A method for reminding users to add salt to a water softener

Abstract

This invention provides a method for reminding users to add salt to a water softener, comprising: constructing a salt concentration detection network, which includes a soft water area and a salt concentration sensing network, wherein the salt concentration sensing network includes at least three salt concentration sensors; marking the salt concentration sensors and distributing them within the soft water area according to a certain division rule; collecting the salt concentration values ​​of the corresponding areas according to the division rule; weighting and averaging the salt concentration values ​​collected by all salt concentration sensors to obtain a target salt concentration value; determining whether the soft water area is low on salt based on the target salt concentration value, generating saturation and unsaturation information; obtaining the remaining salt amount based on the operating time of the water softener; performing a difference analysis between the remaining salt amount and a preset baseline salt amount to determine whether the salt level in the water softener is too low, generating low salt and no low salt information; and generating salt addition reminder instructions and water softener malfunction reminder instructions at different levels based on the salt concentration value and remaining salt amount in the soft water area.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of water softening technology, and more particularly to a method for reminding users to add salt in a water softener. Background Technology

[0002] Water softeners restore the adsorption capacity of ion exchange resins by adding salt through ion exchange, replacing impurities adsorbed by the resins. However, existing central water softeners struggle to control the salt concentration. Adding more salt than necessary leads to waste, while adding too little salt prevents the softener from restoring the ion exchange resins' adsorption capacity.

[0003] Therefore, existing technologies still require a salt addition reminder system for water softeners. For example, Chinese authorized patent CN216890217U discloses a central water softener with different salt concentrations. By setting up a storage control component, salt is placed on a weighing and dispensing component, which weighs the salt and then adds it to the central water softener. This solves the problem that existing central water softeners have difficulty controlling the salt concentration when adding salt. When adding salt, the amount of salt added can easily exceed the usage limit, resulting in the salt not being used effectively and causing salt waste. At the same time, adding too little salt can also make the salt less effective, reducing the efficiency of the central water softener.

[0004] However, the following problems still exist:

[0005] 1. The brine concentration in the softener is not a fixed value. How can we ensure the accuracy of the brine concentration output by the sensor?

[0006] 2. The salt addition reminder is used in the softener, but it does not have a self-test function and cannot guarantee the accuracy of the reminder system's output.

[0007] Therefore, a method for reminding users to add salt in a water softener is provided. Summary of the Invention

[0008] To address the shortcomings of the existing technology, this invention provides a method for reminding users to add salt to a water softener, thus solving the problem of whether the salt addition reminder system for water dispensers provides accurate guidance.

[0009] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides a method for reminding users to add salt in a water softener, comprising the following steps:

[0010] S1: Construct a salt water concentration detection network, which includes a soft water region and a salt concentration sensing network, wherein the salt concentration sensing network includes at least three salt concentration sensors;

[0011] S2: Mark the salt concentration sensors and distribute them in the soft water area according to a certain division rule. Collect the salt concentration value of the corresponding area according to the division rule. Then, calculate the weighted average of the salt concentration values ​​collected by all salt concentration sensors to obtain the target salt concentration value.

[0012] S3: Determine whether the soft water area is salt-deficient based on the target salt concentration value, and generate saturation and unsaturation information;

[0013] S4: Obtain the remaining salt amount based on the working time of the water softener, perform difference analysis between the remaining salt amount and the preset basic salt amount, determine whether the salt amount of the water softener is too low, and generate salt shortage information and non-salt shortage information.

[0014] S5: Generates different levels of salt addition prompts and water softener malfunction prompts based on the salt concentration and remaining salt amount in the soft water area.

[0015] Preferably, in step S2, the partitioning rules further include:

[0016] The salt concentration sensors are evenly distributed in soft water areas at different heights, and weights are assigned based on the location of the salt concentration sensors.

[0017] Preferably, step S3 further includes the following steps:

[0018] If the target saline concentration value is within the saturated saline concentration threshold range, then saturation information is generated;

[0019] If the target saline concentration is less than the saturated saline concentration threshold range, then unsaturated information is generated;

[0020] The saturated saline concentration threshold range is the maximum amount of salt that can be dissolved in the water in the current soft water area.

[0021] Preferably, step S4 further includes the following steps:

[0022] S41: Record the operating time of the water softener from the last salt addition to the current time;

[0023] S42: During the water treatment process, the water softener consumes a certain amount of salt each time it processes water. Determine the amount of salt consumed per water treatment process.

[0024] S43: Calculate the remaining brine volume based on the amount of salt consumed per unit.

