Water softener, control method and household appliance

Abstract

The application relates to the field of kitchen appliances, in particular to a water softener, a control method and a household appliance. The water softener comprises a salt cavity and a resin cavity. The salt cavity comprises a water taking cavity and a water supplementing cavity. The water taking cavity is provided with a water taking opening communicated with the resin cavity. The water supplementing cavity is used for forming saturated brine. A one-way valve is arranged between the water supplementing cavity and the water taking cavity and is used for conducting in only a first direction. The first direction is a direction in which the water supplementing cavity points to the water taking cavity. The water supplementing cavity is communicated with the water taking cavity through a diaphragm pump. The water taking cavity is provided with a first weight sensor connected with a controller. The controller is configured to receive brine weights before and after salt is added to the water taking cavity detected by the first weight sensor, and calculate a first brine concentration of the water taking cavity according to the brine weights before and after salt is added to the water taking cavity. Whether the first brine concentration is less than a preset concentration required for resin regeneration is confirmed. The preset concentration is less than a concentration of the saturated brine. The application can solve the problem of low salt utilization rate of the existing water softener with a single salt cavity structure.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of kitchen appliance technology, and more particularly to a water softener, control method, and household appliance. Background Technology

[0002] In related technologies, household appliances that require water softening, such as washing machines and dishwashers, are generally equipped with water softeners. A water softener typically includes a brine chamber and a resin chamber. The resin in the resin chamber adsorbs calcium and magnesium ions from the water to achieve softening. After a period of use, the resin in the resin chamber loses its ion exchange capacity, requiring ion exchange regeneration. This regeneration is achieved by immersing the resin in a high-concentration brine solution within the brine chamber.

[0003] Currently, most water softeners use a single salt chamber structure. When clean water is introduced into the salt chamber to dissolve solid salt and form a high-concentration brine, a saturated brine with a concentration as high as 26% is usually formed directly. However, in the industry, a brine concentration of 5% is sufficient to meet the requirements for resin regeneration. Obviously, a 26% saturated brine is far higher than the minimum effective concentration of 5% required for resin regeneration. This results in low salt utilization and frequent salt replenishment of the water softener. Moreover, when the salt in the salt chamber is about to be exhausted, the brine concentration will drop sharply, which will affect the softening effect. Summary of the Invention

[0004] This application provides a water softener, a control method, and a household appliance to solve the problems of low salt utilization and frequent salt replenishment required in existing single-salt-chamber water softeners.

[0005] This application provides a water softener, including a brine chamber and a resin chamber. The brine chamber includes a water intake chamber and a water replenishment chamber. The water intake chamber is provided with a water intake port that communicates with the resin chamber. The water replenishment chamber is used to form saturated brine. A one-way valve that only flows in a first direction is provided between the water replenishment chamber and the water intake chamber. The first direction is the direction from the water replenishment chamber to the water intake chamber. The water replenishment chamber is connected to the water intake chamber through a diaphragm pump. The diaphragm pump is used to realize the liquid circulation in the water intake chamber and the water replenishment chamber. The water intake chamber is equipped with a first weight sensor connected to a controller. The controller is configured to receive the weight of the brine before and after adding salt to the water intake chamber detected by the first weight sensor, and to calculate the first brine concentration of the water intake chamber based on the weight of the brine before and after adding salt to the water intake chamber, so as to confirm whether the first brine concentration is less than the preset concentration required for resin regeneration, wherein the preset concentration is less than the concentration of saturated brine.

[0006] Compared to existing technologies, the brine chamber of the water softener in this application embodiment has a dual-chamber structure, which includes a water intake chamber and a water replenishment chamber. Salt is added to the water replenishment chamber to form saturated brine, and then the brine in the water replenishment chamber is transported to the water intake chamber by a diaphragm pump. This allows the brine concentration in the water intake chamber to reach the lower concentration required for resin regeneration, thereby enabling the saturated brine in the water replenishment chamber to be gradually consumed, instead of directly regenerating the resin with 26% saturated brine. This effectively improves the salt utilization rate and reduces the number of times salt needs to be replenished.

