Automated analyzers to measure or determine parameters in mineral slurries or process water, in particular to online and automated analyzers to measure pH, or to perform quantitative volumetric titrations relying on spectra absorbance of a liquid extracted from titrant and titrant mixture to determine the endpoint of titration, such as the measurement of liquid hardness in mineral slurries or process water. An automated pH analyzer may include a processor operable to manage the operations associated with the apparatus, an automated sampler coupled to the vessel or conduit and operable to extract a sample of a determined volume of the slurry or process water from the vessel or conduit, the automated sampler being under control of the processor, a water source under control of the processor and operable to deliver a known volume of water of a known pH into the sample, a mixing chamber that receives the known volume of water and the sample, an agitator operable to agitate the sample and the known volume of water in the mixing chamber to produce a diluted sample mixture, an automated filter operable to extract an aliquot of the diluted sample mixture from the mixing chamber and to filter the aliquot to produce a filtrate, a pH probe after the automated filter to measure the pH of filtrate, and a pH probe within the mixing chamber operable to measure a pH of the diluted sample mixture. The measurement is used to calculate the pH of the extracted sample, and to alter in near real time a process control of the a mineral processing operation related to the mineral slurry or process water.

A water hardness detection probe, sensor, detection method and water softener are provided. The sensor includes a control unit which includes a processing module and a potential detection module. The detection probe includes a first probe and a second probe. When the first and second probes are both exposed in raw water, a potential between the first and second probes is regarded as first potential. When the first probe is in the raw water and the second probe is in softened water, the potential between the first and second probes is regarded as the second potential. The potential detection module measures the potential between the first and second probes. The processing module determines the water hardness of the softened water according to a difference between the first potential and the second potential. The sensor can detect the water hardness of the water softener in real time and eliminate detection deviations.

Compositions, kits, and methods of using the kits and compositions to determine the hardness of and/or magnesium concentration in a solution are described. The kit can include a lyophilized composition that has an absorbance at a detectable wavelength in response to the hardness of the solution and or the concentration of magnesium in the solution.

An apparatus for determining total hardness in a fluid stream utilizing an ion exchange column in a monovalent cationic form having an inlet and an outlet, where one or more monovalent ion selective electrodes are positioned either at an inlet, outlet, or at both locations simultaneously. The monovalent cation selective electrodes are in electrical communication with one another, and in fluid communication with one or more valves incorporated within a fluid path in order to introduce feed water/softened water to the monovalent cation selective electrodes. Additionally, one blending valve may be incorporated in the ion exchange column to allow a fraction of the feed (hard) water to mix with a fraction of the softened water. In this manner, the blending valve may be utilized to adjust the hardness of the water at the output.

A drinking water supply system with a drinking water line system includes multiple drinking water removal points connected to the drinking water line system, at least one sensor, which is designed to determine measurement values, and a central controller, which is designed to receive and evaluate the measurement values determined by the at least one sensor. The central controller is designed to control the control elements depending on the received measurement values. The drinking water line system has a drinking water line section for supplying drinking water to multiple drinking water removal points. A volumetric flow rate sensor is provided in order to measure the volumetric flow rate of the water in the drinking water line section and/or a pressure sensor is provided in order to measure the water pressure in the drinking water line section. The controller is designed to carry out a measure.

Provided is a water softening system not requiring electrical or electronic actuation in which an ion regeneration process of a resin bed contained in a water treatment tank is hydraulically actuated by a sensing device held at a top of the water treatment tank with a body of the sensing device being partially embedded in the resin bed to detect ion depletion of the resin bed.

The present invention relates to a liquid treatment system having a sensor comprising a body, the body having a sensing material disposed therein, the sensing material being subject to a change in size in response to a composition of a liquid flowing therethrough; an actuating means disposed within the body and associated with the sensing material; wherein the actuating means is movable between a first position and a second position in response to the change in size of the sensing material to thereby mechanically actuate a switch member, such that when the actuating means is in the first position, flow of an actuating stream of the liquid is allowed by the switch member to thereby hydraulically actuate operation of the liquid treatment system; and when the actuating means is in the second position, flow of the actuating stream of the liquid is prevented by the switch member.

An apparatus for determining total hardness in a fluid stream utilizing an ion exchange column in a monovalent cationic form having an inlet and an outlet, where one or more monovalent ion selective electrodes are positioned either at an inlet, outlet, or at both locations simultaneously. The monovalent cation selective electrodes are in electrical communication with one another, and in fluid communication with one or more valves incorporated within a fluid path in order to introduce feed water/softened water to the monovalent cation selective electrodes. Additionally, one blending valve may be incorporated in the ion exchange column to allow a fraction of the feed (hard) water to mix with a fraction of the softened water. In this manner, the blending valve may be utilized to adjust the hardness of the water at the output.

The present invention relates to a method for determining a concentration of a scale inhibitor in a salt water comprising an analysis with a calcium/magnesium ionselective electrode of a dialyzed first sample of the salt water, and a dialyzed second sample of the salt water which was supplemented with a known concentration of the scale inhibitor. The invention further relates to a method for inhibiting incrustation in a plant which contains a salt water comprising the steps of adding a scale inhibitor to the salt water at a desired concentration, determining the actual concentration of the scale inhibitor in the salt water as above, and adding further scale inhibitor to the salt water to adjust the desired concentration. The invention further relates to a device for determining a concentration of a scale inhibitor in a salt water by the method above comprising a calcium/magnesium ionselective electrode, a dialyzing unit, and a dosage unit for supplementing the scale inhibitor to the second sample of the salt water.

An in-situ monitoring tool is provided that is compromised of a non-reactive medium, a reactive medium, or a combination thereof, contained in a water-permeable mesh. The tool is placed in an aquifer for a predetermined amount of time to allow the medium(s) to act as a substrate that collects minerals from the aquifer for analysis.