[0025] Preferably, the specific formula for calculating the amount of remaining brine based on the amount of salt consumed per unit is as follows:

[0026]

[0027] Among them, X i-1The remaining salt level is the amount measured during the last operation of the water softener; and i ≥ 1; when i = 1, X0 is the initial amount of salt added during the initial operation of the water softener; T i Let be the operating time of the water softener during its i-th run; t be the operating time of a single water treatment cycle; C be the salt consumption per cycle. The remaining salt X is obtained by subtracting the salt consumed during this run from the remaining salt measured during the previous run. i .

[0028] Preferably, the generation logic for the salt addition prompt instruction and the water softener malfunction prompt instruction is as follows:

[0029] The salt addition prompt instruction includes a primary salt addition prompt instruction and a secondary salt addition prompt instruction;

[0030] If the salt concentration in the soft water zone is equal to the saturated salt concentration and salt deficiency information, a first-level salt replenishment prompt instruction is generated.

[0031] If the salt concentration in the soft water area is an unsaturated salt concentration and indicates a salt deficiency, a secondary salt replenishment prompt instruction will be generated.

[0032] If the salt concentration in the soft water zone is unsaturated or not salt-deficient, an error message will be generated for the water softener.

[0033] An electronic device includes: a processor and a memory, wherein the memory stores a computer program that can be called by the processor;

[0034] The processor executes a salt-addition reminder method for a water softener by calling a computer program stored in the memory.

[0035] A computer program product stored on a computer-readable medium includes a computer-readable program that, when executed on an electronic device, provides a user input interface to implement a salt-addition reminder method for a water softener.

[0036] A computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed on a computer, cause the computer to perform a salt-adding reminder method for a water softener.

[0037] Because the present invention adopts the above technical solution, it has the following beneficial effects:

[0038] This invention improves the performance, reliability, and user experience of water softeners, ensuring they effectively address hard water issues as designed, reducing maintenance costs, and providing higher quality soft water. By distributing multiple salt concentration sensors at different heights within the soft water zone and assigning weights based on location, the salt concentration within the soft water zone can be monitored more accurately. This helps ensure that the soft water produced by the water softener has consistent quality.

[0039] By determining whether a softened water area is low on salt based on a target brine concentration and combining this with the softener's operating time, timely salt replenishment reminders can be generated. This helps users maintain the softener, ensuring it remains efficient in handling hard water issues. It also reduces softener maintenance costs because users can add salt promptly when needed, avoiding unnecessary downtime or quality problems. Accurate brine concentration control helps the softener provide consistent soft water quality, thereby improving water quality, reducing hard water problems, and extending the lifespan of pipes and equipment. Attached Figure Description

[0040] Figure 1 This is a flowchart of a salt addition reminder method for a water softener according to an embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0041] The following is based on the appendix Figure 1 The present invention provides preferred embodiments and describes them in detail to enable a better understanding of the functions and features of the present invention.

[0042] Please see Figure 1 An embodiment of the present invention provides a salt addition reminder system for a water softener, comprising a water storage device, an electromagnetic valve installed at the inlet of the water storage device, and at least one flow limiting device connected to the outlet of the water storage device, the flow limiting device comprising a water pump and a flow meter, and including the following steps:

[0043] S1: Construct a salt water concentration detection network, which includes a soft water region and a salt concentration sensing network, wherein the salt concentration sensing network includes at least three salt concentration sensors;

[0044] It should be noted that existing water softeners typically have a dedicated softening area for water softening. Salt can precipitate in the water, which can lead to inconsistencies in salt concentration during actual use. To avoid incorrect salt addition reminders, it is necessary to improve the accuracy of salt concentration detection. Therefore, a salt concentration sensor network is implemented to optimize salt concentration detection.

[0045] S2: Mark the salt concentration sensors and distribute them in the soft water area according to a certain division rule. Collect the salt concentration value of the corresponding area according to the division rule. Then, calculate the weighted average of the salt concentration values ​​collected by all salt concentration sensors to obtain the target salt concentration value.

[0046] It should be noted that the salt concentration sensing network sets up salt concentration sensors in the soft water area, assigns weights based on the location of the salt concentration sensors, obtains the corresponding salt concentration in the softener based on the weights, and obtains the target brine concentration value in the current soft water area through multiple analysis. The target brine concentration value is used to characterize the salt concentration in the soft water area.

[0047] The division rules further include:

[0048] The salt concentration sensors are evenly distributed in soft water areas at different heights, and weights are assigned based on the location of the salt concentration sensors.

[0049] It's important to note that the zoning rules exist as a solution and do not encompass all implementation methods. Salt concentration sensors are placed within the soft water area to ensure coverage of the entire region and obtain more comprehensive salt concentration data. For example, zoning based on altitude results in different salt concentration distributions at different heights; therefore, installing salt concentration sensors at different heights helps monitor potential differences. Each sensor measures the salt concentration at its corresponding height to more accurately estimate the salt concentration value within the soft water area.