[0007] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the weight of the brine before and after adding salt to the water intake chamber is detected by the first weight sensor, and the first brine concentration of the water intake chamber is calculated based on the weight of the brine before and after adding salt to the water intake chamber. This allows it to confirm whether the first brine concentration is less than the preset concentration required for resin regeneration, thereby accurately replenishing the brine concentration in the water intake chamber and avoiding affecting the resin regeneration effect due to insufficient brine concentration.

[0008] In some embodiments, a second weight sensor connected to the controller is provided in the water replenishment chamber. The controller is configured to receive the weight of the brine in the water replenishment chamber before and after resin regeneration detected by the second weight sensor, and calculate the total amount of salt used based on the weight of the brine in the water replenishment chamber before and after resin regeneration, so as to confirm whether the total amount of salt used is less than the amount of salt added in a single operation.

[0009] Therefore, the total amount of salt used can be calculated after resin regeneration. When the total amount of salt used is equal to or greater than the amount of salt added in a single cycle, it indicates that the salt in the water replenishment chamber has been consumed or is almost completely consumed and is insufficient for the next resin regeneration. This allows the system to promptly remind the user to add salt in time.

[0010] In some embodiments, the water intake chamber is provided with a brine concentration sensor connected to the controller, and the controller is further configured to receive a second brine concentration of the brine in the water intake chamber detected by the brine concentration sensor, and to confirm whether the second brine concentration is less than the minimum concentration required for resin regeneration, wherein the preset concentration is greater than the minimum concentration.

[0011] Therefore, the brine concentration sensor detects the second brine concentration in the water intake chamber and compares it with the minimum concentration required for resin regeneration. When the first brine concentration is lower than the preset concentration, the minimum concentration for resin regeneration has not yet been reached, so the brine in the water intake chamber can still perform a relatively extreme degree of resin regeneration. This continues until the second brine concentration falls below the minimum concentration, indicating that the brine in the water intake chamber is insufficient for resin regeneration, thus prompting the user to add salt. This brine concentration sensor design maximizes salt utilization.

[0012] In some embodiments, the water intake chamber is provided with a water inlet located below the water intake port. The water inlet is connected to a water source through a three-way valve. The three-way valve is also connected to the resin chamber, and the resin chamber and the water inlet are selectively connected to the water source.

[0013] Therefore, water can be replenished into the water intake chamber through the water inlet, and the flow of water into the water intake chamber or resin chamber can be controlled by the three-way valve.

[0014] In some embodiments, an inlet valve and a flow meter are provided between the three-way valve and the water source.

[0015] Therefore, the water inlet is controlled by the inlet valve, and the water flow is statistically analyzed by the flow meter to accurately control the water inlet.

[0016] In some embodiments, the water replenishment chamber is provided with a salt inlet. Salt is added and replenished through the salt inlet, ensuring the salt chamber meets the requirements for resin regeneration.

[0017] This application embodiment also provides a control method for the above-mentioned water softener, the control method comprising: Obtain the weight m1 of the water inside the water intake chamber after the first water intake; After issuing a prompt to add salt to the water replenishment chamber, obtain the weight m2 of the first brine in the water intake chamber before adding salt; When salt addition is completed and a resin regeneration instruction is received again, the diaphragm pump is run for a first preset time, and the weight m3 of the second brine in the water intake chamber is detected. The first salt concentration of the salt in the water intake chamber is obtained based on the weight m1, the weight m2 of the first brine intake, and the weight m3 of the second brine intake. The first salt concentration = [(m3-m2)+(m2-m1)] / m3; When the concentration of the first brine is greater than or equal to the preset concentration, the diaphragm pump is stopped and the resin is regenerated again.

[0018] Therefore, the concentration of the first brine is calculated by measuring the weights of the above-mentioned samples, and the concentration of the first brine is compared with the preset concentration to determine whether the concentration of the brine in the water intake chamber meets the requirements for resin regeneration. The preset concentration is lower than the concentration of saturated brine, so the saturated brine in the water replenishment chamber can be used and consumed multiple times, improving the salt utilization rate and reducing the number of times salt needs to be replenished.

