Abstract
In this study, lime softening, soda ash process, and electrocoagulation (EC) are compared for their removal of hardness and dissolved salts (measured as conductivity) from groundwater. The hardness removal efficiencies by lime softening, soda ash process, and their combinations are 70.7, 33.3, and 86.7% respectively with the corresponding electrical energy required per unit mass (EEM) of hardness are 0.23, 3.08, and 0.78 kWh/kg. Even though the lime softening requires low EEM, the optimum hardness removal is only 70.7% and thus it needs to be combined with soda ash to achieve a higher hardness removal. Lime softening also reduces the conductivity by 40.3%, whereas the soda ash process increases it. EC is found to reduce both the hardness and conductivity (TDS) of the groundwater but requires a high EEM value of 258 kWh/kg for hardness removal. Also, its performance improves under alkaline conditions. The use of NaOH and Ca(OH)2 for the adjustment of pH during EC treatment helps in reducing the EEM value to 141 and 198 kWh/kg respectively. Although the use of Ca(OH)2 results in a lesser reduction in EEM as compared to NaOH, it helps in reducing the conductivity as opposed to increasing it as is the case with the NaOH treatment process.
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The first author, Shankar B. Kausley, would like to acknowledge Tata Consultancy Services Ltd. for sanctioning his academic leave for undertaking the present research work. The authors do not have any conflict of interest.
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Kausley, S.B., Desai, K.S., Patil, R.A. et al. Comparative study of lime softening, soda ash process, and electrocoagulation for the removal of hardness from groundwater. Proc.Indian Natl. Sci. Acad. 88, 379–391 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s43538-022-00096-z
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s43538-022-00096-z