[0050] Depending on the location of the salt concentration sensors, different weights can be assigned to each sensor to reflect the impact of different locations on the overall salt concentration. For example, sensors located at lower positions may be more important because they are closer to the water softener's outlet, affecting the final water quality. Such distribution and weighting can ensure better fulfillment of soft water requirements, thus more effectively addressing hard water issues.

[0051] S3: Determine whether the soft water area is salt-deficient based on the target salt concentration value, and generate saturation and unsaturation information;

[0052] S3 further includes the following steps:

[0053] If the target salt concentration is within the saturated salt concentration threshold range, saturation information is generated; this indicates that the salt concentration in the soft water area is already saturated and no more salt needs to be added.

[0054] If the target brine concentration is less than the saturated brine concentration threshold range, unsaturated information is generated; this means that the brine concentration in the soft water area has not yet reached saturation and salt needs to be added to achieve the required saturated brine concentration.

[0055] The purpose here is to inform users of the current brine concentration of the water softener so they know whether salt needs to be added. The generated information will determine whether salt needs to be added based on the relationship between the brine concentration in the softened water area and the target brine concentration.

[0056] The saturated salt concentration value is the maximum amount of salt that can be dissolved in the water in the current soft water area; however, in actual applications, the saturated salt concentration value is affected by temperature and other influencing factors. Based on the actual situation of the current water softener, the technicians set a saturated salt concentration threshold range, which is a preset value.

[0057] It's important to note that water softeners typically use salt to generate soft water. Therefore, maintaining the brine saturation level is crucial for effectively removing hard water minerals. A water softener adds salt to the water to create a high-concentration brine solution, which is then used to regenerate the ion exchange resin within the softener, thus removing ions from the hard water. Therefore, the saturated brine concentration is a critical parameter in water softeners, as it directly impacts their performance.

[0058] A saturated saline concentration is defined as the concentration of salt in water equal to or greater than the saturated saline concentration, at which point any additional salt will not dissolve but will precipitate out as a solid. Specific values ​​can be determined experimentally or by consulting relevant data tables, and are typically expressed in grams per liter (g / L). For example, the threshold range for saturated saline concentration is approximately 2% above or below the saturated saline concentration value.

[0059] S4: Obtain the remaining salt amount based on the working time of the water softener, perform difference analysis between the remaining salt amount and the preset basic salt amount, determine whether the salt amount of the water softener is too low, and generate salt shortage information and non-salt shortage information.

[0060] S4 further includes the following steps:

[0061] S41: Record the operating time of the water softener from the last salt addition to the current time;

[0062] It should be noted that this working time can be recorded by the timer inside the water softener; the working status of the water softener can also be analyzed based on the historical working time of the water softener.

[0063] S42: During the water treatment process, the water softener consumes a certain amount of salt each time it processes water. Determine the amount of salt consumed per water treatment process.

[0064] It should be noted that the amount of brine consumed in a single water treatment process by a water softener is the amount of brine consumed per unit of water.

[0065] S43: Calculate the remaining brine volume based on the amount of salt consumed per unit.

[0066] The specific formula for calculating the remaining brine volume based on the salt consumption is as follows:

[0067]

[0068] Among them, X i-1 The remaining salt level is the amount measured during the last operation of the water softener; and i ≥ 1; when i = 1, X0 is the initial amount of salt added during the initial operation of the water softener; T i Let be the operating time of the water softener during its i-th run; t be the operating time of a single water treatment cycle; C be the salt consumption per cycle. The remaining salt X is obtained by subtracting the salt consumed during this run from the remaining salt measured during the previous run. i .

[0069] S5: Generates different levels of salt addition prompts and water softener malfunction prompts based on the salt concentration and remaining salt amount in the soft water area.

[0070] The logic for generating salt addition prompts and water softener malfunction prompts is as follows:

[0071] The salt addition prompt instruction includes a primary salt addition prompt instruction and a secondary salt addition prompt instruction;

[0072] If the brine concentration in the soft water zone is at the saturated brine concentration and salt shortage level, a first-level salt replenishment prompt will be generated; this indicates that the brine concentration of the water softener is saturated, but salt needs to be added in time to continue to operate effectively.

[0073] If the salt concentration in the soft water zone is unsaturated and there is a salt shortage, a secondary salt replenishment prompt will be generated; this indicates that the salt concentration in the soft water zone has not yet reached saturation, but salt needs to be added in time to continue effective operation.

