DOWEX Ion Exchange Resins Dow Liquid Separations

DOWEX IonExchange ResinsProducts, Applications, andTechnical Resources

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Proven Ion Exchange Solutions You Can Trust

DOWEX* ion exchange resins are productsof Dow Liquid Separations, a globally recog-nized leader in separations technologies andsolutions for industrial, municipal, commercial,and consumer water applications, as well as avariety of specialty separations.

In 1983, Dow was the first to manufacture,commercialize, and launch gel-type uniformparticle size (UPS) ion exchange resins. Today,Dow is the first and only supplier to offer acomprehensive line of both gel and macro-porous UPS anion and cation exchange resins.

The line of DOWEX resins includes a varietyof DOWEX MONOSPHERE* and DOWEXMARATHON* resins that deliver significantperformance advantages over conventionalresins with normal or Gaussian particle sizedistribution. DOWEX UPS resins offer premiumperformance when used in either multiple-bedor mixed-bed demineralization, as well as insuch demanding applications as boiler con-densate polishing, secondary polishing ofrinse water used in semiconductor processing,rad waste treatment in nuclear power plantoperations, and other applications with criticalwater purity standards.

The UPCORE* upflow countercurrentregeneration system, offered by Dow LiquidSeparations, utilizes DOWEX UPCORE resinstailored to fully deliver the advantages of coun-tercurrent regeneration technology to your ionexchange system without the problems associ-ated with other countercurrent technologies.

In the following pages, we’ll profile our resinproducts for you. But first here’s a briefoverview of the polymer structures we use toproduce resins for the broad spectrum of ionexchange applications.

Capacity, Stability,and StrengthMost DOWEX resins have structures basedon styrene copolymerized with divinylbenzene(DVB). Styrene/DVB structures are thepreferred matrices for ion exchange resinsbecause they offer significant capacity andstability advantages. However, some DOWEXresins have other structures that allow you totake advantage of the specific properties andperformance of these matrices.

The line of DOWEX resins includes gel (ormicroporous), as well as macroporous resins.Both types of resins have significant advan-tages if properly applied. Gel-based resinsare typically the resins of choice for standardwater treatment applications because of theirinherently greater capacity and betterregeneration efficiency. Macroporous resinsare generally preferred in more aggressiveapplications where their highly cross-linkedstructure is an advantage.

How do these structures translate intospecific Dow resin products suitable for yourapplications? Here’s an overview of the lineof DOWEX products available to you...

*Trademark of The Dow Chemical Company

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High performance DOWEX anion and cationresins are considered among the leadingresins in their respective classes. For mostapplications, there’s a DOWEX ion exchangeresin specifically designed to provide thecapacity, stability, and efficiency you require.By choosing the right DOWEX resin, you’ll gethighly efficient and effective dealkalization,softening, mineral acid removal, and/or TOCremoval, as dictated by your specific watersupply and water quality requirements.

In addition, there are DOWEX resins availablefor specialized applications. For example,DOWEX GUARDIAN* resins meet thestringent iron removal and TOC cleanlinessrequirements of deep bed condensate polish-ing in boiling water reactor (BWR) nuclearpower plants.

A Complete Family of Resins

DOWEX MONOSPHEREand DOWEXMARATHON UniformParticle Size ResinsWe pioneered the use of uniform particlesize (UPS) resins in the early 1980s with thedevelopment of our monodisperse resinproduction technology. Unlike conventionalGaussian (or polydisperse) resins, DOWEXUPS resins contain no very small beads thatcan be lost during backwashing and therebyreduce resin bed capacity. And, becauseDOWEX UPS resins contain no large beads,they provide more surface area per unitvolume, resulting in improved resin bed kineticsand more efficient and effective resin rinses.

*Trademark of The Dow Chemical Company

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Until recently, only gel type resins wereavailable as uniform particle size resins. Now,however, we have applied the advantages ofmonodisperse resin production technology tocreate DOWEX macroporous resins. Dow isthe first and only supplier to successfullydevelop a comprehensive line of macroporousUPS anion and cation exchange resins.

