Kinetico Incorporated

Peter Halemba

Stuart L Park

Christopher L Hansen

George Ellis, Iii

George S Ellis

Jerome P Kovach

Steven M Hoopes

David W Crozier

Stephen Goff

Steven Hoopes

A water treatment system including a pair of water treatment tanks, each tank defining a flow path extending from a tank inlet to a tank outlet and containing a water treatment material disposed along the flow path for treating water as it travels from the inlet to the outlet. A system controller controls which of the tanks is on-line and which of the tanks is off-line and controls the regeneration of an exhausted tank. A multi-stage, spring-loaded control valve assembly controls the communication of fluid to a regeneration control turbine and includes a piston head and a relatively movable seat-carrying stem. A spring urges the stem away from the piston head such that initial movement of the head compresses the spring but does not produce movement in the seat. Sufficient movement of the piston head produces movement in the seat, thereby causing the seat to open pressure.

Water treatment system

A fluid treatment system for treating feed water includes a first tubular member having first and second ends, at least one second tubular member having first and second ends, a pump positioned within the first tubular member, a filtering membrane positioned within the second tubular member, a first end cap for receiving the first ends of the first and second tubular members, and a second end cap for receiving the second ends of the first and second tubular members.

Fluid treatment system

A water treatment system including a reverse osmosis module and a control valve controlling communication between a water source and the module. A feedwater biased storage tank stores permeate and its pressurization by feedwater is controlled by a feedwater control valve. Flow of signal pressure to a signal pressure chamber of the feedwater control valve is restricted to reduce the rate at which a fluid generated force is applied. A check valve in parallel with the restriction allows relatively unrestricted flow out of the signal chamber when signal pressure is terminated. A tank pressurization control valve controls the operation of the feedwater control valve and controls the pressurization of a feedwater biasing chamber in the storage tank. Per-meate is stored in an accumulator for flushing the reverse osmosis module when the storage tank reaches a predetermined limit. Cleaning substances or additives can be introduced into the system.

A reverse osmosis water filtration system has a control housing that contains control components for the filtration system. The control housing may include control components for a membrane flushing system and/or feed water pressurization system for a permeate storage tank.

A water treatment system having a reverse osmosis unit ( ) includes a storage tank ( ) having an outer tank housing ( ) that encloses an expandable bladder ( ). A pressurized region ( ) is defined between the outside of the bladder ( ) and inside of the housing( ). A control valve assembly ( ) controls communication of source water under pressure to pressurizing region ( ) and communicates the region ( ) with a drain ( ). The assembly ( ) includes a pilot valve ( ) that is responsive to a state of dispensing and includes a valve element ( ) that moves between a first dispensing position and a second non-dispensing position. A servo valve ( ) is responsive to position of the pilot valve ( ) and communicates source water under pressure to the region ( ) when the pilot valve ( ) is in the first position thus applying pressure to bladder ( ) to expel treated water and communicates region ( ) to the drain ( ) when dispensing is not occurring so as to allow bladder ( ) to expand as it receives treated water from the reverse osmosis unit ( ).

A filtering apparatus including a fluid monitoring head and a replaceable filter cartridge removably fastened to the head. The fluid monitoring head includes a shut off mechanism for interrupting fluid flow through the cartridge when a predetermined quantity of fluid has been treated by the filter. The filter cartridge is releasably coupled to the shutoff mechanism when the filter is installed. The shut off mechanism includes a valve element carried by a shaft that forms part of a driven member forming part of the monitoring head. A biasing element exerts a force on the valve element carrying shaft tending to move the valve to a flow blocking position. The shaft engages a keeper or hold off element threadly retained in the filter cartridge. As the driven member rotates, the keeper element is gradually unthreaded until it separates from the filter cartridge, allowing the force of the biasing element to move the valve member into a flow interrupting position. A pressure relief means in the monitoring head allows for easy removal of the cartridge from the monitoring head.

Filter apparatus and method

A water treatment system including a pair of water treatment tanks, each tank defining a flow path extending from a tank inlet to a tank outlet and containing a water treatment material disposed along the flow path for treating water as it travels from the inlet to the outlet. A system controller controls which of the tanks is on-line and which of the tanks is off-line and controls the regeneration of an exhausted tank. The system controller is operative to provide a final rinse in the service direction. This is accomplished by a purge valve which communicates the outlet of a tank being regenerated to a drain under predetermined operating conditions. The operation of the purge valve is responsive to fluid signals applied to an inlet valve and an outlet valve associated with the tank being regenerated. More specifically, the fluid signals that close the outlet valve and open the inlet valve, are utilized to cause the opening of the purge valve in order to communicate the tank outlet with the drain. The invention obviates the need for separate fluid pressure signals for the purge valve. The system controller also includes an improved regeneration control turbine which includes a plurality of vanes extending from a hub and positioned between disc-like members that overlie the edges of the vanes in order to create cavities for receiving fluid emitted by a regeneration control nozzle. The improved turbine reduces water consumption of the system.

Water treatment system with purge valve responsive to fluid signals

A bypass/diverter valve for controlling the flow of fluid from a source to a fluid treatment device such as a water softener. The valve includes a valve housing defining a circular chamber having a cylindrical wall into which three spaced ports open into. Two of the ports form inlet/outlet ports communicating with connecting conduits. The third port forms an intermediate port that communicates with the input to the water softener. The valve housing also defines a second intermediate port communicating with the output of the water softener and which communicates with the valve chamber through a passage arrangement. A plug-like valving member is rotatable within the chamber and includes a recess which together with the chamber wall defines a passage for selectively communicating one of said inlet/outlet ports with said first intermediate port while concurrently communicating said other inlet/outlet port with the second intermediate port or alternately for communicating said first inlet/outlet port with said second intermediate port while concurrently communicating the second inlet/outlet port with said first intermediate port. The valving member is also positionable to block flow out of either of said inlet/outlet ports. The plug member includes a recess for communicating fluid from the passage to one of the inlet/outlet ports when the valving member is rotated to a predetermined position. A movement control disc delimits the extremes of movement in the valving member and is positionable in two different positions to change the extremes of movement.

Growing community of inventors

Russell, OH, United States of America

Peter Halemba