The Chemistry of Lime-Soda Ash

Precipitation Water Softening

Updated on December 15, 2011

The use of lime to soften water originated around 1841 when the Thames River was
treated for its bicarbonate hardness. When lime and soda ash are added to water,
hardness causing minerals such as calcium and magnesium are precipitated out.
Modern day processes for water softening usually treat the water in four steps to make
is acceptable for human use.
1 - Pre-Treatment
This step in the process includes aeration and presedimentation. Aeration allows water
with high concentrations of dissolved carbon dioxide to be prepared for softening.
Presedimentation removes some suspended solids that cause turbidity in the water. A
reduction in turbidity allows for the softening reactions to more easily occur.
2 - Softening Treatment
In this stage, lime and soda ash are added to the water to remove the hardness causing
minerals.
3 - Recarbonation
After softening treatment is complete, the water is usually devoid of any dissolved
carbon dioxide. Recarbonation stabilizes the water's pH, brings the water to a
minimum hardness level, and prepares it for filtration.
4 - Filtration
Finally, the treated water is filtered through a membrane or media filter to remove the
remaining suspended solids microorganisms.

Typical Water Treatment Steps

Source: CWanamaker

Chemical Reactions
There are at least 7 different chemical reactions that take place during the Lime-Soda
Ash water softening process.
Quick lime (CaO) is added to the water as a pre-treatment. It is typically the first step
in softening. This quick lime combines with water to form calcium hydroxide (lime),
which then reacts with carbon dioxide to form calcium carbonate. This is done at an
optimum pH of 10.3
Reaction: CaO + H2O Ca(OH)2then see next reaction:
Carbon Dioxide in the water reacts with Lime [Ca(OH)2] to form calcium carbonate,
which will precipitate out. If there is a lot of dissolved CO2, the water can be
expensive to treat. Because the goal of adding Lime to the water is to soften it, it may
be cost effective to aerate the water prior to dosing it with Lime.
Reaction: CO2 + Ca(OH)2 CaCO3 + H2O
Calcium Bicarbonate is commonly removed from water by adding lime. The
chemicals combine to form water and calcium carbonate which will precipitate out
because it is insoluble.
Reaction: Ca(HCO3)2 + Ca(OH)2 2CaCO3 + 2H2O
Magnesium bicarbonate reacts with lime to form magnesium carbonate. Keep in mind
that magnesium carbonate is soluble. You need to add more lime to convert the
magnesium to magnesium hydroxide, which is insoluble and will settle out.
Magnesium precipitation requires a pH of about 11.0 to 11.3 (caused by adding more
lime)
Reaction: Mg(HCO3)2 + Ca(OH)2 MgCO3 + 2H2O &
MgCO3 + Ca(OH)2 Mg(OH)2+CaCO3
If there is magnesium sulfate in the water, you will need two reactions to remove it.
Magnesium sulfate reacts with lime to for calcium Sulfate and magnesium hydroxide.
The calcium sulfate does not precipitate out, so see the next reaction.
Reaction: MgSO4 + Ca(OH)2 CaSO4 + Mg(OH)2
If the hardness causing chemical is Calcium sulfate, you can add soda ash to form
calcium carbonate, which is insoluble, and sodium sulfate, which doesn't contribute to
hardness.
Reaction: CaSO4 + Na2CO3 Na2SO4 + CaCO3

Practical Limit of Lime-Soda Ash precipitation are 30 mg/l of calcium as CaCO3 and
10 mg/l of Mg(OH)2 expressed as CaCO3. The following flow chart outlines the
various reactions that occur in the water.

Source: CWanamaker

Determining How much Chemicals to Add to the

Water
How much Lime to add to a water supply:
1) Convert all concentrations of constituents that will react with lime in the water to
mg/meq. (The table below will help you).
2) The sum of the mg/meq values is the required amount of lime that you need for the
reaction.
3) Convert this value back to mg/l and then to lb/MG to see how many lbs of lime per
million gallons of water you need. Multiply mg/l by 8.34 to get lb/MG.
How much Soda Ash to add to a water supply:
1) Convert all concentrations of constituents that will react with soda ash in the water
to mg/meq (this will be Magnesium sulfate and/or Calcium sulfate).
2) The sum of the mg/meq values is the required amount of soda ash that you need for
the reaction.
3) Convert this value back to mg/l and then to lb/MG to see how many lbs of Soda ash
per million gallons of water you need. Multiply mg/l by 8.34 to get lb/MG.

Data compiled from various sources

Source: CWanamaker

References
American Water Works Association, and American Society of Civil Engineers. Water Treatment Plant Design. Ed. Edward E. Baruth. Fourth ed.
New York: McGraw-Hill Handbooks, 2005.

Corbit, Robert A. Standard Handbook of Environmental Engineering. Second ed. New York: McGraw-Hill Handbooks, 1999.

Perry, Robert H., Don W. Green, and James O. Maloney. Perry's Chemical Engineers Handbook. Seventh ed. New York: McGraw-Hill 1997.

TSC's Water Treatment Engineering Team. Lime Softening. US Department of the Interior, Bureau of Reclamation. September 2009.