Title of Invention

A WATER SOFTENING SYSTEM

Abstract

This invention relates to a water softening system. It consists of a pressure vessel and a brine well. A three way valve is mounted in communication with the inlet and the outlet of the pressure vessel. The valve consists of drain cap, an inlet and outlet manifolds communicating with the inlet and outlet of the pressure vessel. Brine well is provided with a float assembly which regulates the flow of brine into the pressure vessel for regeneration of the spent resin. An injector assembly communicating with the outlet connector and the brine well is also provided to inject brine from the brine well into the spent resin in the pressure vessel. The three way valve is provided with a displaceable rod sealingly positioned and movable on bushes. A preset timer and solenoid are also provided for actuating the regeneration cycle and the rod movement.

Full Text

This invention relates to a water softening system. The system may preferably but not exclusively used as a domestic water softening unit. Hardness of water is attributed to the presence of soluble salts of calcium and magnesium in water. Permanent hardness is caused by the presence of chlorides and sulphates of calcium and magnesium. Even prolonged boiling does not remove permanent hardness from such water. Temporary hardness is due to the presence of bicarbonates of calcium and magnesium in water and is removable by boiling. Hard water is unsuitable for domestic and industrial applications and it is softened by removing impurities that cause permanent and temporary hardness therefrom. The object of this invention is to develop a simple and efficient water softening unit to provide continuous supply of soft water. Yet another object of this invention is to reclaim the utilised ion exchange resin in a simple and efficient manner. Reclamation of spent ion exchange resin is effected in the system itself. For continuous and uninterrupted supply of soft water, two water softening systems according to this invention may be parallely connected such that when one unit enters the regeneration cycle, the other unit softens water. The water softening system consists of a pressure vessel and a brine well with a float asembly. On the pressure vessel a three way valve is mounted. The pressure vessel has a water inlet pipe extending almost to the bottom thereof. Soft water outlet pipe provided within the pressure vessel terminates at the top of the vessel which Is provided with a non-return valve. The non-return valve consists of a valve body, valve piston, valve wing and washers. The outlet pipe is provided with a displaceable outlet cover which opens into the outlet manifold of the three way valve assembly. The three way valve assembly has an inlet manifold provided with an inlet cover. A displaceable rod member extends horizontally through an inlet and an outlet manifolds and is fixed with a drain seal member on one side thereof. The three valve assembly consists of an assembly of an outlet manifold, an inlet manifold, an inlet cover, an outlet cover and a drain cap. The system is also provided with a solenoid actuatable with the help of a preset timer. A brine well is connected to the pressure vessel through an injector housing. The brine well consists of a brine well base and a brine well top, a brine well pipe and a float assembly. The float assembly consists of a float, a float tube and a seal seat. The Injector housing connected to the pressure vessel top has two connecting tubes, one being connected to the outlet connector of the three way valve and the other being connected to the brine well base. The injector housing houses the injector. Tapering constriction in the middle of the injector ensures pressure drop and velocity increases when water flows out through it from the outlet connector to the pressure vessel. This pressure drop and velocity increase creates vacuum by suction. The vacuum sucks brine from the brine well when sufficient suction is built up. Brine goes through the injector to the pressure vessel. When the float tube reaches the bottom position of the brine well, suction stops. The pressure vessel contains known cationic exchange resins such as polystyrine/divinyl benzene and the brine well contains sodium chloride for regenerating spent resin in the pressure vessel. This Invention relates to a water softening system which comprises a pressure vessel provided with a downwardly extending inlet, an outlet terminating below the top of said pressure vessel, a three way valve having a drain cap, an inlet manifold and an outlet manifold communicable with said inlet and outlet respectively, a non¬return valve communicating with said outlet and having an actuatable piston, a rod member disposed horizontally to said inlet and outlet, said rod member being displaceable to the left or to the right to establish communication with said inlet and outlet manifolds, an injector assembly being mounted on said pressure vessel having two connecting tubes, one connected to said outlet of the pressure vessel and the other connected to base of a brine well, said brine well having a float assembly for controlling the flow of brine to said pressure vessel, said pressure vessel containing known cation exchange resins and said brine well containing brine for regenerating spent resin. This invention and the method of Its operation will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. Figure 1 represents the sectional view of the water softening system from the top; Figure 2 shows the sectional view of the water softening system showing the pressure vessel, three way valve assembly, non-return valve and the brine well; Figure 3 shows the injector assembly and its connections; Figure 4 shows the sectional view of the brine well assembly. In the figures, reference numerals 7 and 8 represent the top and bottom parts of the pressure vessel and reference numeral 9 represents the lid for the brine well. The inlet and outlet pipes in the pressure vessel are shown by reference numerals 25 and 21 respectively. Both the inlet and the outlet pipes are provided with filter rings which prevent the entry of ion exchange resin into these pipes. Reference numbers 22, 23 and 24 show the top, intermediate and bottom filter rings provided on the outlet. Referring