Abstract: Systems and methods for treatment of hard water are disclosed that relate to combining a scale reduction device with a water softener device. In an aspect, the water softener device is an ion exchange water softener device. The systems and methods can be used to provide treated water having the same or similar performance quality compared to water produced by ion exchange water softener devices alone, while using significantly less chemical regenerant.

Abstract: Salt compositions with reduced caking tendency and improved clean label acceptability comprise a blend of dry ingredients comprising a salt selected from the group consisting of sodium chloride, potassium chloride, iodized sodium chloride, iodized potassium chloride and mixtures thereof; and a dry particulate flow agent selected from the group consisting of flour, corn bran, soy fiber, inulin, whey, casein, starch, sugar, protein, lecithin, citrus fiber and mixtures thereof. The salt compositions are especially useful for use in food preparation, manufacture, and seasoning.

Abstract: Deicer compositions are disclosed. In one aspect of the disclosure, the deicer composition includes a pre-wetting composition. The pre-wetting composition includes a liquid deicing salt. The pre-wetting composition also includes a liquid corrosion inhibitor comprising at least one aldonic or aldaric acid or salt of an aldonic or aldaric acid chosen from D-erythronic acid, D-gulonic acid, glucaric acid, gluconic acid and L-mannonic acid. The pre-wetting composition also includes a liquid leaching inhibitor comprising at least one of soy flour, dextrin, starch, gum Arabic, guar gum, xanthan gum, gum ghatti, gum karaya, locust bean gum, carageenan gum, sodium alginate, partially hydrolyzed polyacrylamide, bentonite, attapulgite, montmorillonite, hectorite, kaolin, hydroxyethylcellulose, viscosifying, clays. The deicer composition also includes a solid composition. The solid composition includes a solid deicing salt. The solid composition also includes a solid corrosion inhibitor including a phosphate salt.

Abstract: A system for automatically producing a brine solution having a concentration of a primary solute that is stable at a defined temperature comprises a controller, a mixing reservoir, a primary solute concentration sensor, and a storage tank. Methods for automatically producing solutions are described.

Abstract: Water softening compositions, and related systems and methods are disclosed. The present disclosure involves a composition for the regeneration of cation exchange media. The regenerant composition includes an alkali metal formate salt (and optionally a metal halide salt). The present disclosure also involves a systems and methods for treating a cation exchange medium in a water softener to replace hardness cations therefrom with alkali metal cations (such as Na+ and K+. The method includes contacting the media with a regenerant including an alkali metal formate salt (and optionally an alkali metal halide salt). The method also includes contacting the media with the regenerant in an amount sufficient to regenerant the ion exchange medium. According to the method, the hardness cations coupled to the cation exchange media are replaced with the alkali metal cations.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates generally to deicer compositions comprising a liquid deicing agent which is as an aqueous solution of a deicing salt and additives that provide reduced corrosiveness with reduced biochemical oxygen demand. Aspects of the disclosure are particularly directed to use of the deicer composition as a liquid deicer or an anti-icer. The deicer composition can further include a solid deicing agent such as sodium chloride, where the liquid deicing agent and additive form a pre-wetting agent when mixed with the solid deicing agent to form a pre-wetted deicer.

