + dose alkalinity of softened = alkalinity hardness water

estimated residual hardness of softened water

{{ {{ {

{ {

{{

* All quantities are expressed as mg/L as CaCO3

Figure by MIT OCW. Adapted from: MWH, J. C. Crittenden, R. R. Trussell, D. W. Hand, K. J. Howe, and G. Tchobanoglous. Water Treatment: Principles and Design. 2nd ed. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, 2005, pp. 1610-1611.