Abstract: Disclosed herein is a process for carrying out an ion exchange process which involves providing two interacting sets of banks of continuously stirred tank reactors (CSTR's) each containing a bed of ion exchange resin and causing the resin to move in one direction through each bank of reactors and the feed solution and/or or eluant in the opposite direction. In carrying out the process, a feed solution is introduced in a first reactor causing dissolved ions to be captured on the resin, eluant is introduced into a reactor upstream of the first reactor in the direction of resin movement causing ions captured on the resin to be removed into the eluant and eluant rich in ions removed from the resin will be taken from a reactor upstream of the reactor in which the eluant was introduced, for further processing.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a process for carrying out an ion exchange process which involves providing two interacting sets of banks of continuously stirred tank reactors (CSTR's) each containing a bed of ion exchange resin and causing the resin to move in one direction through each bank of reactors and the feed solution and/or or eluant in the opposite direction. In carrying out the process, a feed solution is introduced in a first reactor causing dissolved ions to be captured on the resin, eluant is introduced into a reactor upstream of the first reactor in the direction of resin movement causing ions captured on the resin to be removed into the eluant and eluant rich in ions removed from the resin will be taken from a reactor upstream of the reactor in which the eluant was introduced, for further processing.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of reducing the sodium content of a water containing dissolved sodium ions, particularly a water with a sodium ion content of at least 100 ppm. Examples of such waters are effluents such as acid mine drainage and river waters. The method includes the steps of: (i) removing sodium, calcium and magnesium ions from the water by contacting the water with a cation exchange resin/s to capture sodium, calcium and magnesium ions thereon, (ii) treating the cation exchange resin/s of step (i) with nitric acid to produce an eluant containing sodium ions, calcium ions, magnesium ions nitrate ions and nitric acid, (iii) adding a carbonate to the eluant to precipitate the calcium and magnesium ions as calcium and magnesium carbonates; (iv) separating the precipitated carbonates from the eluant; and (v) treating the eluant from step (iv) to obtain a sodium and/or potassium nitrate product.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of reducing the sodium content of a water containing dissolved sodium ions, particularly a water with a sodium ion content of at least 100 ppm. Examples of such waters are effluents such as acid mine drainage and river waters. The method includes the steps of: (i) removing sodium, calcium and magnesium ions from the water by contacting the water with a cation exchange resin/s to capture sodium, calcium and magnesium ions thereon, (ii) treating the cation exchange resin/s of step (i) with nitric acid to produce an eluant containing sodium ions, calcium ions, magnesium ions nitrate ions and nitric acid, (iii) adding a carbonate to the eluant to precipitate the calcium and magnesium ions as calcium and magnesium carbonates; (iv) separating the precipitated carbonates from the eluant; and (v) treating the eluant from step (iv) to obtain a sodium and/or potassium nitrate product.

Abstract: A method of producing anhydrous calcium nitrate, anhydrous magnesium nitrate or mixture thereof involves removing water from a solution of calcium nitrate, magnesium nitrate or mixture thereof in a pulse combustion drier. The invention also provides a mixture of anhydrous calcium nitrate, anhydrous magnesium nitrate and the individual anhydrous nitrate salts in a sealed container.

Abstract: A method of producing anhydrous calcium nitrate, anhydrous magnesium nitrate or mixture thereof involves removing water from a solution of calcium nitrate, magnesium nitrate or mixture thereof in a pulse combustion drier. The invention also provides a mixture of anhydrous calcium nitrate, anhydrous magnesium nitrate and the individual anhydrous nitrate salts in a sealed container.