Benefits of Demineralised Water in Diverse Industries
In today’s industrial landscape, water purity plays a crucial role in ensuring operational efficiency, product quality, and equipment longevity. Among the different types of purified water, demineralised water stands out for its widespread application across multiple sectors. Also known as deionized water, this type of treated water has had its dissolved mineral salts—such as calcium, magnesium, sodium, chloride, sulfate, and bicarbonates—completely removed.
This blog explores the significance of demineralised water, key demineralised water uses, and how it compares to other purification types, especially in the context of demineralised water vs distilled water.
What is Demineralised Water?
Demineralised water is water that has undergone ion exchange, membrane filtration, or other treatment processes to remove nearly all dissolved salts and minerals. Unlike tap water or even filtered water, demineralised water is exceptionally pure and free of electrical conductivity caused by ions.
This makes it ideal for industries that require ultra-clean water to prevent scaling, contamination, or unwanted chemical reactions in sensitive applications.
Demineralised Water Uses Across Industries
The value of demineralised water lies in its versatility and the fact that even trace amounts of minerals can interfere with industrial processes. Here’s a closer look at how it’s used in various sectors:
1. Power Generation
In power plants, demineralised water is used as boiler feed water. The absence of dissolved salts prevents scaling and corrosion inside boilers and turbines, which helps maintain thermal efficiency and extend equipment life.
2. Pharmaceuticals
Clean, mineral-free water is critical for drug formulation, cleaning of equipment, and laboratory use. Demineralised water ensures purity in every step of pharmaceutical production, reducing the risk of contamination.
3. Electronics and Semiconductor Manufacturing
Manufacturing microchips and electronics components demands ultrapure water. Even minute levels of dissolved ions can disrupt delicate processes. Demineralised water helps ensure high-quality and defect-free production.
4. Chemical Processing
In chemical industries, the presence of unwanted ions in water can alter reaction outcomes. Using demineralised water guarantees precise formulations and consistent product quality.
5. Food and Beverage
While not directly consumed, demineralised water is often used in processes like equipment cleaning, ingredient blending, or as a carrier for additives. It reduces the risk of taste or quality variations in the final product.
6. Automotive and Battery Manufacturing
Lead-acid batteries and coolant systems require low-conductivity water. Demineralised water ensures performance and longevity in these applications.
7. Laboratories and Research Facilities
Research processes demand highly consistent and contaminant-free water. Demineralised water is used in analytical testing, reagent preparation, and equipment cleaning.
Demineralised Water vs Distilled Water: Key Differences
While both types of water are purified, understanding demineralised water vs distilled water helps industries choose the most suitable option:
| Feature | Demineralised Water | Distilled Water |
| Process | Ion exchange or membrane filtration | Boiling and condensation |
| Purity | Removes almost all dissolved salts | Removes most impurities, but may retain some organics or volatile compounds |
| Energy Use | Lower (no heat required) | Higher (requires boiling) |
| Speed & Volume | Faster, suitable for large volumes | Slower, not ideal for high demand |
| Typical Use | Industrial and commercial | Laboratory and medical |
Advantages of Using Demineralised Water
- Prevents Equipment Damage: Reduces scaling, corrosion, and mineral buildup in machinery and piping systems.
- Improves Product Quality: Ensures consistency and purity in manufacturing processes.
- Lowers Maintenance Costs: Clean water minimizes downtime and extends equipment life.
- Supports Regulatory Compliance: Many industries have strict water quality standards that require mineral-free water.
- Enables Sustainability: Efficient water treatment and reuse strategies reduce resource consumption and waste.
Ion Exchange: Leading the Way in Demineralised Water Solutions
The INDION New Generation Swift Softener is designed to remove scale-forming ions like calcium and magnesium from water effectively. Its standout feature is the shorter regeneration time, making it ideal for short-cycle operations. This lightweight and easy-to-install system boasts a quick 30-minute regeneration cycle. Assembled and tested at the factory, all units are ready for installation and commissioning within a day. With auto-operation and low maintenance, it ensures hassle-free usage. Key features include an automatic unit with a multiport valve that can withstand pressures up to 5.5 kg/cm2, a special grade of monosphere resin, low wastewater volume, and a short operating cycle of just 3 hours. It tolerates hardness up to 600 ppm and is constructed with durable fiber-reinforced plastic (FRP). Available in seven models, it offers flow rates ranging from 3.5 m3/h to 20 m3/h, catering to various requirements.
