Patent ID: 7662637

Claim:
Apparatus for estimating a measure as carbon dioxide of the total of carbon dioxide, carbonic acid, bicarbonate and carbonate released by hydrolysis of hydrolyzable entities dissolved and/or dispersed in water containing such entities based on comparison of a carbon dioxide measurement on a sample of said water before hydrolysis with a carbon dioxide measurement on a sample of said water after hydrolysis, such apparatus comprising: (a) a measuring system for obtaining a first measure of total concentration of carbon dioxide, carbonic acid, bicarbonate and carbonate using a sample of said water before hydrolysis, wherein said measuring system comprises in combination: (i) a CO 2 -selective measuring system membrane having juxtaposed to one surface thereof a flow path for deionized water; (ii) the membrane also having juxtaposed to an opposite surface thereof a flow path for said sample of water before hydrolysis; and, (iii) a conductivity measuring element for measuring electrical conductivity of water in said flow path for deionized water downstream of said measuring system membrane; (b) a hydrolysis system effective substantially to hydrolyze said hydrolyzable entities dissolved and/or dispersed in a sample of said water whereby a hydrolyzed sample is obtained comprising carbon dioxide, carbonic acid, bicarbonate and/or carbonate and other hydrolysis products; (c) a measuring system for obtaining a second measure of total concentration of carbon dioxide, carbonic acid, bicarbonate and carbonate using said hydrolyzed sample wherein said measuring system comprises in combination: (i) a CO 2 -selective measuring system membrane having juxtaposed to one surface thereof a flow path for deionized water; (ii) the membrane also having juxtaposed to an opposite surface thereof a flow path for said hydrolyzed sample; and, (iii) a conductivity measuring element for measuring electrical conductivity of water in said flow path for deionized water downstream of said measuring system membrane; and, (d) an estimating system for estimating from said first and second measures of total concentration of carbon dioxide, carbonic acid, bicarbonate and carbonate a measure as carbon dioxide of total carbon dioxide, carbonic acid, bicarbonate and carbonate released by hydrolysis of said hydrolyzable entities dissolved and/or dispersed in said water.