Abstract: Water softening compositions, and related systems and methods are disclosed. The present disclosure involves a composition for the regeneration of cation exchange media. The regenerant composition includes an alkali metal formate salt (and optionally a metal halide salt). The present disclosure also involves a systems and methods for treating a cation exchange medium in a water softener to replace hardness cations therefrom with alkali metal cations (such as Na+ and K+. The method includes contacting the media with a regenerant including an alkali metal formate salt (and optionally an alkali metal halide salt). The method also includes contacting the media with the regenerant in an amount sufficient to regenerant the ion exchange medium. According to the method, the hardness cations coupled to the cation exchange media are replaced with the alkali metal cations.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates generally to deicer compositions comprising a liquid deicing agent which is as an aqueous solution of a deicing salt and additives that provide reduced corrosiveness with reduced biochemical oxygen demand. Aspects of the disclosure are particularly directed to use of the deicer composition as a liquid deicer or an anti-icer. The deicer composition can further include a solid deicing agent such as sodium chloride, where the liquid deicing agent and additive form a pre-wetting agent when mixed with the solid deicing agent to form a pre-wetted deicer.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates generally to deicer compositions comprising a liquid deicing agent which is as an aqueous solution of a deicing salt and additives that provide reduced corrosiveness with reduced biochemical oxygen demand. Aspects of the disclosure are particularly directed to use of the deicer composition as a liquid deicer or an anti-icer. The deicer composition can further include a solid deicing agent such as sodium chloride, where the liquid deicing agent and additive form a pre-wetting agent when mixed with the solid deicing agent to form a pre-wetted deicer.

Abstract: Antimicrobial formulations and solutions for food safety and quality applications are disclosed. Because some of these formulations and solutions contain a substantial concentration of salt, they are adaptable to a variety of food-processing applications, such as for chilling brine applications, disinfecting meat baths/rinses, beef injection brines, poultry chill tanks, brines used in cheese manufacture, as a wash to kill salmonella and other bacteria on hard-boiled eggs or egg shells, and as a wash to disinfect produce, which can become contaminated with salmonella and other pathogenic bacteria in the field. These uses of concentrated salt solutions that depress the freezing point of the solution provide a low temperature bath or shower in which food products can be cooled. One embodiment comprises between 25 ppm and 100,000 ppm surfactant and between 72% and 99.99% salt.

Abstract: Antimicrobial formulations and solutions for food safety and quality applications are disclosed. Because some of these formulations and solutions contain a substantial concentration of salt, they are adaptable to a variety of food-processing applications, such as for chilling brine applications, disinfecting meat baths/rinses, beef injection brines, poultry chill tanks, brines used in cheese manufacture, as a wash to kill salmonella and other bacteria on hard-boiled eggs or egg shells, and as a wash to disinfect produce, which can become contaminated with salmonella and other pathogenic bacteria in the field. These uses of concentrated salt solutions that depress the freezing point of the solution provide a low temperature bath or shower in which food products can be cooled. One embodiment comprises between 25 ppm and 100,000 ppm surfactant and between 72% and 99.99% salt.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates generally to deicer compositions comprising a liquid deicing agent which is as an aqueous solution of a deicing salt and an additive that provides reduced corrosiveness and increased residual effect. Aspects of the disclosure are particularly directed to use of the deicer composition as a liquid deicer or an anti-icer. The deicer composition can further include a solid deicing agent such as sodium chloride, where the liquid deicing agent and additive form a pre-wetting agent when mixed with the solid deicing agent to form a pre-wetted deicer.

Abstract: Antimicrobial formulations and solutions for food safety and quality applications are disclosed. Because some of these formulations and solutions contain a substantial concentration of salt, they are adaptable to a variety of food-processing applications, such as for chilling brine applications, disinfecting meat baths/rinses, beef injection brines, poultry chill tanks, brines used in cheese manufacture, as a wash to kill salmonella and other bacteria on hard-boiled eggs or egg shells, and as a wash to disinfect produce, which can become contaminated with salmonella and other pathogenic bacteria in the field. These uses of concentrated salt solutions that depress the freezing point of the solution provide a low temperature bath or shower in which food products can be cooled. One embodiment comprises between 25 ppm and 100,000 ppm surfactant and between 72% and 99.99% salt.

Abstract: Antimicrobial formulations and solutions for food safety and quality applications are disclosed. Because some of these formulations and solutions contain a substantial concentration of salt, they are adaptable to a variety of food-processing applications, such as for chilling brine applications, disinfecting meat baths/rinses, beef injection brines, poultry chill tanks, brines used in cheese manufacture, as a wash to kill salmonella and other bacteria on hard-boiled eggs or egg shells, and as a wash to disinfect produce, which can become contaminated with salmonella and other pathogenic bacteria in the field. These uses of concentrated salt solutions that depress the freezing point of the solution provide a low temperature bath or shower in which food products can be cooled. One embodiment comprises between 25 ppm and 100,000 ppm surfactant and between 72% and 99.99% salt.