[0019] In some embodiments, it also includes: When the first saline concentration is less than the preset concentration, the diaphragm pump continues to run for a second preset time, and the weight m3 of the second saline is obtained in real time. The first saline concentration of the saline in the water intake chamber is calculated in real time based on the weight m3 of the second saline obtained in real time. The second preset time is greater than the first preset time. When the first brine concentration, calculated in real time, is greater than or equal to the preset concentration, resin regeneration is performed again; When the first brine concentration calculated in real time is less than the preset concentration, the second brine concentration of the brine in the water intake chamber detected by the brine concentration sensor is obtained, and when the second brine concentration is less than the minimum concentration required for resin regeneration, the user is prompted to add salt.

[0020] Therefore, when the initial saline concentration is lower than the preset concentration, the diaphragm pump continues to operate, and saline from the replenishment chamber will continuously enter the intake chamber. This means that the final initial saline concentration in the intake chamber may be greater than or equal to the preset concentration, at which point resin regeneration can be performed. Conversely, if the real-time initial saline concentration is consistently lower than the preset concentration, the second saline concentration in the intake chamber, detected by a saline concentration sensor, is used to determine if it is lower than the minimum concentration required for resin regeneration. If it is greater than or equal to the preset concentration, resin regeneration can still be performed; if it is less, the user is prompted to add salt. This solution maximizes the utilization of salt in both the replenishment and intake chambers, achieving maximum salt utilization.

[0021] In some embodiments, it also includes: The weights of the first replenishment salt water in the replenishment chamber before adding salt (M1), the second replenishment salt water in the replenishment chamber after adding salt (M2), the third replenishment salt water in the replenishment chamber after the resin regeneration is completed (M3), and the third extraction salt water in the extraction chamber after the resin regeneration is completed (m4) are obtained. Calculate the total salt usage D1 and the amount of salt added in a single application based on the weights of the first replenishing saline solution M1, the second replenishing saline solution M2, the third replenishing saline solution M3, the third taking saline solution m4, and the first taking saline solution m2, where D = M2 - M1, and D1 = (M2 + m2) - (M3 + m4). When D1 equals D, prompt the user to add salt.

[0022] Therefore, by using the weights of the various salt solutions and the water, the total salt usage D1 and the amount of salt added in a single instance D are calculated. By comparing the total salt usage D1 and the amount of salt added in a single instance D, it is determined whether salt needs to be added, thus further improving the accuracy of salt addition detection.

[0023] In some embodiments, it also includes: Before the first resin regeneration, salt is added to the water replenishment chamber to form a saturated brine, and water is introduced into the water intake chamber with the brine concentration in the water intake chamber being zero. After receiving the resin regeneration instruction for the first time, the diaphragm pump is run for a first preset time, and the weight of the first brine in the water intake chamber at this time, m4, is obtained. The concentration of the first brine in the water intake chamber is calculated based on m4 and m1, and the concentration of the first brine is (m4-m1) / m4. When the initial brine concentration is greater than or equal to the preset concentration, the diaphragm pump is stopped and the first resin regeneration is performed.

[0024] Therefore, through the above control logic, the brine in the water intake chamber can be replenished before the first resin regeneration, so that the first resin regeneration can proceed smoothly.

[0025] This application also provides a household appliance, including the aforementioned water softener. This household appliance can be a dishwasher, washing machine, or other washing appliance. Attached Figure Description

[0026] The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and form part of this specification, illustrate embodiments consistent with this application and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of this application.

[0027] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, for those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0028] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the water softener described in the embodiments of this application; Figure 2 This is a first flowchart of the control method for the water softener described in the embodiments of this application; Figure 3 This is a second flowchart of the control method for the water softener described in the embodiments of this application.

[0029] in: 1. Salt chamber; 11. Water intake chamber; 111. Water intake port; 112. Water inlet; 113. First weight sensor; 114. Salt concentration sensor; 12. Water replenishment chamber; 121. Second weight sensor; 122. Salt inlet; 13. Check valve; 14. Diaphragm pump; 2. Resin chamber; 3. Three-way valve; 4. Water inlet valve; 5. Flow meter; 6. Water source; 10. Washing chamber. Detailed Implementation

[0030] To better understand the above-mentioned objectives, features, and advantages of this application, the solution of this application will be further described below. It should be noted that, unless otherwise specified, the embodiments and features described in these embodiments can be combined with each other.

