Water softening device includes water softening tank, neutralization tank, and electrolytic tank. Electrolytic tank generates acidic electrolytic water for regenerating weakly acidic cation exchange resin and alkaline electrolytic water for regenerating weakly basic anion exchange resin. Then, water softening device includes an acidic electrolytic water circulation flow path that circulates the acidic electrolytic water through electrolytic tank, first discharge port, water softening tank, and first water intake port in the stated order, and an alkaline electrolytic water circulation flow path that circulates the alkaline electrolytic water through electrolytic tank, second discharge port, neutralization tank, and second water intake port in the stated order.

Water-softening device (1) of the present disclosure includes water-softening tank (4) that performs a water-softening treatment on raw water containing a hardness component with weakly acidic cation exchange resin (9) to generate acidic soft water, neutralization tank (5) that neutralizes a pH of the acidic soft water generated by passing through water-softening tank (4) with weakly basic anion exchange resin (10) to generate neutralized soft water, soft water detector (6) that detects an electrical conductivity of the neutralized soft water generated by passing through neutralization tank (5), acquisition unit (17) that acquires a first electrical conductivity corresponding to an ion other than the hardness component in the raw water, correction unit (18) that corrects the electrical conductivity of the neutralized soft water based on the first electrical conductivity acquired by acquisition unit (17) to output a second electrical conductivity, and calculator (19) that calculates hardness component information based on the second electrical conductivity.

Water-softening device (1) of the present disclosure includes water-softening tank (4) that performs a water-softening treatment on raw water containing a hardness component with weakly acidic cation exchange resin (9) to generate acidic soft water, neutralization tank (5) that neutralizes a pH of the acidic soft water generated by passing through water-softening tank (4) with weakly basic anion exchange resin (10) to generate neutralized soft water, soft water detector (6) that detects an electrical conductivity of the neutralized soft water generated by passing through neutralization tank (5), acquisition unit (17) that acquires a first electrical conductivity corresponding to an ion other than the hardness component in the raw water, correction unit (18) that corrects the electrical conductivity of the neutralized soft water based on the first electrical conductivity acquired by acquisition unit (17) to output a second electrical conductivity, and calculator (19) that calculates hardness component information based on the second electrical conductivity.

A method for purifying and cooling biomass syngas. The method includes: 1) cooling biomass syngas to 520-580 C., and recycling waste heat to yield a first steam; then subjecting the biomass syngas to cyclone dust removal treatment; and further cooling the biomass syngas to a temperature of 210 C., and recycling waste heat to yield a second steam; 2) removing a portion of heavy tar precipitating out of the biomass syngas during the second-stage indirect heat exchange; 3) carrying out dust removal and cooling using a scrub solution, to scrub off most of dust, tar droplets, and water soluble gases from the biomass syngas after the heat exchange and dust removing treatment; and 4) conducting deep removal of dust and tar with a wet gas stream, to sweep off remains of dust and tar fog in the scrubbed biomass syngas.

A method for purifying and cooling biomass syngas. The method includes: 1) cooling biomass syngas to 520-580 C., and recycling waste heat to yield a first steam; then subjecting the biomass syngas to cyclone dust removal treatment; and further cooling the biomass syngas to a temperature of 210 C., and recycling waste heat to yield a second steam; 2) removing a portion of heavy tar precipitating out of the biomass syngas during the second-stage indirect heat exchange; 3) carrying out dust removal and cooling using a scrub solution, to scrub off most of dust, tar droplets, and water soluble gases from the biomass syngas after the heat exchange and dust removing treatment; and 4) conducting deep removal of dust and tar with a wet gas stream, to sweep off remains of dust and tar fog in the scrubbed biomass syngas.

In order to monitor the effectiveness of an ion filter by way of at least two conductivity sensors that are disposed upstream and downstream of the ion filter, a characteristic variable correlating with the effectiveness of the ion filter is determined from the measured values of the conductivity sensors and a signal is output if the characteristic variable deviates from a predefined value or interval. As a result, condition-based maintenance is made possible, for example in the case of a cooling circuit of a fuel cell system.

In order to monitor the effectiveness of an ion filter by way of at least two conductivity sensors that are disposed upstream and downstream of the ion filter, a characteristic variable correlating with the effectiveness of the ion filter is determined from the measured values of the conductivity sensors and a signal is output if the characteristic variable deviates from a predefined value or interval. As a result, condition-based maintenance is made possible, for example in the case of a cooling circuit of a fuel cell system.

A method of stabilizing virgin ion exchange resin material is provided. The method includes rinsing virgin ion exchange resin material with deoxygenated water, introducing the rinsed virgin ion exchange resin material into a gas impermeable vessel and hermetically sealing the vessel. A vessel containing deoxygenated water and virgin ion exchange resin material is also provided. A method of facilitating water treatment in a site in need thereof by providing the gas impermeable vessel containing virgin ion exchange resin material and residual moisture from deoxygenated water is also provided.

A method of stabilizing virgin ion exchange resin material is provided. The method includes rinsing virgin ion exchange resin material with deoxygenated water, introducing the rinsed virgin ion exchange resin material into a gas impermeable vessel and hermetically sealing the vessel. A vessel containing deoxygenated water and virgin ion exchange resin material is also provided. A method of facilitating water treatment in a site in need thereof by providing the gas impermeable vessel containing virgin ion exchange resin material and residual moisture from deoxygenated water is also provided.

A method and apparatus for extracting CO.sub.2 from air comprising an anion exchange material formed in a matrix exposed to a flow of the air, and for delivering that extracted CO.sub.2 to controlled environments. The present invention contemplates the extraction of CO2 from air using conventional extraction methods or by using one of the extraction methods disclosed; e.g., humidity swing or electro dialysis. The present invention also provides delivery of the CO.sub.2 to greenhouses where increased levels of CO.sub.2 will improve conditions for growth. Alternatively, the CO.sub.2 is fed to an algae culture.