When an ion exchange system stops performing as expected, the issue rarely appears as a single failure. More often, it shows up as a gradual change in operation—shorter run length between regenerations, declining product water quality, longer rinse times, higher pressure drop, or unexpected resin loss.
These symptoms often overlap, and the same root cause can affect multiple aspects of performance. Effective troubleshooting starts by identifying the dominant symptom, then narrowing the likely causes before deciding whether to adjust operation, inspect equipment, or escalate to testing.
Knowing when to test ion exchange resin is a common challenge. Many systems continue to operate even as performance gradually declines, making it difficult to determine when analysis is necessary versus when adjustments to operation are sufficient.
As a general rule, resin analysis should be performed periodically to confirm system health and identify issues before they impact performance. However, the appropriate frequency depends on application, resin type, and operating conditions.
When troubleshooting ion exchange performance, resin analysis is only as reliable as the sample submitted. A poorly collected sample can lead to inaccurate conclusions, misdiagnosed issues, and unnecessary corrective actions.
When reverse osmosis (RO) system performance begins to decline, one of the first questions is whether to clean the membranes or replace them. In many cases, the answer is not immediate, and making the wrong decision can either waste time on ineffective cleaning or lead to premature replacement.
The key is to evaluate performance changes using normalized data and determine whether the issue is recoverable.
When reverse osmosis (RO) system performance changes, identifying the root cause is not always straightforward. Multiple issues—such as fouling, scaling, or mechanical problems—can produce similar symptoms, and focusing on a single variable often leads to incorrect conclusions.
The FilmTec™ troubleshooting grid provides a structured way to diagnose RO system performance by linking symptoms to likely causes and corrective actions.
The key is knowing how to use it correctly. We’ll walk you through it below.
RO membrane cleaning is most effective when triggered early, based on changes in normalized performance—not when performance has already significantly declined.
The challenge is knowing when those changes justify cleaning.
Long rinse times after regeneration are one of the most common—and most frustrating—performance issues in ion exchange systems. They increase water usage, extend cycle times, and often point to deeper system problems that may not be immediately obvious.
Emerging drug classes are giving rise to challenges in downstream processing, pushing the need for strategizing efficiencies.
The global downstream processing (DSP) market is predicted to experience compound annual growth rate of 16.09% between 2021 and 2027 (1). This market growth is reportedly being driven by the expanding biopharmaceutical industry and spending in medical research, the rising adoption of single-use technology in bioprocessing, and the swell of contract manufacturing organizations in the market for DSP (1).
Dorie Yontz of DuPont discusses its bioprocessing offering, the role of polymeric resins, and critical elements as they relate to manufacturing.
Recently, DuPont launched a new online sales portal tailored to the needs of bioprocessing industry purchasers. The companybs bioprocessing solutions are designed to enable sophisticated purifications and separations for therapeutics and diagnostics, with established brands such as DuPont AMBERCHROM and DuPont AMBERLITE for the biopharma industry.
WILMINGTON, Del., February 8, 2022,b DuPont (NYSE:DD) has launched a new online sales portal tailored to the needs of bioprocessing industry purchasers. The portal handles online sales transactions, with target lead times of < 1 week.
DuPontbs bioprocessing solutions enable sophisticated purifications and separations for therapeutics and diagnostics, with brands such as DuPontb" AmberChromb" and DuPontb" AmberLiteb" being well established in the biopharma industry. Its products are used to purify process streams during drug and diagnostic kit manufacturing. Although these products are not part of the finished formulation, purification resins are critical to final product quality and are therefore selected early in drug development.