The INDION Layered Bed Anion (LBA) unit is an innovative solution to maximize efficiency and minimize costs. This single-vessel system combines two types of resins, INDION LBA-WB and INDION LBA-SB, in a layered configuration with downflow service. This setup delivers the high chemical efficiency of a traditional two-bed system within one vessel, significantly reducing the need for additional equipment, piping, and valves. The result is excellent treated water quality and optimal use of regenerants, making the system both cost-effective and efficient. The INDION LBA system offers several advantages, including capital cost savings, a smaller footprint, high throughput capacity, and lower operating costs. Its contemporary design also ensures easy integration into existing systems, providing the lowest cost of production for demineralized water.
The INDION Layered Bed Cation Unit is an innovative single-vessel system featuring layers of two resins. It combines INDION weak acid cation resin on top of INDION strong acid cation resin with a downflow service. This design delivers the high chemical efficiency of a two-bed weak acid cation and strong acid cation system within one vessel, eliminating the need for additional vessels, associated piping, and valves. The system enhances the chemical regeneration of the strong acid-cation resins, ensuring superior treated water quality and optimal regenerant utilization. Key advantages include capital cost savings, a lower footprint, and high efficiency in chemical usage due to its substantial throughput capacity.
The INDION Elegant system revolutionizes water treatment with its twin-bed deioniser incorporating state-of-the-art counter-current flow ion exchange technology previously only available in large, custom-designed plants. Utilizing strong acid cation (SAC) and strong base anion (SBA) resins in columns, the system offers optional features like a degasser tower (DGT) and a layered bed anion (LBA) column to produce high-quality demineralized water at significantly lower capital and operating costs. The exceptionally compact, skid-mounted design on a corrosion-resistant frame includes stainless steel pumps and offers a standard range of 10–120 – 120 m³/h in either manual or PLC automatic control modes. It uses INDION uniform particle-size resins in a counter-current mode to produce water with a conductivity of 1–10 μS/cm and reactive silica of 10–30 ppb. Optional HMI provides system status read-outs, audible alarms, and no-flow alarms. With a smaller footprint than conventional demineralizer plants, INDION Elegant ensures minimal installation and commissioning time and cost.
The latest INDION Swift 5Gx series brings a family of automatic twin-bed deionisers, utilizing advanced counter-flow ion exchange technology, previously exclusive to large custom plants. With a regeneration time of just 35 minutes and a minimum service cycle of four hours, the need for standby plants and large water storage volumes is significantly reduced. This exceptionally compact series is skid-mounted on a corrosion-resistant frame, which includes a stainless steel multi-purpose pump. This pump not only optimizes plant performance during service and regeneration but also offers several recirculation options to maintain high water quality in the treated water tank. Key features of the INDION Swift 5Gx series include enhanced bacterial control, reduced treated water storage costs, near-neutral effluent, and high-quality treated water with conductivity between 1-10 µS/cm. Additionally, it boasts low operating costs, a quick start-up time, and a low footprint, making it an efficient and economical solution for high-quality water needs.
The latest Indion Swift Plus range features advanced automatic twin-bed deionizers with state-of-the-art counter-flow ion exchange technology, previously found only in large, custom-designed plants. These rapid regeneration units are volume-controlled and pre-programmed in a PLC based on the type of feed water, allowing for a swift 35-minute regeneration after a minimum service cycle of two hours. This minimizes the need for a standby plant and reduces the storage of large water volumes. The Indion Swift Plus is exceptionally compact, skid-mounted on a corrosion-resistant frame, and includes a stainless steel multi-purpose pump. Key features include mixed-bed quality water at minimal cost, an additional cation polishing stage for enhanced quality, an average resistivity of purified water at 10 MΩ·cm with neutral pH, a small footprint, and high chemical efficiency. The Swift Plus delivers up to 330 m³/day on feed water of 100 ppm total anion feed, with no need for additional regenerant chemicals and a quick 35-minute regeneration time.
The INDION Industrial Two-Bed Upflow Deionisers Type CA and CDA units are designed to meet the requirements for producing small quantities of demineralised water, with flow rates ranging from 1.0 to 15.0 m3/h. For larger demands, flow rates can be increased to 35 m3/h by installing multiple units in parallel. These free-standing, compact units are easy to install and maintain. The CA units come equipped with all necessary components for the regeneration of ion-exchange resins. Constructed entirely of plastic, they are corrosion-resistant and require minimal maintenance. The modular design allows for easy capacity enhancement, making them a flexible and efficient solution for your deionisation needs.
Conclusion
From power plants to pharmaceuticals, demineralised water plays an integral role in maintaining the quality, efficiency, and safety of industrial operations. By removing dissolved salts and impurities, it enables businesses to meet demanding technical and regulatory standards while protecting sensitive processes and equipment.
Understanding the right application, knowing the benefits of demineralised water vs distilled water, and investing in the right water treatment system can transform water from a basic utility into a strategic asset.
