Storage Transportation & Preconditioning

Purolite Product Bulletin_________________________

The Storage, Transportation and

Preconditioning of
Ion Exchange Resins

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Purolite Product Bulletin Storage, Transportation & Preconditioning

exchange resin, particularly for critical or regulated applications.

General Guidelines
Under these circumstances, we recommend additional pre-
Purolite Ion Exchange Resins are generally supplied in fully treatment before placing the resin in service. Purolite would be
swollen moist bead form. Provided that transportation and happy to provide advice on the use of products stored for
storage guidelines are followed, resins may be stored successfully extended periods. Further information, including your nearest
for extended periods without significant deterioration. Some Purolite office, can be found on www.purolite.com.
special products are supplied in a dry or partially-dried condition.
Storage & Transportation Requirements
In such instances, special care has to be taken as these resins
may expand considerably on re-hydration. Therefore, adequate 1. Packaging
space should be made available in the vessel to accommodate
Various types of primary packaging are employed with Purolite
the increase in volume.
resins. They are designed to ensure that the ion exchange
Ion exchange resins are supplied in specific ionic forms resins are kept sealed to prevent either loss or uptake of
depending on application and may then be converted into a moisture, as well prevent contamination.
different ionic form by regeneration or in service duty.
Contamination
Depending on the conversion, resins can swell, remain
unchanged or shrink in volume and designs of service units If packaging is damaged or left open and resins are exposed to
must accommodate such changes. Some resins, such as acrylic the atmosphere, a risk exists that resins can deteriorate through
strong base resins also undergo irreversible swelling in the first a combination of physical, chemical or biological contamination.
few operating cycles.
Certain resins are supplied in special ionic forms. For example
Engineers and designers should refer to Purolite specific hydroxide form anion resins, when exposed to the atmosphere,
Product Data Sheet for information on irreversible and can become carbonated from contact with carbon dioxide
reversible volume changes for different ionic forms. present in the air. Therefore, once the package is opened,
resins should be used as soon as possible, and any unused
All ion exchange resins should undergo pretreatment prior to
resin adequately resealed in suitable clean containers.
service, this is especially important for resins intended for food
process or potable water treatment. Recommended
In the event of damage to bags, drums, kegs etc. every effort
pretreatment for specific resin types and applications can be
should be made to repair the damage to ensure the primary
found on www.purolite.com
packaging remains sealed and not open to the atmosphere

Shelf Life Dehydration

Table 1 provides the expected shelf life, in months, for various Over time and especially at elevated temperatures, resins may
common ion exchange resins and applications. There are many dry out. Unless re-hydration is carried out carefully, beads will
factors that affect the shelf life of ion exchange resins, including crack or break. To minimize damage use the following
storage conditions, preconditioning applied, and the intended recommended procedure for rewetting resins.
application.
A concentrated brine solution is slowly introduced and left for at
To maximize shelf life of our products, it is essential that resin least 1 hour to equilibrate. Brine displacement is carried out, by
be protected from extremes of temperature and direct sunlight. reducing brine concentration by 5% on consecutive treatments.
Transport should be carried out using covered vehicles / A contact time of 30 minutes is used for each successive
containers and indoor temperature controlled warehousing displacement. The final 5% brine solution is then displaced and
utilized at site. rinsed out with water. In cases where resin is very dry it is
recommended that the process is optimized in the laboratory by
Purolite products may be successfully introduced into service in
adjusting the starting concentration of brine, temperature, rates
many applications even after extended periods in storage.
of addition and contact times.
Table 1 provides engineers and end users a guide to the
expected shelf life of Purolite resin families for a few common
It should be noted that cation resins in the hydrogen form will
applications. These guidelines assume that products are
generate hydrochloric acid by passage of brine through the bed.
transported, stored and introduced in the prescribed manner
Anion resin in the hydroxide form will likewise produce sodium
laid out in this document. Where end users are unsure about the
hydroxide (caustic soda). In each case cation resin will be
exact transport and or storage conditions, or where over 50% of
converted to the sodium form and anion resin to the chloride
the expected shelf life has been reached, Purolite recommends
form and will require multiple regenerations to return to the
that extra precautions be taken when first using the ion
regenerated form.

