Many water treatment processes use small granular, plastic, powdered, pelletized, and/or crystalline media in a pressure vessel.
Over the years, complex screens, slotted pipes, perforated plates, molded devices, etc. have been engineered to keep the media in the vessel. Through corrosion, chemical attack, thermal damage, rapid flow changes, system age, and/or water hammer, these distribution systems will be damaged.
When the distribution systems are damaged, the ion exchange resin or other media will get into the water distribution system contaminating and/or destroying downstream RO membranes, expensive membrane filters, pumps, tanks, piping, processes, and any product touched by this contaminated water.
What Is A Resin Trap?
A resin trap is a very simple sieving device using a stainless steel wedge wire screen. The slots are small enough to retain upstream ion exchange resins or other filtration media. The number and size of the openings are designed to keep the pressure drop to a ∆P=2 psi at the rated flow rate. A clear sleeve will visually indicate whether there is an upstream problem. A small ball valve allows for the recycling of resin or media after the problem has been repaired.
Since the slots in the wedge wire are 0.010 inches, 254 microns, a resin trap protects, but does not replace, downstream cartridge filters, bag filters, membrane filters, etc. which generally have a much lower micron rating. Where Should You Install a Resin Trap?
A resin trap should be installed in the product water line of most resin and media-based water treatment equipment like:
Softeners Dealkalizers Condensate Polishers
Demineralizers Carbon Filters Sand Filters
Portable DI Tanks
Greensand Filters Multi-Media Filters
etc.
A resin trap should be considered in the backwash lines of most ion exchange and carbon systems because temperature-related flow changes can cause these expensive materials to be sent down the drain.
