2. The process according to claim 1 wherein the input sodium chloride brine is about 10% concentration.
3. The process according to claim 1 wherein the sodium zeolite softener is a sulfonated styrene-divinylbenzene resin.
4. The process according to claim 1 wherein the sodium zeolite softener is a sulfonated phenol aldehyde resin.
5. A process for the regeneration of a column of a partly exhausted sodium zeolite softener which comprises feeding an excess of substantially pure soft sodium chloride brine at a concentration of about 8-12% as input regenerating liquid to said zeolite column and removing from said zeolite column a hard brine containing substantial amounts of alkaline earth metals and adjusting the volume of exhausting liquid previously applied, and the volume of regenerating brine going through the column so that the concentraions of alkaline earth metals in the spent brine effluent, calculated as CaCO3, have a maximum value of about 16,000 ppm so as to avoid the formation of a gelatinous product, and further precipitating the alkaline earth metals by utilizing sodium carbonate and sodium hydroxide, removing the calcium and magnesium precipitates formed, and adjusting the pH of the so-treated liquid to values below 8.0 with HCl to produce a softened brine suitable for recycle as the regenerating liquid.
6. The process according to claim 5 wherein the input sodium chloride brine is about 10% concentration.
7. The process according to claim 5 wherein the sodium zeolite softener is a sulfonated styrene-divinylbenzene resin.
8. The process according to claim 5 wherein the sodium zeolite softener is a sulfonated phenol aldehyde resin.