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© 2009 The Purolite Company. All Rights Reserved
Purolite Product Bulletin Storage, Transportation & Preconditioning

2. Warehousing
No attempt should ever be made to free frozen resin
Exposure to high temperature and sunlight
mechanically.
It is recommended that Purolite resins are stored indoors. This
is to maintain the temperature below 40oC, (104oF), and to If it is anticipated that it will be necessary to handle resin at sub-
ensure UV light (which can promote oxidation, and increase zero temperatures, the resin may be conditioned with saturated
growth of algae and bacteria) does not fall upon the sealed brine.
packaging. It also follows that resin should not be stored near a
radiator, or any other heating appliance, or in a warm boiler Double stacking of full pallets in warehouses should be avoided.
house. Where this cannot be avoided due to space requirements then
pallet boards should be used between each pallet.
Exposure to low temperature and frost
Although it has been shown that Purolite resins can withstand 3. Transportation
temperatures as low as -40°C, (-40°F), successive thawing and During transportation of resins, precautions should be taken to
freezing may damage the product, and/or the packaging. Hence avoid the extremes of temperatures as outlined previously.
it is recommended that the resins are stored above 0°C, (32°F).
If product becomes frozen during transportation, thawing should
If for any reason a resin becomes frozen it should be left to thaw take place gradually, without any physical interference. Moving
out naturally. resin in their primary packaging should be avoided if possible
when in a frozen state.

Table 1. Expected Shelf Life of Ion Exchange Resins

Resin Family Shelf Life by Application,

months from date of manufacture
Type Ionic Form Potable Water Industrial Water Nuclear Ultra-pure
& Food Treatment Industry Water
Strong acid cation Na +
24 60 n/a n/a
Strong acid cation H+ n/a 36 24 6
Strong acid cation NH4+ n/a 24 12 n/a
Weak acid cation H+ 12 60 n/a n/a
Strong base anion Type 1 Cl- 24 60 n/a n/a
Strong base anion Type 1 OH- n/a 24 24 6
Strong base anion Type 2 Cl- 24 48 n/a n/a
Strong base anion Type 2 OH- n/a 12 n/a n/a
Strong base acrylic anion Cl- 24 48 n/a n/a
Weak base anion Free Base 24 60 n/a n/a
Weak base acrylic anion Free Base 24 48 n/a n/a
Mixed Beds H+/ OH- n/a 24 24 6
Chelating Na+ or H+ 24 60 n/a 6

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© 2009 The Purolite Company. All Rights Reserved
Purolite Product Bulletin Storage, Transportation & Preconditioning

At the end of the shut-down, all resins are rinsed free of NaCl
Requirements for resin storage during
and, if necessary, sanitized with peracetic acid (See Sterilisation
equipment shut-down later).
It is recommended that some simple precautions are taken
where an ion-exchange equipment is to be shut down for an Where softeners are subject to regular shut-downs, or
extended period. infrequent use, Purolite C100EAg, which has biostatic
properties, should be considered to control biological fouling .
These will avoid the problems associated with the following:
Chemical Stability

 dehydration
Strong and weak acid cation resins are quite stable in terms of
 freezing
ion exchange capacity. However, strong acid resins, after
 growth of bacteria, algae and moulds
relatively short storage times, can produce some color throw.
 chemical stability
This is the result of trace leachables which diffuse from the resin
 precipitation and corrosion
matrix. This diffusion is more pronounced in hydrogen form
Dehydration strong acid cation resins. Therefore, in addition to classification
backwash (where appropriate) the resin should be regenerated
For short term storage in the service vessels it is recommended and rinsed prior to use. The sodium form resin is more stable
that the unit is filled with water. If draining is necessary, the but it is still prudent to carry out the above procedure before
vessel should be immediately sealed to prevent the resin from use.
dehydrating.

Where treated water is intended for human consumption or for

Freezing
use within the food industry, or when the resins are intended for
The vessel should be filled with dilute brine or ethylene glycol direct food processing, preconditioning as specified by local,
mixtures. national or other regulatory authorities should be used (refer to
the appropriate Purolite sales office for guidance).
Growth of bacteria, algae and moulds

With long term storage in the service vessels where conditions Strong base anion resins are quite stable in the chloride and
are favorable, microorganisms such as algae and bacteria can sulfate forms. The hydroxide form and to a lesser extent
proliferate in ion exchange plants. If such growth is allowed to carbonate and bicarbonate forms slowly degrade even at room
continue unhindered, irreversible fouling of the resin and temperature to produce some weak base functionality at the
blockage of the resin bed can occur. expense of the strong base groups plus a small (almost
insignificant) loss of total capacity. The degradation processes
In order to ensure that the ion exchange plant remains in good are accelerated at higher temperatures and the loss of total
working order, the following precautions should be taken prior capacity becomes significant close to or above the maximum
to shut-down. recommended operating temperatures for the given resin type.
It is therefore important to convert the resin to a salt form,
All resin beds should first be subjected to an extended
generally chloride form, prior to shut-down or storage. This also
backwash, to remove any suspended material which may have
avoids the generation of an amine odor which develops when
collected during service, and regenerated to ensure the resin is
hydroxide form anion resins are stored.
in a “clean state” before conditioning for long term storage.

Cation resins should then be exhausted with a 10% NaCl Weak base anion resins are more stable and can be stored in
solution until neutral pH. All valves closed and resin beds left both freebase or chloride form. To avoid possible bacteriological
immersed in the sodium chloride solution for the period of shut- growth, the chloride form resin should be immersed in brine, as
down. outlined above. This may be preferred for storage of used resin.

