This is a shout out to Paul ( red fish blue fish), aka Mc Guyver without the mullet! So I have a Ro/Di unit with well water. The co2 in the water makes me go through resin faster than most. Well I change it and throw the spent resin in a zip lock bag for the future day ( which will never happen) to recharge it. Well as I was changing out the resin today ( color changing resin) I noticed that the spent resin in the bag was more like the new resin ( blue) and not the clear color of the spent resin. So I know CO2 will exhaust the resin quicker.....does the air in the ziplock bag recharge the resin....the blue color came back? If so would pure O2 recharge it over time? Thoughts....
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DI resin color
- Thread starter Zippy69
- Start date
I'm not positive on the recharging of the resin but it you're having a problem with going through the resin quickly because of the excess CO2 there is a pretty simple solution. Simply run water through all stages except the DI and collect it in a container. Then using an air pump and air stone aerate the water for a day or so and then using a small pump run it through the DI. By aerating the water you are removing the excess CO2 which in turn will not eat through your DI as quickly.
I’m not getting the MacGyver reference…..he would take a transistor radio, a piece of string, and a paper clip and turn that into a computer. I’m just a dumb, retired chemist.
Let me give you a brief overview of the DI resin we use. First off, it’s a mix bed resin. This means that it is made up of two resins….an anionic and cationic resin. This resin actually is an exchange resin. The anionic resin exchanges the hydroxide ion (OH) with one of the “nasty” anions in your water, while the cationic resin exchanges hydrogen ion (H) with the “nasty” cations in your water. This means that the OH ion or H ion is released into your water while the “nasty” is now attached to the resin. When you have CO2, this only “consumes” you anionic resin (as a carbonate anion).
So the reason you’re still seeing color is that your cationic resin is still just fine and has plenty of exchange left in it. Your anionic resin has been quickly consumed and is now saturated with carbonate anion. Oxygen doesn’t “regenerate” the resin and cause color to return. The simple way you regenerate the resin is to treat the anionic resin with sodium hydroxide (NaOH) and the cationic resin with hydrochloric acid (HCl), each for an hour. HERE’s the recipe and directions on how to do this.
If you don’t wish to address your carbon dioxide problem in your well water, and don’t wish to regenerate resin, the other option I’d suggest is to purchase individually anionic resin and cationic resin separately and set up separate canisters for each. This way you’ll only need to toss the anionic resin (and get twice the life since you have twice the volume of resin), while the cationic resin will last a long time.
Now as far as your two young kids, let me pass along the advice my father gave me 30 years ago when I started having kids, “You’re the one who wanted to play house!”
Let me give you a brief overview of the DI resin we use. First off, it’s a mix bed resin. This means that it is made up of two resins….an anionic and cationic resin. This resin actually is an exchange resin. The anionic resin exchanges the hydroxide ion (OH) with one of the “nasty” anions in your water, while the cationic resin exchanges hydrogen ion (H) with the “nasty” cations in your water. This means that the OH ion or H ion is released into your water while the “nasty” is now attached to the resin. When you have CO2, this only “consumes” you anionic resin (as a carbonate anion).
So the reason you’re still seeing color is that your cationic resin is still just fine and has plenty of exchange left in it. Your anionic resin has been quickly consumed and is now saturated with carbonate anion. Oxygen doesn’t “regenerate” the resin and cause color to return. The simple way you regenerate the resin is to treat the anionic resin with sodium hydroxide (NaOH) and the cationic resin with hydrochloric acid (HCl), each for an hour. HERE’s the recipe and directions on how to do this.
If you don’t wish to address your carbon dioxide problem in your well water, and don’t wish to regenerate resin, the other option I’d suggest is to purchase individually anionic resin and cationic resin separately and set up separate canisters for each. This way you’ll only need to toss the anionic resin (and get twice the life since you have twice the volume of resin), while the cationic resin will last a long time.
Now as far as your two young kids, let me pass along the advice my father gave me 30 years ago when I started having kids, “You’re the one who wanted to play house!”
Zippy, I have the same problem and noticed the same thing. I have been collecting mine in a five gallon bucket and when it dries the color comes back...very odd and not sure why. I would not try to reuse it unless you regenerate though.
Thanks Paul, Taz is seeing what I am seeing. The spent resin turns white as it gets spent. So I am putting the spent resin in a bag and after a while it turns back to the blue and a little black color. Will keep the spent resin and when I get enough bring it to one of the meetings for someone to regenerate.
Hockeynut
NJRC Member
I had the same situation happen whin I put it in a jar with thoughts Of recharging it. I bubble mine in a separate Container and I haven't gone through one batch of resin since, I would go through a DI cartridge in making 30 gallons of water now I've made five times that amount and I'm still not halfway through one container of resin. It's well worth the effort