Abstract: A water treatment system for removing hard ions from source water. The water treatment system is of the type that includes a pair of ion-exchange water softener tanks connectable to a source of pressurized water and with a water system to supply softened water to the water system, the tanks each being capable of regeneration by flushing with a regeneration solution to replenish depleted ions. A process for preventing system failure due to salt crystallization includes flowing water during brine replenishment from a second nozzle and a first nozzle at a defined ratio. The first nozzle diluted the brine in a reservoir after regeneration cycle is complete. The second nozzle replenishes brine by flowing water directly onto a salt material.

Abstract: A filter apparatus is provided which includes a first filter membrane element (40a), and a second bacterial filter membrane element. The first viral filter element (40a) is capable of treating water at a first second flow rate and is adapted to remove contaminants which are larger than a first size, while the second bacterial filter element (40b) is capable of treating water at a second higher flow rate and is adapted to remove contaminants which are larger than a second contaminant size. The first and second filter elements (40a), (40b) may be commonly housed within a sealed housing. An accumulating vessel (60) is placed in fluid communication with an outlet of the first filter element (40a) and an outlet of the second filter element (40b). The filter apparatus includes a duck bill type check valve (75) made of an antimicrobial material intermediate the second filter element (40b) and a dispensing faucet (70).

Abstract: Filtration media having germicidal for use in filtering particles and deactivating, removing and/or destroying microorganisms from a feed liquid passing through the media. The filtration media includes an effective amount of at least one germicidal agent associated to monomers polmerized and chemically grafted and covalently bonded to the surface of the media. The germicidal filter media is prepared by contacting the media with a grafting solution comprising one or more monomers, a catalyst, a surface agent, a curign agent, at least one graft initiator, and at least on germicide and subsequently curing the media at an elevated temperature to chemically graft the polmerizable monomers onto a surface of the media and associate at least one germicide thereto. Filter media suitable for use in the present invention include ceramic spheroids, hollow glass spheres, polmeric type meida, thermoset coated glass spheres, and crystalline microporous materials, such as zeolites.

Abstract: A water treatment system for removing hard ions from source water. The water treatment system is of the type that includes a pair of ion-exchange water softener tanks connectable to a source of pressurized water and with a water system to supply softened water to the water system, the tanks each being capable of regeneration by flushing with a regeneration solution to replenish depleted ions. A process for preventing system failure due to salt crystallization includes flowing water during brine replenishment from a second nozzle and a first nozzle at a defined ratio. The first nozzle diluted the brine in a reservoir after regeneration cycle is complete. The second nozzle replenishes brine by flowing water directly onto a salt material.

Abstract: A water treatment system having a reverse osmosis unit (14) includes a storage tank (40) having an outer tank housing (42) that encloses an expandable bladder (50). A pressurized region (62) is defined between the outside of the bladder (50) and inside of the housing(42). A control valve assembly (44) controls communication of source water under pressure to pressurizing region (62) and communicates the region (62) with a drain (22). The assembly (44) includes a pilot valve (70) that is responsive to a state of dispensing and includes a valve element (76) that moves between a first dispensing position and a second non-dispensing position.

Abstract: A process of making ceramic spheroids by firing clay spheroids comprising by weight percent: FeO (3.22-5.21), Fe3O4 (3.40-5.11), SiO2 (52.49-59.42), CaO (1.99-7.96), MgO (2.81-4.69), Al2O3 (12.05-17.65), TlO2 (0.58-0.71), MnO (0.07-0.19), Na2O (0.47-0.86), K2O (1.70-2.37), P2O3 (0.13-0.19), S (0.03-0.29), CO2 (0.90-8.23), Organic C (0.22-1.04), H2O+ (4.14-7.28), H2O− (2.12-5.48) in contact with a particulate parting agent selected from aluminum oxide, magnesium oxide, and their precursors at a sufficiently high temperature and for a sufficiently long time to form a shell. Preferably, the clay spheroids are obtained from a deposit located at Hallock in Kittson County Minn., U.S.A.

Abstract: A method for selectively separating and recovering palladium from an aqueous palladium/tin catalyst solution. The method includes the steps of adjusting the pH of the aqueous solution to a specified pH range thereby precipitating the tin, and producing a soluble form a palladium. The solution can be either pre-filtered or settled and subsequently processed through ion exchange resin in a conventional manner, or processed in an upflow direction through an at least partially fluidized bed of ion exchange resin to remove and concentrate the palladium for recovery.

Abstract: Filtration media having germicidal properties for use in filtering particles and deactivating, removing and/or destroying microorganisms from a feed liquid passing therethrough. The filtration media includes an effective amount of a germicidal chemically grafted and covalently bonded to a surface of the media. The germicidal grafted filter media is prepared by contacting the media with a grafting solution comprising an anionic monomer, a catalyst, a graft initiator and a germicide and subsequently curing tile media at an elevated temperature to chemically graft a polymerized salt of the polymerizable anionic monomer and the cationic germicide onto a surface of the media. Filter media suitable for use in the present invention include ceramic spheroids, hollow glass spheres, polymeric type media and thermoset coated glass spheres.

Abstract: A water treatment system including a pair of water treatment tanks, each tank defining a flow path extending from a tank inlet to a tank outlet and containing a water treatment material disposed along the flow path for removing sulfur or H2S from the water. A system controller controls the frequency of regeneration of an exhausted tank as well as the regeneration cycle. The system includes a regenerant reservoir containing 5.25% sodium hypochloride which is generally available as household bleach. During a regeneration cycle, the bleach is drawn through a restrictor preferably in the form of a capillary tube that forms part of a draw tube assembly.

Abstract: A method for selectively separating and recovering palladium from an aqueous palladium/tin catalyst solution. The method includes the steps of adjusting the pH of the aqueous solution to a specified pH range thereby precipitating the tin, and producing a soluble form a palladium. The solution can be either pre-filtered or settled and subsequently processed through ion exchange resin in a conventional manner, or processed in an upflow direction through an at least partially fluidized bed of ion exchange resin to remove and concentrate the palladium for recovery.

Abstract: A filtering apparatus including a fluid monitoring head and a replaceable filter cartridge removably fastened to the head. The fluid monitoring head includes a shut off mechanism for interrupting fluid flow through the cartridge when a predetermined quantity of fluid has been treated by the filter. The filter cartridge is releasably coupled to the shutoff mechanism when the filter is installed. The shut off mechanism includes a valve element carried by a shaft that forms part of a driven member forming part of the monitoring head. A biasing element exerts a force on the valve element carrying shaft tending to move the valve to a flow blocking position. The shaft engages a keeper or hold off element threadly retained in the filter cartridge. As the driven member rotates, the keeper element is gradually unthreaded until it separates from the filter cartridge, allowing the force of the biasing element to move the valve member into a flow interrupting position.