A water softening device includes a filter configured to decrease hardness of a first stream of raw water to produce a second stream of water with decreased hardness, a first sensor that measures an electrical property of the first stream, a second sensor that measures an electrical property of the second stream, and optionally, a third sensor that detects a water flow through the filter, wherein the filter includes an ion exchange resin operated in H.sup.+-mode, and the filter is buffered with at least one salt selected from the group of a potassium salt (K.sup.+), a sodium salt (Na.sup.+) and a lithium salt (Li.sup.+).

A water softening device includes a filter configured to decrease hardness of a first stream of raw water to produce a second stream of water with decreased hardness, a first sensor that measures an electrical property of the first stream, a second sensor that measures an electrical property of the second stream, and optionally, a third sensor that detects a water flow through the filter, wherein the filter includes an ion exchange resin operated in H.sup.+-mode, and the filter is buffered with at least one salt selected from the group of a potassium salt (K.sup.+), a sodium salt (Na.sup.+) and a lithium salt (Li.sup.+).

Provided is a method for producing ultrapure water to supply, to a use point, ultrapure water obtained by treating raw material water for ultrapure water production in an ultrapure water production apparatus, wherein the raw material water for ultrapure water production contains at least one or more elements selected from B, As, Al, Ti, Cr, Fe, Cu, Zn, Sn, V, Ga, and Pb, and wherein an ion exchanger-filled module filled with at least a monolithic organic porous anion exchanger is installed in a treatment path of the ultrapure water production apparatus or in a transfer path from the ultrapure water production apparatus to the use point, and water to be treated is passed through the ion exchanger-filled module for treatment.

The present invention relates to a water filter cartridge, with a housing and a flow path for air for ventilating a water tank storing water to be processed by the water filter cartridge. The latter is distinguished in that the flow path has a first water barrier.

The present invention relates to a water filter cartridge, with a housing and a flow path for air for ventilating a water tank storing water to be processed by the water filter cartridge. The latter is distinguished in that the flow path has a first water barrier.

A sorbent cartridge device includes an ion-exchange material containing zirconium phosphate and no more than about 0.1 mg of leachable phosphate ions per about 1 g of the ion-exchange material. In one example, the cartridge also includes a phosphate-adsorbing material containing zirconium oxide. In this example, the weight ratio between zirconium phosphate and zirconium oxide in the cartridge is from about 10:1 to about 40:1. The zirconium phosphate may be alkaline zirconium phosphate prepared by a process including the following steps: (i) drying acid zirconium phosphate to obtain a dry acid zirconium phosphate; (ii) combining the dry acid zirconium phosphate with an aqueous solution to obtain an aqueous slurry; and (iii) combining the slurry with an alkali hydroxide to obtain the alkaline zirconium phosphate. During step (ii), any free phosphate ions in the dry acid zirconium phosphate leach out into the aqueous phase of the slurry.

A sorbent cartridge device includes an ion-exchange material containing zirconium phosphate and no more than about 0.1 mg of leachable phosphate ions per about 1 g of the ion-exchange material. In one example, the cartridge also includes a phosphate-adsorbing material containing zirconium oxide. In this example, the weight ratio between zirconium phosphate and zirconium oxide in the cartridge is from about 10:1 to about 40:1. The zirconium phosphate may be alkaline zirconium phosphate prepared by a process including the following steps: (i) drying acid zirconium phosphate to obtain a dry acid zirconium phosphate; (ii) combining the dry acid zirconium phosphate with an aqueous solution to obtain an aqueous slurry; and (iii) combining the slurry with an alkali hydroxide to obtain the alkaline zirconium phosphate. During step (ii), any free phosphate ions in the dry acid zirconium phosphate leach out into the aqueous phase of the slurry.

A nanocomposite composition for controlling water hardness and a method of producing the nanocomposite, is disclosed. The nanocomposite composition comprises a plurality of semi-interpenetrating polymer network/zeolite-silver nanocomposite, including a polymer matrix. The polymer matrix is dispersed with a plurality of zeolite nanoparticles and a plurality of silver nanoparticles. The method of producing semi-interpenetrating polymer networks/zeolite-silver nanocomposite as hydrogel form comprises microemulsion polymerization of monomeric mixture uses methyl methacrylate (MMA) in presence of ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDM) cross-linker for MMA monomer, acrylamide (AAm), acrylic acid (AAc) and linear poly vinyl alcohol (PVA) monomers in the presence of N,N-methylene bisacrylamide (MBA) cross-linker and TX-100 surfactant. Further, the prepared nanocomposite is a water hardness removal filter and an efficient inhibition of sulfate-reducing bacteria nanocomposite. Also, the water filter cartridge exhibits a stable filtration performance during large scale production with reduced fluctuation infiltration flow rate and shows highly stable behaviors in high salt concentration.

A nanocomposite composition for controlling water hardness and a method of producing the nanocomposite, is disclosed. The nanocomposite composition comprises a plurality of semi-interpenetrating polymer network/zeolite-silver nanocomposite, including a polymer matrix. The polymer matrix is dispersed with a plurality of zeolite nanoparticles and a plurality of silver nanoparticles. The method of producing semi-interpenetrating polymer networks/zeolite-silver nanocomposite as hydrogel form comprises microemulsion polymerization of monomeric mixture uses methyl methacrylate (MMA) in presence of ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDM) cross-linker for MMA monomer, acrylamide (AAm), acrylic acid (AAc) and linear poly vinyl alcohol (PVA) monomers in the presence of N,N-methylene bisacrylamide (MBA) cross-linker and TX-100 surfactant. Further, the prepared nanocomposite is a water hardness removal filter and an efficient inhibition of sulfate-reducing bacteria nanocomposite. Also, the water filter cartridge exhibits a stable filtration performance during large scale production with reduced fluctuation infiltration flow rate and shows highly stable behaviors in high salt concentration.

A purification device is provided that includes a porous container, purification media retained in the porous container, and a flow controller integral to the porous container. A purification device is also provided that includes a porous elastic container, purification media, and a flow controller. The porous elastic container has a pocket formed therein. The purification media is compressibly retained in the porous elastic container. The flow controller is elastically retained in the pocket of the porous elastic container.