[0074] If the salt concentration in the soft water zone is neither saturated nor low in salt, an error message will be generated indicating a potential problem with the water softener, requiring repair or adjustment to ensure its proper functioning.

[0075] It's important to note that different levels of alerts are generated based on the brine concentration in the softened water area and the presence of salt deficiency information. These alerts remind users or operators to take appropriate action to ensure the normal operation of the water softener and maintain water quality. This helps to promptly resolve any potential problems with the water softener, improving system reliability and water quality.

[0076] An electronic device includes: a processor and a memory, wherein the memory stores a computer program that can be called by the processor;

[0077] The processor executes a salt-addition reminder method for a water softener by calling a computer program stored in the memory.

[0078] A computer program product stored on a computer-readable medium includes a computer-readable program that, when executed on an electronic device, provides a user input interface to implement a salt-addition reminder method for a water softener.

[0079] A computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed on a computer, cause the computer to perform a salt-adding reminder method for a water softener.

[0080] The present invention has been described in detail above with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. Those skilled in the art can make various modifications to the present invention based on the above description. Therefore, certain details in the embodiments should not be construed as limiting the present invention, and the scope of protection of the present invention shall be defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A method for reminding users to add salt in a water softener, comprising the following steps: S1: Construct a salt water concentration detection network, which includes a soft water region and a salt concentration sensing network, wherein the salt concentration sensing network includes at least three salt concentration sensors; S2: Mark the salt concentration sensors and distribute them in the soft water area according to a certain division rule. Collect the salt concentration value of the corresponding area according to the division rule. Then, calculate the weighted average of the salt concentration values ​​collected by all salt concentration sensors to obtain the target salt concentration value. Distribute the salt concentration sensors evenly in the soft water area at different heights and assign weights based on the location of the salt concentration sensors. S3: Determine whether the soft water area is salt-deficient based on the target salt concentration value, and generate saturation and unsaturation information; S4: Obtain the remaining salt amount based on the working time of the water softener, perform difference analysis between the remaining salt amount and the preset basic salt amount, determine whether the salt amount of the water softener is too low, and generate salt shortage information and non-salt shortage information. S5: Generates different levels of salt addition prompts and water softener malfunction prompts based on the brine concentration and remaining salt amount in the soft water area; S4 further includes the following steps: S41: Record the operating time of the water softener from the last salt addition to the current time; S42: During the water treatment process, the water softener consumes a certain amount of salt each time it processes water. Determine the amount of salt consumed per water treatment process. S43: Calculate the remaining brine volume based on the salt consumption per unit of salt; The specific formula for calculating the remaining brine volume based on the salt consumption is as follows: Among them, X i-1 The remaining salt level is the amount measured during the last operation of the water softener; and i ≥ 1; when i = 1, X0 is the initial amount of salt added during the initial operation of the water softener; T i Let be the operating time of the water softener during the i-th run; t be the operating time of one water treatment cycle; C be the salt consumption per water treatment cycle; the remaining salt X is obtained by subtracting the salt consumption during the current run from the remaining salt measured during the previous run. i ; The logic for generating salt addition prompts and water softener malfunction prompts is as follows: The salt addition prompt instruction includes a primary salt addition prompt instruction and a secondary salt addition prompt instruction; If the salt concentration in the soft water zone is equal to the saturated salt concentration and salt deficiency information, a first-level salt replenishment prompt instruction is generated. If the salt concentration in the soft water area is an unsaturated salt concentration and indicates a salt deficiency, a secondary salt replenishment prompt instruction will be generated. If the salt concentration in the soft water zone is unsaturated or not salt-deficient, an error message will be generated for the water softener.

2. The method for reminding users to add salt to a water softener according to claim 1, characterized in that, S3 further includes the following steps: If the target saline concentration value is within the saturated saline concentration threshold range, then saturation information is generated; If the target saline concentration is less than the saturated saline concentration threshold range, then unsaturated information is generated; The saturated saline concentration threshold range is the maximum amount of salt that can be dissolved in the water in the current soft water area.

3. An electronic device, characterized in that, include: A processor and a memory, wherein the memory stores a computer program that can be called by the processor; The processor executes a salt addition reminder method for a water softener as described in any one of claims 1 to 2 by calling a computer program stored in the memory.

4. A computer program product stored on a computer-readable medium, characterized in that: Includes a computer-readable program, which, when executed on an electronic device, provides a user input interface to implement a salt addition reminder method for a water softener as described in any one of claims 1 to 2.

5. A computer-readable storage medium, characterized in that: The device stores instructions that, when executed on a computer, cause the computer to perform a salt-addition reminder method for a water softener as described in any one of claims 1 to 2.

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