Correction Factors for Water Treatment
|
|
Ca |
S |
O |
H |
Mg |
Na |
Cl |
C |
Mols. |
Salt |
H2O |
|
|
|
Atomic Weight>> |
40.078 |
32.066 |
15.9994 |
1.00794 |
24.305 |
22.98977 |
35.4527 |
12.011 |
Water |
Weight |
Weight |
Total |
Multiplier |
|
Gypsum |
1 |
1 |
4 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
2 |
136.142 |
36.03056 |
172.17216 |
1.26 |
|
Epsom |
|
1 |
4 |
|
1 |
|
7 |
120.369 |
126.107 |
246.47556 |
2.05 |
||
|
Canning Salt |
|
1 |
1 |
|
0 |
58.4425 |
0 |
58.44247 |
1.00 |
||||
|
Baking Soda |
|
3 |
1 |
|
1 |
|
1 |
0 |
84.0069 |
0 |
84.00691 |
1.00 |
|
|
Chalk |
1 |
|
3 |
|
1 |
0 |
100.087 |
0 |
100.0872 |
1.00 |
|||
|
Calcium Chloride *2 |
1 |
|
2 |
|
2 |
110.983 |
36.03056 |
147.01396 |
1.32 |
||||
|
Calcium Chloride *6 |
1 |
|
2 |
|
6 |
110.983 |
108.0917 |
219.07508 |
1.97 |
||||
The above table shows how I calculated the
correction factors for each of the salts commonly used to treat brewing
water. The correction factor is needed
for Gypsum, Epsom, and Calcium Chloride because these salts are commonly found
bonded with water. The water increases
the weight of the salt, in some cases, equaling the weight of the desired
substance. For example, in the case of
Epsom salts, each molecule of MgSO4 is combined with 7 molecules of H2O. The MgSO4 contributes 120.369 to the weight
and the water contributes 126.107.
Thus, you have to more than double the weight of the MgSO4 ( x2.05) that
you have computed to get the quantity of Epsom salts to add.
Calcium Chloride is even more tricky. Straight from the manufacturer, it is
typically combined with 2 molecules of water (*2). Left open, especially if the humidity is high, it can pick up 4
more molecules (*6) and, in some cases, even more. You should check with your supplier to ascertain which form of
the salt you are getting.
If you want
to play with the Excel spreadsheet shown above:
Right-click here and "Save Target As" to
download the Water Correction spreadsheet (14.5k)
If
you have any suggestions, email me at the address below after removing the
"NoSpam_" :