How to Calculate the TDS Factor

Water that is high in resistivity and low in conductivity is important for a number of industrial and experimental applications. Dissolved solids in a sample of water can contribute to conductivity, and so calculation of the total dissolved solids factor in a container of water is a crucial process.

Things You'll Need

  • Ammeter
  • Sample
  • Calculator
  • TDS meter
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Instructions

    • 1

      Place the ammeter plates into the sample and run a sine wave voltage through them. Note the voltage you ran through them and measure the current in amperes.

    • 2

      Divide the amperes by the voltage to get conductivity. The unit of conductivity is Siemens per centimeter.

    • 3

      Adjust conductivity if your liquid is susceptible to change with variance in temperature, as with water or some alcohols. Multiply your answer from Step 2 by (1 + constant(T-Tcal)). Here, T is the temperature now, the constant is the temperature coefficient at a particular temperature, and Tcal is the temperature at which that temperature was calibrated. For example, KCl (potassium chloride) has a constant of 1.88 at 25 degrees Celsius.

    • 4

      Measure the TDS of the water using your TDS meter. Divide this value by the answer from Step 3 to get the TDS factor for your sample.

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