Process Water Ion Exchange
Optimise your water treatment process with Hydroflux proprietary HyX® Ion Exchange system
The HyPURE HyX Ion Exchange system is a compact, robust and economical solution designed and manufactured by Hydroflux. With nearly 50 systems in operation or under construction, the HyPURE HyX system is setting a new standard for ion exchange processes.
Hydroflux has installed HyX systems in many applications including:
- Industrial Processes: For producing ultrapure water or removing specific impurities
- Wastewater and Ground Water Treatment: For removal of toxic metals or nutrients including PFAS
- Food and Beverage Industry: Decolorisation, purification, or flavour modification
Our most popular configurations are supplied with resins targeting
- HyX-P: PFAS removal
- HyX-N: Nitrate removal
- HyX-M: Heavy metal removal
- HyX-H: Hardness removal
What is Ion Exchange?
Ion exchange is a process used to remove or exchange ions (charged particles) in a solution. It typically involves passing the solution through a resin that contains active sites with exchangeable ions. The key purposes and functions of ion exchange include:
Water Softening
Removes hardness ions like calcium (Ca2+) and magnesium (Mg2+) and replaces them with sodium (Na+) or potassium (K+) ions. Prevents scaling in pipes, boilers, and appliances.
Deionization (Demineralization)
Removes all dissolved ionic species (both cations and anions) from water. Commonly used in high-purity water production for industries like pharmaceuticals, electronics, and power generation.
PFAS removal
Specialised anion exchange resins can target per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), effectively binding these persistent organic pollutants. Ion exchange systems are often used as a polishing step after filtration or advanced oxidation processes for enhanced PFAS removal.
Selective Removal of Contaminants
Targets specific ions such as nitrates (NO3−), sulfates (SO42−), heavy metals, or radioactive ions. Useful in environmental remediation and wastewater treatment.
Is the Hydroflux HyX Ion Exchange system the most suitable solution?
While ion exchange is a process used to remove or exchange ions in a solution, Hydroflux offers alternative technologies that can achieve similar results, such as the HyPURE range of activated carbon filtration systems or reverse osmosis systems. The most suitable process depends on the specific substances to be targeted and removed, as well as the concentration of other substances in the feed water that could impact the performance or lifespan of the resins. Hydroflux always provides expert advice to ensure the most appropriate technology is recommended for each application.
Comparison of Hydroflux technologies to remove ions, salts and organics
| Parameter | Ion Exchange | Reverse Osmosis | Activated Carbon |
| Target | Specific ions | Dissolved salts | Organics, chlorine |
| Regeneration | Requires acids / alkalis | No regeneration needed | Requires reactivation |
| Efficiency | High for selective removal | Broad-spectrum removal | Limited to specific organics |
| Cost | Moderate (depends on resin life) | High (membrane cost) | Low (if infrequent reactivation) |
HyX Ion Exchange FAQs
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Design and Construct Capabilities
Ion exchange systems are often integrated as part of a broader treatment process. Hydroflux has the expertise and capability to deliver design-and-construct projects which incorporate a wide range of pretreatment technologies, including dissolved air flotation (DAF), clarification, multimedia filtration (MMF), and solids handling processes as required.
Hydroflux’s team includes qualified civil, mechanical, chemical, and electrical engineers, as well as experienced project managers, site supervisors, commissioning engineers, and service technicians. With offices located across Australia, Hydroflux ensures a strong local presence throughout the duration of every project. All projects are carried out under externally certified occupational health and safety and environmental management systems.
Hydroflux designs and constructs comprehensive wastewater treatment systems that incorporate various types of processing equipment, including physical/chemical, biological, and tertiary treatment technologies to enable water reuse. Hydroflux treatment plant incorporating dissolved air flotation using HyDAF, HyPURE Multimedia Filtration, and HyX ion exchange.
Sustainable Solutions
As Australia’s first certified carbon-neutral water and wastewater chemical supply and service business, we focus on sustainability. Developing and delivering sustainable solutions for treatment plant operation and maintenance is at the core of what we do. Our equipment is the most sustainable in the Australian and New Zealand markets and is not just effective, but also carbon-neutral. Click here to find out what this means for you.
