FAQ Lime Slaker

Yes. Merrick designs and manufactures integrated systems that include lime slakers, feeders (gravimetric or volumetric), storage solutions, slurry surge tanks, and automated controls.

Yes. They are specifically engineered for water and wastewater treatment plants, as well as FGD systems, where precise and reliable lime slurry production is critical for pH adjustment, softening, and other chemical processes.

• Automated controls for precise operation
• Low-maintenance designs
• Reliable integration with gravimetric feeders for accuracy
• Proven experience in complete lime feeding and slaking systems

Proper bin design ensures a constant and reliable flow of quicklime to the feeder, preventing bridging or inconsistent material discharge that could affect slaking performance.

1. Quicklime is metered from a storage bin into the slaker using a gravimetric or volumetric feeder.
2. Gravimetric (weight-based) feeders are preferred because they automatically compensate for bulk density variations (typically 5–15%) to ensure uniform and accurate flow.
3. Quicklime discharges directly from the feeder into the slaker inlet.
4. The slaker converts the quicklime into hydrated lime slurry.
5. The feed rate is controlled manually or automatically based on:
   • Slurry level in the slurry surge tank beneath the slaker, or
   • A process demand signal (such as pH).

The primary applications are:

• Water treatment
• Wastewater treatment
• Flue Gas Desulfurization (FGD)
• Mine water pH neutralization

Merrick provides two main styles:

• Detention-type slakers
• Paste-style slakers

Both are designed for reliable lime feeding and slaking in industrial applications.

Quicklime requires only about 75% as much chemical by weight to achieve the same results as hydrated lime. This leads to:

• 75% less storage capacity needed
• Lower handling and freight costs
• Easier handling (quicklime is less dusty)

A lime slaker is specialized equipment that converts quicklime (CaO, also known as calcium oxide / pebble lime into hydrated lime (Ca(OH)₂, calcium hydroxide) on-site through a slaking process. This produces a usable slurry for various treatment applications.