Uniform particle size resins are a proven wayto optimize the performance and economy ofdemineralizers and condensate polishers:

In demineralization, DOWEXMARATHON and DOWEX UPCORE UPSresins operate more efficiently and economicallythan conventional resins, yielding longer runsand greater operating economy.

In mixed-bed condensate polishing,properly matched DOWEX MONOSPHEREUPS resins make it technically possible toachieve near perfect cation/anion separationduring regeneration, providing more thoroughand effective regeneration and improvedwater quality through reduced resin cross-regeneration.

The UPCORE SystemThe UPCORE system is a modern downflowservice, upflow regeneration technology thatuses DOWEX UPCORE UPS resins in packed-bed ion exchange vessels. Compared to cocur-rent and other blocking flow countercurrentsystems, the UPCORE system uses regenerantchemicals more efficiently, significantly reduceswaste water volume, and minimizes effluentpostprocessing effort...to reduce your operatingexpense.

The UPCORE system is not encumbered bysystem sensitivity, limited vessel volumeutilization, additional hardware requirements,and control complexity problems commonlyassociated with air and water hold-downsystems and other packed bed countercurrentsystems. More importantly, with the UPCOREsystem, your resin beds clean themselves witheach regeneration, so downtime for resin trans-fers and backwash operations is eliminated,physical stress on your resins is reduced, andresin loss is minimized.

Advantages of the UPCORE System

• Greater efficiency

• Greater vessel utilization

• Lower operating costs

• Self-cleaning

• Simple vessel design

• Lower overall retrofit and new system expense

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FILMTEC ElementsComplete The PictureIn addition to the line of DOWEX ionexchange resins, we also offer FILMTEC®

reverse osmosis (RO) elements, the leadingbrand of elements for water purificationsystems. This combination of products givesus the unique ability to provide you withunbiased system recommendations. And,it means we can offer you fully integratedsolutions combining both technologiesto achieve the optimum balance ofperformance, productivity, and economyin your system.

The line of FILMTEC elements includes ROelements for brackish water and seawatertreatment, as well as semiconductor gradeRO elements for production of ultra purewater used in semiconductor processing.FILMTEC nanofiltration (NF) elements arealso available for applications where thehigh salt removal capability of ROelements is not needed or desired.

FILMTEC membrane elements are manufactured byFilmTec Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiaryof The Dow Chemical Company

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DemineralizationDOWEX MARATHON resins for demineraliza-tion provide highly efficient and effectivedealkalization, softening, mineral acidremoval, and TOC removal. These uniformparticle size resins are specifically designed togive you maximized demineralizer operatingcapacity. The results are longer service runs,more efficient regeneration, faster rinse withless water, longer service life, and excellentresistance to organic fouling. SpecifyDOWEX MARATHON resins for demineraliza-tion applications, including...

• Fossil and nuclear power plant boiler feedwater

• Cooling tower water treatment• Feedwater for industrial boilers and

cogeneration plants

Condensate PolishingCondensate polishing allows reuse of steamcondensate from power plant boilers to reducethe overall cost of producing purified boilerfeedwater. Condensate polishers, operated aseither regenerable or non-regenerable mixedbeds, repurify condensate that is alreadylargely free of impurities. Therefore, pairs ofanion and cation resins are required. Thesepaired resins must provide “clean” operation,fast kinetics, and particle size characteristicsthat allow the pair to be effectively separated,regenerated, then remixed within the polishingvessel.

DOWEX resins for condensate polishingapplications are predominantly gel-type resins.Gel resins offer fast exchange kinetics neces-sary to ensure effective mixed bed performanceunder productive service flow conditions.

Because DOWEX MONOSPHERE resinsfeature uniform particle size distribution, theyare particularly well-suited for condensatepolishing service. The narrow range ofparticle sizes in each individual resin allowsus to establish and maintain optimum sizerelationships between the cation and anionresins. When matched pairs are operatedtogether in the mixed bed, this optimized sizerelationship ensures exceptional separabilityand more effective regeneration. Other advan-tages of our UPS resin technology in conden-sate polishing include higher capacity, fasterkinetics, shorter rinse time, and less resin loss.When you select DOWEX MONOSPHEREresins, your decision is backed by more than15 years of exceptional performance in thisdemanding application.