to figure 1, reference numeral 1 shows the brine well assembly and reference numeral 2 represents the injector assembly. Reference numeral 3 shows the outlet connector to the injector, 4 and 5 represent water outlet and inlet respectively. Reference numeral 6 stands for the drain water outlet. Referring to figure 2 reference numerals 10 and 11 show the drain cap and drain seal respectively. Inlet cover and the outlet cover are shown by reference numerals 12 and 15 whereas reference numerals 14 and 16 show the inlet and outlet manifolds respectively. Rod member is indicated by reference numeral 13. Valve body is shown by reference numeral 20, reference numeral 17 shows the valve wing while valve piston is shown by reference numeral 18. Reference numeral 19 represents a washer for the valve. Referring to figure 3 reference numerals 26 and 27 stand for the Injector and injector housing respectively. Figure 4 shows the sectional view of the brine well assembly consisting of a brine well base 28, brine well top 29, brine well seal 30. The float assembly is represented by float 34, float tube 32. Brine well pipe is indicated by reference numeral 33. The following description relates to normal cycle for softening water and regeneration cycle for regenerating spent ion exchange resins. Hard water is allowed to enter through the inlet manifold (14) while the drain cap (10) is in the closed position. The rod member (13) in the valve assembly at this position allows water to flow into the pressure vessel through the inlet filter pipe (25). Ion exchange takes place during the passage of water through the resin content in the pressure vessel. Softened water eneters the outlet filter pipe and thereafter through the non-return valve and to the outlet manifold (16). From there softened water flows out. Also through the outlet, a small quantity of water reaches the injector (26) and from there to the brine well pipe. After water entering the brine well reaches the desired height, the brine well float will close the outlet to the brine well assembly allowing only soft water to come out through the outlet manifold. Regeneration cycle is effected by opening the drain cap (10) by a preset timer thereby making a pressure difference between both the sides of the drain seal (11) in the three way valve assembly. This pressure difference moves the rod member (13) to the left allowing water to go through the injector (26) only. At this position, the non¬return valve will not allow water to flow into pressure vessel containing the resin. Pressure drops and vaccum created due to water flowing through the injector (26) and brine is sucked from the brine well (33). This passes through the injector (26) and gets injected into the pressure vessel. This brine regenerates the spent resin in the pressure vessel and flows out through the drain cap (10) which is in the open position. After regeneration of the spent resin excess of brine present in the resin may be washed by allowing water to flow there through. Preset timer will stop the regeneration cycle and close the drain cap. The system is now ready for the next softening cycle. Two such systems connected in parllel will ensure continuous supply of soft water. Reference is made to our copending application N0.843/MAS/2001 which discloses and claims a novel three way valve. Though this invention is described hereinabove with a specific embodiment, obvious modifications and alterations known to persons skilled in the art are within the scope of the appended claims. WE CLAIM: 1. A water softening system comprising a pressure vessel provided with a downwardly extending inlet and an outlet terminating below the top of said pressure vessel, a three way valve having a drain cap, an inlet manifold and an outlet manifolds communicable with said inlet and outlet respectively a non-return valve communicating with said outlet and having an actuatable piston, a rod member disposed horizontally to said inlet and outlet, said rod member being displaceabie to the left or to the right to establish communication with said inlet and outlet manifolds, an injector assembly mounted on said pressure vessel having two connecting tubes, one connected to said outlet of the pressure vessel and the other connected to base of a brine well said brine well having a float assembly for controlling the flow of brine to said pressure vessel containing known cation exchange resins and said brine well containing brine for regenerating spent resins. 2. The water softener system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said three way valve assembly is provided with a drain cap which is preset to open and close. 3. The water softening system as claimed In claims 1 or 2 wherein a preset timer is provided to open and close said drain cap. 4. The water softening system as claimed in any one of the claims 1 to 3, wherein said Injector assembly is a ventury. 5. The water softening system as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein said float assembly consists of a float, a float tube, a seal and a seal seat member. 6. The water softening system as claimed in any one of the claims 1 to 5, wherein said pressure vessel and brine well are made of plastics such as polypropyiine. 7. The water softening system as claimed in any one of the claims 1 to 6, wherein said cation exchange resin is cross linked poly styrine or divinyl benezene. 8. The water softening system as claimed in claims 1 to 6, wherein filter rings are provided at the opening of the inlet pipe and the outlet pipe within said pressure vessel. 9. The water softening system as claimed in claims 1 to 8, wherein a solenoid actuated by the timer is provided to open and close the drain cap. 10. A water softening system substantially as herein described with particular reference to the accompanying drawings.

Documents:

844-mas-2001-abstract.pdf

844-mas-2001-claims filed.pdf

844-mas-2001-claims granted.pdf

844-mas-2001-correspondnece-others.pdf

844-mas-2001-correspondnece-po.pdf

844-mas-2001-description(complete)filed.pdf

844-mas-2001-description(complete)granted.pdf

844-mas-2001-description(provisional).pdf

844-mas-2001-drawings.pdf

844-mas-2001-form 1.pdf

844-mas-2001-form 26.pdf

844-mas-2001-form 3.pdf

844-mas-2001-form 5.pdf

844-mas-2001-other documents.pdf