October 22, 2009

LANXESS develops new gel-type cation exchange resins

Improved chemical and physical stability prolong service life

LANXESS has developed a new generation of high-performance gel-type cation exchange resins for industrial water treatment. Lewatit MonoPlus S 108 and Lewatit MonoPlus S 108 H are the result of several years of research work, and are noted above all for an excellent leaching behavior and outstanding chemical stability. LANXESS will produce Lewatit MonoPlus S 108 and Lewatit MonoPlus S 108 H on an industrial scale in Bitterfeld from April 2010. Monodisperse ion exchange resins for the global market have been produced at this site for 10 years now.

 

In industrial water treatment, cation exchangers are used in combination with downstream anion exchangers for full demineralization in many applications in the chemical industry, power plants and the automotive industry, for example. The ion exchange resins isolate the salt components dissolved in the water. Functional groups applied to the polymer beads remove the anions or cations of the salt from the liquid and replace them with water molecules.

 

Lewatit MonoPlus S 108 and Lewatit MonoPlus S 108 H have optimized leaching behavior, which is an important quality characteristic in terms of the effectiveness and commercial efficiency of an ion exchange unit. The lower the resin's tendency to "self-leaching", the less total organic carbon (TOC) is released. This release of organic substances is undesirable because it leads to blocking of the anion exchanger, impairing the operating conditions of the unit. The result is a reduction in the quality of the water produced.

 

Furthermore Lewatit MonoPlus S 108 and Lewatit MonoPlus S 108 H are also noted for the fact that the resin beads remain in excellent condition even after many operating cycles. Even with short cycle times – i.e. with frequent changes between regeneration and exhaustion – the special monodisperse ion exchange matrix ensures long service life. Because of the high chemical and physical stability of the new resins, there is a significantly lower risk of operating problems with the unit due to fines.

 

The new ion exchange resins are suitable not only for use in a series arrangement of exchange units, they are also ideal for mixed beds. Because of their dark color and monodisperse bead distribution, the new cation exchange resins enable an excellent separation from anion exchange resins. This is a vital precondition to ensure an efficient and fault-free regeneration.

LANXESS will showcase its new resins for the first time at this year's VGB conference "Chemistry in Power Plants 2009", scheduled to take place in Dresden from October 28 – 30. Additionally, other premium products for applications in the power plant industry will be focused at the conference.

 

Further information can be found in the press release.