[0031] Many specific details are set forth in the following description in order to provide a full understanding of this application, but this application may also be implemented in other ways different from those described herein; obviously, the embodiments in the specification are only some embodiments of this application, and not all embodiments.

[0032] In related technologies, water softeners mostly adopt a single salt chamber structure. When clean water is introduced into the salt chamber to dissolve solid salt and form a high-concentration brine, a saturated brine with a concentration as high as 26% is usually formed directly. However, in the industry, a brine concentration of 5% is sufficient to meet the requirements for resin regeneration. Obviously, a 26% saturated brine is far higher than the minimum effective concentration of 5% required for resin regeneration. This leads to problems such as low salt utilization rate and the need for frequent salt replenishment in water softeners. Moreover, when the salt in the salt chamber is about to be exhausted, the brine concentration will drop sharply, which will affect the softening effect.

[0033] To address the aforementioned technical problems, embodiments of this application provide a water softener, such as... Figure 1 As shown, Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the principle of the water softener described in this application embodiment. The water softener includes a brine chamber 1, a resin chamber 2, a three-way valve 3, an inlet valve 4, and a flow meter 5. A water source 6 is connected to the three-way valve 3, and the inlet valve 4 and flow meter 5 are located between the three-way valve 3 and the water source 6. The inlet valve 4 controls the flow of water into the water source 6, and the flow meter 5 detects the flow rate. The three-way valve 3 selectively connects to either the brine chamber 1 or the resin chamber 2. During normal use of the household appliance, the three-way valve 3 connects to the resin chamber 2. Water from the water source 6 passes sequentially through the inlet valve 4, flow meter 5, three-way valve 3, and resin chamber 2, where it is softened by the resin and flows into the washing chamber 10 of the household appliance for washing. When the resin in the resin chamber 2 needs regeneration, the three-way valve 3 connects to the brine chamber 1. Water from the water source 6 passes sequentially through the inlet valve 4, flow meter 5, and three-way valve 3 into the brine chamber 1, where brine is formed and finally enters the resin chamber 2 for resin regeneration. It's important to note that resin regeneration refers to the process where, over time, sodium ions on the resin are gradually replaced by calcium and magnesium ions, leading to a decrease in the resin's softening capacity. In this case, resin regeneration is necessary. The regeneration process typically involves rinsing the resin with a high-concentration brine solution. During this process, the high concentration of sodium ions replaces the calcium and magnesium ions on the resin again, restoring its water-softening ability.

[0034] In this embodiment, the aforementioned household appliance can be a dishwasher, washing machine, or other washing equipment. By softening the water before washing, it effectively prevents the formation of limescale.

[0035] like Figure 1 As shown in the embodiment of this application, the salt chamber 1 includes a water intake chamber 11 and a water replenishment chamber 12. The water intake chamber 11 is provided with a water intake port 111 that connects to the resin chamber 2 and a water inlet 112 that connects to the three-way valve 3. Water can flow to the water intake chamber 11 through the water inlet 112, and brine can flow to the resin chamber 2 through the water intake port 111. The water replenishment chamber 12 is used to form saturated brine, and a one-way valve 13 that only flows in a first direction is provided between the water replenishment chamber 12 and the water intake chamber 11. The first direction is the direction from the water replenishment chamber 12 to the water intake chamber 11. The water replenishment chamber 12 is connected to the water intake chamber 11 through a diaphragm pump 14. The diaphragm pump 14 can realize the circulation of liquid in the water intake chamber 11 and the water replenishment chamber 12. Specifically, when the diaphragm pump 14 is started, the diaphragm pump 14 draws liquid (water or brine) from the water intake chamber 11 to the water replenishment chamber 12. The brine in the water replenishment chamber 12 flows to the water intake chamber 11 through the one-way valve 13 and forms a low-concentration brine required for resin regeneration in the water intake chamber 11. It can be understood that when the diaphragm pump 14 is running, the volume of brine in the water intake chamber 11 and the water replenishment chamber 12 remains unchanged, only the brine concentration changes.