Choose a DOWEX Resin For Your Application

Director services are available to help you plan,install, and maintain your ion exchange system.

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SofteningCalcium and magnesium “hardness” ionsin domestic, commercial, institutional, andindustrial water supplies result in scaling inpipes and reduce the efficiency of detergents.Conventional softener systems operate veryinefficiently, however, wasting large amountsof water and salt. DOWEX cation resins forsoftener applications are high capacity,gel-type strong acid cation resins with goodphysical and oxidative stability for moreefficient operation in typical water softeners.

Ultra Pure WaterOur ultra pure water grade ion exchangeresins offer the high degree of cleanliness,separation performance, and economy thatare essential in ultra pure water service. Theseresins are characterized by low TOC and rinseprofiles to a resistivity of 18.2 megohm.cm. Inmixed beds, DOWEX cation and anion resinpairs are designed to increase removal capacityfor silica, boron, and other weak acid anions.

DOWEX MONOSPHERE resins with uniformparticle size distribution deliver faster kinetics,shorter rinse times, better regeneration andlonger resin life in ultra pure water systems.

As the supplier of both DOWEX ion exchangeresins and FILMTEC elements, we provideintegrated, optimized solutions for the produc-tion of ultra pure water. By taking advantage ofour years of experience with both technologies,semiconductor manufacturers can more easilyachieve the 18.2 megohm.cm level of resistivityrequired to rinse today’s highly integratedcircuits.

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Sweeteners ProcessingThe remarkable size uniformity of DOWEXMONOSPHERE ion exchange resins results inimproved performance in deashing and sepa-ration systems. These resins provide increasedsyrup processing service time, reduced sweet-water and wastewater, longer resin life, andlower operating costs. In chromatographicseparation systems, they yield higher recovery,higher purity, and more economical separations.

Specialty ApplicationsWhether you are formulating motor fuel addi-tives or pharmaceuticals, it’s likely a DOWEXproduct can meet your separations require-ments. DOWEX products are used in a widerange of specialty applications including motorfuel oxygenates processing and laboratorycolumn separations.

DOWEX etherification catalyst products forproduction of MTBE, TAME, and ETBE motorfuel oxygenates boost reactor performanceand reduce total process operating costs. Oneproduct in particular, DOWEX MONOSPHEREM-31 catalyst, has been proven to offer superi-or performance and economic advantagesover standard catalysts, and even matches orexceeds the performance of so-called supersul-fonated catalysts in most processes.

DOWEX fine mesh spherical resins are usedin fine chemical and pharmaceutical columnseparations. Produced by selectively controllingthe suspension polymerization technology weuse to produce our standard 16-50 meshindustrial resins, DOWEX fine mesh resinsconsist of whole, spherical beads that provideexcellent kinetic and packing properties inchromatographic separations—without theproblems associated with ground or granularresins.

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**Service Mark of The Dow Chemical Company

We want to make the experience of doingbusiness with us as comfortable and conve-nient for you as possible. That’s why when youchoose DOWEX resins, you receive the expertsupport of the ion exchange professionals onour Technical Service and Development team.We also offer a full range of DIRECTOR**water treatment services, which are designedto ensure that you get optimum performancefrom your system. DIRECTOR services placeour extensive liquid separations knowledge

DIRECTOR Services

Customer

Operating Feedback

Product Innovations

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SeparationsDirector Services

Mutual information sharing helps you avoid and solve operating problems and helps us develop newsolutions for emerging needs.

and experience at your disposal so you don’thave to face unexpected system problemsalone. And these fee-based services can lightenthe burden of your system start-up and stafftraining, as well as the ongoing operation andmaintenance of your system.

DIRECTOR water treatment services also benefityou in another, less direct, but very importantway. By using DIRECTOR services, you provideinformation to us about the challenges youface, so we can direct our resources to developthe solutions you need.

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Take Advantage ofThese DIRECTORServices...• Ion exchange resin sample analysis helps

you troubleshoot system problems and maintain optimum performance.

• System technical field support is available toyou by phone or on-site and includes help with system design, resin installation, systemstart-up, and resin maintenance and on-site troubleshooting.

