Ecowater Systems, Inc.

Other

Jeffrey A Zimmerman

Robert A Astle

Malcolm Kahn

Ravi Meruva

James Johannsen

Gregory Kennedy

Dennis G Winberg

Michael E Drager

Ralph H Larson

Marlin A Frank

Paul C Myhre

John E Ziegenfuss

Wesley F Chapman

Gary Gauer

Dave Marshall

Jose A Castro

John R Nelson

David Sinkula

Patrick Van Oosterwijck

Ralph A Larson

James Johansen

An apparatus for determining total hardness in a fluid stream utilizing a first and second sodium ion selective electrode (ISE). The ion selective electrodes are in electrical communication with one another, having first and second reference electrodes, respectively, with a salt bridge therebetween, where the first ISE receives hard water and the second ISE receives soft water. A least one drain receives outflow from effluent fluid from the first and second sodium ISE sensors.

Apparatus for measuring water hardness using ion selective electrode

An apparatus for determining total hardness in a fluid stream utilizing an ion exchange column in a monovalent cationic form having an inlet and an outlet, where one or more monovalent ion selective electrodes are positioned either at an inlet, outlet, or at both locations simultaneously. The monovalent cation selective electrodes are in electrical communication with one another, and in fluid communication with one or more valves incorporated within a fluid path in order to introduce feed water/softened water to the monovalent cation selective electrodes. Additionally, one blending valve may be incorporated in the ion exchange column to allow a fraction of the feed (hard) water to mix with a fraction of the softened water. In this manner, the blending valve may be utilized to adjust the hardness of the water at the output.

A method of application to provide a workable solution for tracking the hardness of water utilizing an ion selective electrode by tracking the relative hardness of water at the outflow or egress of an ion exchange column. A monovalent cation exchange membrane (ion selective electrode) distinguishes hard water and softened water in a water flow stream. A voltage is applied across the membrane, facilitating the movement of sodium though the membrane (such that anions and divalent ions are excluded), and the current is measured. The change in current (delta current) is used to determine the hard water concentration or level of hardness in an influent stream. A second application estimates or detects the exhaustion of an ion exchanger, and/or determines the regeneration time/cycle of the ion exchanger through the use of an ion selective membrane. Blending of the influent hard water and effluent soft water allows a user to control hardness levels of the effluent.

Method for determining hardness concentration using a monovalent ion selective electrode

A water treatment system is provided having an encapsulate manifold with a reverse osmosis cartridge and one or more filter cartridges. The filter cartridge includes a detent for being received within a slot in the manifold head for secure locking engagement. The water treatment system further includes a single probe conductivity monitoring system for monitoring the performance of a reverse osmosis membrane. The water treatment system is also provided in a modular arrangement wherein manifold heads are physically and fluidly coupled together via a clip which interfaces with the modular manifold heads. The water treatment system also allows for a retrofit application to include a permeate pump. The cartridges are also designed to provide a minimum annular inlet gap to minimize spillage during changing of the cartridges.

Computer-implemented method of monitoring the performance of a reverse osmosis membrane in a drinking water supply system

A demand initiated method for regenerating a water softener which operates the softener ion exchange bed over a capacity range in which the resin is most efficiently restored by exposure to brine. The reserve capacity of the softener is adjusted in response to the amount of softening capacity used since the last regeneration, as is the quantity of saturated brine to be used for the next regeneration, which is scheduled when the reserve capacity is exceeded, or the remaining available capacity will not be adequate for expected usage on the next day of the week. The method schedules a regeneration when the amount of exchange capacity of the resin bed used since the last regeneration plus the variation of exchange capacity used on the next day plus the average exchange capacity of the resin bed used on the next day is greater than the selected design exchange capacity.

Method for regeneration of a water softener

A method of communication within a network of a water treatment system is disclosed. The water treatment system includes a plurality of devices. The devices including at least one AC powered device. The method comprising the steps of continually checking, by a first AC powered device, the network for broadcasts by other devices, detecting, by the first AC powered device, a broadcast by another device, establishing, by the first AC powered device, a logical connection with the other device, receiving, by the first AC powered device, any request by the other device for data, the request including the identification of a data element, and the address of the device which relates to the data element, and receiving, by the first AC powered device, any data offered by the other device, the data including the identification of a data element, the data element value, and the identification of the device which originated the data element value.

Method and system of communication in a wireless water treatment system

The present invention provides a method and system of anticipating salt depletion in a brine tank of a water softener system, the system including a controller having a user interface and display, the method comprising the steps of tracking salt usage; determining the amount of salt remaining in the brine tank; calculating the number of days before salt is required in the brine tank based on salt usage and the amount of salt remaining in the brine tank; and providing an indication of the number of days to empty, whereby a user is able to anticipate the need to replenish the salt supply and plan accordingly to assure continuous satisfactory operation of the water softener system.

Method and system for anticipating salt depletion

A system is provided for monitoring the status of a water softener at a remote location. The system includes a water softener controller with a control processing unit for determining the status of the water softener. The system also includes a water softener transmitter and a water softener indicator. The transmitter is coupled to the controller and transmits the status of the water softener to the indicator. The water softener indicator receives and displays the status message. The system is capable of determining whether the water softener is operating normally, whether the salt level is low or whether the water softener needs servicing.

System for monitoring the status of a water softener

A water softener and a method of operating the same are provided to allow for the efficient use of either NaCl or KCl as the regenerant salt. A user interface is provided to allow the user to indicate to the computer controlling the water softener whether NaCl or KCl is being used. The computer controller adjusts the fill time and brine time, depending on the type of regenerant salt used and on the temperature of the brine.

Brine fill apparatus for water softener

An apparatus for providing a remote display of the operating condition of a water treatment system having an electronic control utilizing a voice grade telephone system. A tone generator is associated with electronic control to generate tones which are transmitted through the telephone system to a decoder which provides digital signals to a microcomputer which provides a display of the operating conditions of the water treatment system at a remote location.

Apparatus to provide a remote display of the operating condition of a

A demand initiated method for regenerating a water softener which operates the softener ion exchange bed over a capacity range in which the resin is most efficiently restored by exposure to brine. The reserve capacity of the softener is adjusted in response to the amount of softening capacity used since the last regeneration, as is the quantity of saturated brine to be used for the next regeneration, which is scheduled when the reserve capacity is exceeded, or the remaining available capacity will not be adequate for normal usage on the next day of the week.

A liquid treatment apparatus or system having a liquid treatment medium bed which is regenerated by passing through it a solution formed by dissolving a solid in a liquid. An automatic control system initiates a regeneration cycle when necessary. Indicia are provided in association with the container containing the solid material such that an appropriate indicia will represent the amount of solid material in the container. By providing the control circuit with the indicia, the control circuit will record the amount of solid material remaining and initiate an alarm when the amount of solid material remaining is below a predetermined level.

Apparatus for providing a regenerant solution to a regenerable liquid

A self-contained monitoring system for monitoring the operating condition of a fluid treatment device. A housing provides a pair of flow passages, one for liquid supplied to, and the other for liquid treated by the fluid treatment device. Separate pairs of electrodes are provided, with one pair of electrodes extending into one of the flow passages and the other pair extending into the other flow passage. The conductivities between each pair of electrodes are provided as signals to an electronic circuit contained within the housing which provides electrical output signals indicative of the operating condition of the fluid treatment device based upon the conductivity of the supplied and treated fluid flows.

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Blaine, MN, United States of America

Jeffrey A Zimmerman