[0036] In addition, when the low-concentration brine in the water intake chamber 11 is used for resin regeneration, the water from the water source 6 enters the water intake chamber 11 sequentially through the inlet valve 4, the flow meter 5, and the three-way valve 3. At this time, the water pressure will transport the low-concentration brine in the water intake chamber 11 to the resin chamber 2 to regenerate the resin in the resin chamber 2. When the regeneration is finished, the inlet valve 4 is closed. At this time, the volume of the brine in the water intake chamber 11 remains unchanged, but the concentration decreases. Before the resin regeneration is carried out again, the brine in the water replenishment chamber 12 is transported to the water intake chamber 11 through the diaphragm pump 14 to form the low-concentration brine required for the next resin regeneration.

[0037] Compared to existing technologies, the brine chamber 1 of the water softener in this embodiment has a dual-chamber structure, including a water intake chamber 11 and a water replenishment chamber 12. Salt is added to the water replenishment chamber 12 to form saturated brine. Then, a diaphragm pump 14 draws the liquid with a lower brine concentration from the water intake chamber 11 to the water replenishment chamber 12, while the liquid with a higher brine concentration from the water replenishment chamber 12 is transported to the water intake chamber 11. This ensures that the brine concentration in the water intake chamber 11 reaches the lower concentration required for resin regeneration, thereby allowing the saturated brine in the water replenishment chamber 12 to be gradually consumed, instead of directly regenerating the resin with 26% saturated brine. This effectively improves salt utilization and reduces the number of times salt needs to be replenished.

[0038] In addition, such as Figure 1As shown, the water intake chamber 11 is equipped with a first weight sensor 113 connected to a controller (not shown in the figure). The controller is configured to receive the weight of the brine before and after adding salt to the water intake chamber 11 detected by the first weight sensor 113, and calculate the first brine concentration of the water intake chamber 11 based on the weight of the brine before and after adding salt to the water intake chamber 11, so as to confirm whether the first brine concentration is less than the preset concentration required for resin regeneration. The preset concentration is less than the concentration of saturated brine.

[0039] In other words, by detecting the weight of the brine before and after adding salt in the water intake chamber 11 using the first weight sensor 113, the first brine concentration can be calculated. By comparing the first brine concentration with a preset concentration, it can be confirmed whether the brine in the current water intake chamber 11 is suitable for resin regeneration. In this embodiment, adding salt refers to adding salt to the water replenishment chamber 12 when the brine concentration is insufficient for resin regeneration, in order to form a brine concentration that meets the requirements for resin regeneration.

[0040] For example, after a prompt to add salt to the water replenishment chamber is issued, salt needs to be added to the water replenishment chamber 12. At this time, the value of the first saline concentration is obtained by the following formula: First saline concentration = [(m3-m2) + (m2-m1)] / m3. Where: m1 is the weight of the water inside the water intake chamber 11 after the first water intake, m2 is the weight of the first saline in the water intake chamber 11 before adding salt to the water replenishment chamber 12, and m3 is the weight of the second saline in the water intake chamber 11 after the diaphragm pump 14 has run for a first preset time (e.g., 3 seconds) when the salt addition is completed and the resin regeneration instruction is received again. Since the liquid volume in the water intake chamber 11 remains constant, the weight of the salt in the water intake chamber 11 before adding salt to the water replenishment chamber 12 can be obtained by subtracting m2 from m1. The weight of the salt in the water intake chamber 11 after the diaphragm pump 14 has been running for a period of time can be obtained by subtracting m3 from m2. The total weight of the salt in the water intake chamber 11 can be obtained by summing the two values. Then, the first salt concentration of the salt in the water intake chamber 11 can be obtained by the ratio of the total weight of the salt to the weight of the second brine m3.

[0041] After calculating the first saline concentration, the first saline concentration is compared with a preset concentration. In this embodiment, the preset concentration can be 10%. When the first saline concentration is greater than or equal to the preset concentration, it indicates that the saline in the water intake chamber 11 is suitable for resin regeneration, and resin regeneration can then be performed. When the first saline concentration is less than the preset concentration, subsequent operations are required (such as adding salt or further controlling the diaphragm pump 14 to continuously deliver the saline in the water replenishment chamber 12 to the water intake chamber 11).

[0042] The controller mentioned above can be a control board for household appliances or a control board separately installed in a water softener.