• The CADIX software program for regenera-tion system analysis allows you to compare the economics of cocurrent and countercur-rent regeneration schemes in your system. Italso provides the opportunity to identify the specific benefits of incorporating the UPCORE countercurrent regeneration system in your operation.

• Operational training helps you achieve yoursystem productivity and economic targets byproviding the training your staff needs to properly operate and maintain your system.

In addition to DIRECTOR water treatmentservices, several other “extras” are availablewith your DOWEX resins...

• Detailed product specifications—not“typical properties”—are provided with each shipment of DOWEX resins we deliverto you, so you can confirm the quality of the resins you receive.

• The support of the global Dow Liquid Separations organization includingcomplete sales, technical support, and othercustomer service worldwide.

• Global product availability from our highly controlled processing plants world- wide ensures you’ll receive exactly the prod-uct you expect, when and where you need it.

*Trademark of The Dow Chemical Company

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...Plus Get TheInformation You NeedWe have invested in a global information andsupport network that allows you to get the up-to-date information you need about DOWEXresins, fast and conveniently, anywhere in theworld.

• The Internet—Look for information aboutthe full range of DOWEX (and FILMTEC) products on the World Wide Web at www.dow.com/liquidseps and download product data sheets and other information as you need it.

• Mail, Fax, or Phone—Our advancedcus-tomer information centers in Midland, MI (USA) and Amsterdam (The Netherlands), and customer service groups around the world, ensure that you receive complete information, promptly, and in the manner you prefer.

• Our Global OEM Network—The world’s leading water treatment original equipment manufacturers specify our resins and membrane elements in their systems. We supply these OEMs with our advancedsystem and economic modeling software to help them to design ion exchange and membrane systems offering the optimum combination of performance, productivity, and economy.

To Learn More...To learn more about DOWEX ion exchangeresins, simply fax the enclosed form, visit ourWeb site at www.dow.com/liquidseps, orcontact the separations experts at the DowLiquid Separations location serving your areaof the world (listed on the back cover of thisbrochure). We’re looking forward to hearingfrom you.

Dow Europe

Dow Information CentreLiquid SeparationsSchurenbergweg 51105 AP Amsterdam ZuidoostP.O. Box 121211100 AC AmsterdamThe NetherlandsTel. +31 20 691 6268Fax +31 20 691 6418

Dow Pacific

Dow Chemical Australia Ltd.Liquid Separations26 Rodborough RoadFrench’s ForestNew South Wales 2086AustraliaTel. 61-2-9776-3226Fax 61-2-9776-3299

Dow Pacific

Dow Chemical Japan Ltd.Liquid SeparationsTennoz Central Tower2-24, Higashikanagawa 2-chomeShinagawa-ku, Toyko 140JapanTel. (813) 5460 2100Fax (813) 5460 6246

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Form No. 177-01772-1098AMS*Trademark of The Dow Chemical Company CH 171-472-E-1098

FilmTec Corporation is a wholly owned subsidiary of The Dow Chemical Company.

NOTICE: No freedom from any patent owned by Seller or others is to be inferred. Becauseuse conditions and applicable laws may differ from one location to another and may changewith time, Customer is responsible for determining whether products and the informationin this document are appropriate for Customer’s use and for ensuring that Customer’sworkplace and disposal practices are in compliance with applicable laws and other gov-ernmental enactments. Seller assumes no obligation or liability for the information in thisdocument. NO WARRANTIES ARE GIVEN; ALL IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MER-CHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE ARE EXPRESSLYEXCLUDED.

Published October 1998.

Dow Latin America

Dow Quimica S.A.Liquid SeparationsRua Alexandre Dumas, 1671Sao Paulo - SP- BrazilCEP 04717-903Tel. 55-11-5188 9345Fax 55-11-5188 9919

Dow North America

The Dow Chemical CompanyLiquid SeparationsCustomer Information GroupP.O. Box 1206Midland, MI 48641-1206Tel. 1-800 -447-4369Fax 517-832-1465

Internet

http://www.dow.com/liquidseps

Dow Liquid Separations Offices

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