Anion resins might be advantageously treated with 2 to 3 bed Cautionary Note

volumes (BV) of alkaline brine (10% NaCl + 2% NaOH),
If cation or anion resins are left standing in the presence of
allowing the last bed volume to stand for several hours before
strong oxidizing agents such as nitric acid there is a risk of
displacing with a further 2 BV of neutral brine (10% NaCl). The
explosion. This risk is greater at elevated temperatures. Before
bed is then left immersed in the sodium chloride solution for the
storage of resins in the nitrate form, it is recommended that
period of shut-down.
expert advice is sort. For full details on safe handling of ion
exchange resins or copolymers, please consult the relevant

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© 2009 The Purolite Company. All Rights Reserved
Purolite Product Bulletin Storage, Transportation & Preconditioning

Purolite material safety data sheet (See web site leachables that may be present and to meet specific regulatory
www.purolite.com). and customer requirements.

Precipitation and Corrosion However, on initial installation Purolite recommends additional

regenerations / rinsing, or in some cases special treatments to
Care should always be taken to choose an ionic form of resin
ensure the resin meets the required specifications and provides
and water source for making up storage solutions which avoids
the best performance from day one. The end user should then
the possibility of precipitation within the bed. For example a high
test the water to ensure it satisfies his specific requirements for
hardness in the presence of high bicarbonate or hydroxide can
the application before placing the plant in service.
cause precipitation which can block collector systems, foul the
resin, and cause deposits which can set up corrosion. Such In the unlikely event of any continued concerns about taste etc.
problems may occur when contaminant ions are oxidized or further cycling between exhausted and regenerated forms will
become insoluble as a result of any changes in temperature that normally address the problem.
may occur during shutdown.
Consult your local Purolite office if guidance is required.
Care should also be taken to ensure that the storage solutions
are compatible with materials of construction, not only the
Sterilization
vessel / lining but also materials of construction for vessel
internals. For example certain grades of stainless steel cannot In some industries there is an increasing demand by the end
accommodate high chloride levels. users for regular and routine sterilisation of the water treatment
system including the ion exchange plant. Sterilization is also
Preconditioning recommendations required if biological contamination of a bed is suspected.

In this document we have advised on classification backwash Historically chemicals such as formaldehyde, sodium
(where appropriate) to ensure the bed is fully classified and that hypochlorite, hydrogen peroxide etc. have been used. The use
the lowest pressure drop across the bed is then encountered. of formaldehyde is no longer recommended, as there are major
We have also mentioned regeneration and additional rinsing to concerns handling this material, and strong oxidizing agents can
move trace leachables from new resin. damage ion exchange resins. While hypochlorite and hydrogen
peroxide solutions are still used, it is important to be very
We would also advise that when resins are first used, the ionic careful over the concentration and contact time employed as
form required for the duty is often different to that the resin is these chemicals can also damage the resin causing de-
supplied in. To convert the resin to the correct form a crosslinking of the resin matrix and in the case of anion resins
double/triple dosage of regenerant is employed. In most cases they will also chemically attack the resins’ active groups.
this will require an initial double / triple regeneration to
substantially convert the resin to a high state of regeneration. The sterilization chemical of choice favored by many companies
is peracetic acid. A low hydrogen peroxide grade is widely
Food Industry available and this has been shown to work very effectively on
cation and anion resins without seriously affecting the
Special food grade resins are supplied to potable water and subsequent performance of the bed. A procedure for its use can
food and beverage industries. be obtained from your local Purolite sales office.

Food grade resins undergo special production steps in their

manufacture and additional post treatment to reduce any

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Purolite Corporation was founded in 1981 and is a leading manufacturer and developer of ion exchange, catalyst, absorbent and specialty resins and is the
only company to focus exclusively on this market. Headquartered in Bala Cynwyd, PA, the company has ISO 9000:2001 certified manufacturing and R&D
facilities sites in North America, Europe and Asia, and sales offices in more than 30 countries. Purolites’ dedicated “Centre of Excellence” research and
development facility is located in the United Kingdom and coordinates research in China, Romania, Russia, United Kingdom, and the United States of
America.

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© 2009 The Purolite Company. All Rights Reserved
Americas
The Purolite Company
150 Monument Road
Bala Cynwyd, PA 19004
USA
Tel +1 610 668 9090
Tel +1 800 343 1500
Fax +1 610 668 8139

Europe
Purolite International Ltd
Llantrisant Business Park
Llantrisant
Wales
CF72 8LF
UK
Tel +44 1443 229334
Fax +44 1443 227073

Asia Pacific
Purolite (China) Co. Ltd
World Trade Center Grand D-705
122 Shuguany Road
Hangzhou
Zhejiang Province 310007
P.R.China

Tel +86 571 8763 1382

Fax +86 571 8763 1385

For further information on Purolite products & services

visit www.purolite.com