ACTINA™

Actina™ is a drinking water softening process by pellet softening designed to limit calcium carbonate deposits caused by a daily use of hard water on dishes, shower systems or in the pipes. These deposits can cause clogging and affect the proper operation of household appliances and water heaters.

By reducing the calcium hardness at the earliest stage possible, Actina™enables Municipalities and Industries to access softened water peacefully, and to dispense with additional softening in private property or in their factories.

Advantages

• Veolia expertise in pellet softening over 35 years;
• Compactness, simplicity and reliability of operation;
• Robustness and additional barriers to iron, manganese and metals;
• No limit on calcium hardness removal;
• Energy saving
  --> unlike an electric carbonate removal system;
• No associated sludge treatment needed.

References

• More than 50 references in pellet softening throughout Europe:
• Rouessé-Fontaine, France, (2015), 200 m³/h
• Mandelieu-La Napoule, France, (2014), 1,500 m³/h
• Montsoult, France, (2014), 280 m³/h
• Bruz, France, (2013), 275 m³/h
• Montry, Marne et Morin, France, (2012), 490 m³/h
• Puchay, France, (2011), 130 m³/h
• Bouil de Chambon, France, (2011), 500 m³/h
• Courcelles-la-Forêt, France, (2010), 160 m³/h
• Cluses, France, (2009), 250 m³/h
• Sète, France, (2008), 1,200 m³/h
• Emmerin-Arbrisseau, France, (2007), 1,250 m³/h
• Torcy, France, (2003), 375 m³/h
• Beaune, France, (2003), 500 m³/h
• Ijzeren Kuilen, Netherlands, (2000), 2,280 m³/h
• Malmö, Sweden, (1999), 5,400 m³/h
• Val-de-Reuil, France, (1994), 900 m³/h
• Leiduin, Netherlands, (1987), 12,500 m³/h

The Actina™ process is based on the pellet softening principle, which consists in modifying the calcium-carbon equilibrium of water to be treated by soda or lime injection, and to cause calcium carbonate crystallization on sand.

This unique injection system was patented by Veolia.

Actina™ is composed of a vertical reactor in which a bed of sand is maintained in fluidization by pumping the water to be softened. This very fine sand is used as a crystallization seed for the pellet softening reaction, that is to say calcium carbonate precipitation on the surface of grains of sand. The highly basic pH enabling crystallization is obtained by alkaline reagent (soda or lime) addition at the reactor base.

The calcium carbonate thereby removed occurs as beads of a few millimeters in diameter, easily storable, transportable and recoverable.

The use of a fluidized bed allows Actina™ to run with high rising rates, around 80 to 100 m/h and confers it a small footprint.