Abstract: A deicing composition comprises a mixture of a deicing agent and a corrosion inhibitor. The corrosion inhibitor comprises an effective amount of a polyhydroxy carboxylic acid, preferably an aldaric or aldonic acid. The salts of aldaric and aldonic acids are much more potent corrosion inhibitors for deicing than agricultural by-products or refined sugars that are today commonly used as corrosion inhibitors, and therefore can be used at lower concentrations to obtain the same effect as a higher concentration of a simple sugar. The deicing composition can be used as a deicer, anti-icer, or a pre-wetting agent. The deicing agent can include a deicing salt such as sodium chloride, magnesium chloride, and/or calcium chloride. Further, a method of making a deicing composition includes mixing a deicing agent and a corrosion inhibitor. The corrosion inhibitor can be dissolved in a liquid, such as brine, which can be sprayed on a solid deicing salt.

Abstract: Antimicrobial formulations and solutions for food safety and quality applications are disclosed. Because some of these formulations and solutions contain a substantial concentration of salt, they are adaptable to a variety of food-processing applications, such as for chilling brine applications, disinfecting meat baths/rinses, beef injection brines, poultry chill tanks, brines used in cheese manufacture, as a wash to kill salmonella and other bacteria on hard-boiled eggs or egg shells, and as a wash to disinfect produce, which can become contaminated with salmonella and other pathogenic bacteria in the field. These uses of concentrated salt solutions that depress the freezing point of the solution provide a low temperature bath or shower in which food products can be cooled. One embodiment comprises between 25 ppm and 100,000 ppm surfactant and between 72% and 99.99% salt.

Abstract: A deicing composition with a carboxylate salt as the primary deicer and that has a low corrosivity to galvanized steel is disclosed. The composition includes a soluble silicate as a corrosion inhibitor and a gluconate salt as a silicate stabilizer to maintain adequate solubility of the silicate salt at pH values below about 11.5.

Abstract: One embodiment of the present invention is a method of regenerating an ion exchange medium having a bacterial population, comprising dissolving a salt formulation in water to create a brine and passing the brine through the ion exchange medium during a regenerating cycle, wherein the salt formulation comprises a food-grade acid, at least about 100 ppm of a food-grade surfactant, and at least about 90 wt. % of an inorganic, water-soluble salt of sodium, potassium, or sodium and potassium and wherein the acid and the surfactant are present in the brine in an amount efficacious to kill at least about 65% of gram negative bacteria in the bacterial population as a result of the regenerating cycle.

Abstract: A deicer comprises a mixture of a deicing agent and a radiation absorber. The radiation absorber results in an increased ice-melting capacity than using the deicing agent alone. The deicer can include a deicing salt such as sodium chloride, and the radiation absorber can include a dye, which can be water soluble. The deicer can also include a corrosion inhibitor and/or wetting agent. Further, a method of making a deicer includes mixing a deicing agent and a radiation absorber. The radiation absorber can be dissolved in a liquid, such as bittern, which can be sprayed on a solid deicing salt.

Abstract: Antimicrobial formulations and solutions for food safety and quality applications are disclosed. Because some of these formulations and solutions contain a substantial concentration of salt, they are adaptable to a variety of food-processing applications, such as for chilling brine applications, disinfecting meat baths/rinses, beef injection brines, poultry chill tanks, brines used in cheese manufacture, as a wash to kill salmonella and other bacteria on hard-boiled eggs or egg shells, and as a wash to disinfect produce, which can become contaminated with salmonella and other pathogenic bacteria in the field. These uses of concentrated salt solutions that depress the freezing point of the solution provide a low temperature bath or shower in which food products can be cooled. One embodiment comprises between 25 ppm and 100,000 ppm surfactant and between 72% and 99.99% salt.