[0043] In the embodiments of this application, such as Figure 1As shown, the water intake chamber 11 is equipped with a brine concentration sensor 114 connected to the controller. This brine concentration sensor 114 is used to detect the second brine concentration in the water intake chamber 11. By comparing the second brine concentration with the minimum concentration required for resin regeneration, it is determined whether the brine in the water intake chamber 11 can continue to be used for resin regeneration. If the second brine concentration is greater than or equal to the minimum concentration required for resin regeneration (5%), then it can be used for resin regeneration. If the second brine concentration is less than the minimum concentration required for resin regeneration, then resin regeneration cannot be performed. This also indicates that the brine concentration in the water replenishment chamber 12 is also insufficient for resin regeneration, and salt needs to be added.

[0044] Furthermore, it should be noted that the aforementioned brine concentration sensor 114 can be used in conjunction with the first weight sensor 113. That is, after the first brine concentration is indirectly calculated via the first weight sensor 113, if the first brine concentration is less than a preset concentration, the diaphragm pump 14 is controlled to continuously deliver brine from the water replenishment chamber 12 to the water intake chamber 11 for a second preset time. If, after the second preset time, the recalculated first brine concentration is still less than the preset concentration (10%), the second brine concentration is directly obtained via the brine concentration sensor 114, and it is confirmed whether the second brine concentration is less than the minimum concentration (5%) required for resin regeneration. If it is less, the user is prompted to add salt; if it is greater than or equal to the minimum concentration, resin regeneration can proceed. By having the brine concentration sensor 114 work in conjunction with the first weight sensor 113, the maximum utilization of salt can be achieved, further improving salt utilization efficiency.

[0045] In some embodiments, the water softener of this application may further include a second weight sensor 121, which is disposed in the water replenishment chamber 12 and connected to the controller. The second weight sensor 121 can detect the weight of the brine in the water replenishment chamber 12 before and after resin regeneration. The controller can calculate the total salt usage based on the weight of the brine in the water replenishment chamber 12 before and after resin regeneration and determine whether the total salt usage is less than the amount of salt added in a single cycle. When the detected total salt usage is less than the amount of salt added in a single cycle, it indicates that the brine in the water replenishment chamber 12 can still be used for resin regeneration. When the detected total salt usage is greater than or equal to the amount of salt added in a single cycle, it indicates that the salt in the brine in the water replenishment chamber 12 has been or is almost completely consumed and is insufficient for the next resin regeneration. In this case, the user needs to be prompted to add salt.

[0046] For example, the total salt usage D1 and the amount of salt added in a single instance D are obtained using the following formulas: D = M2 - M1, D1 = (M2 + m2) - (M3 + m4). Where M1 is the weight of the first replenishment brine in the replenishment chamber 12 before adding salt, M2 is the weight of the second replenishment brine in the replenishment chamber 12 after adding salt, M3 is the weight of the third replenishment brine in the replenishment chamber 12 after the resin regeneration process, m2 is the weight of the first intake brine in the intake chamber 11 before adding salt to the replenishment chamber 12, and m4 is the weight of the third intake brine in the intake chamber 11 after the resin regeneration process. Since the volume of brine in the intake chamber 11 and the replenishment chamber 12 remains constant, the amount of salt added in a single instance D can be obtained by subtracting M2 from M1. The total weight of the brine in the water supply chamber 12 and water intake chamber 11 after adding salt to the water supply chamber 12 (at this point, the weight of the brine in the water intake chamber 11 is m2) is obtained by adding m2. The total weight of the brine in the water supply chamber 12 and water intake chamber 11 after consuming a certain amount of salt during the next resin regeneration is obtained by adding m2 and m4. The difference between the two total brine weights gives the amount of salt consumed, which is the total amount of salt used, D1. When D1 ≥ D, it means that the salt in the brine in the water supply chamber 12 has been or is almost completely consumed and is insufficient for the next resin regeneration. In this case, the user needs to be prompted to add salt. When D1 < D, it means that the brine in the water supply chamber 12 can still be used for resin regeneration.

[0047] In this embodiment, the water replenishment chamber 12 is provided with a salt inlet 122. Specifically, the salt inlet 122 can be located at the top of the water replenishment chamber 12 for adding salt into the water replenishment chamber 12. It is understood that the salting operation can be done manually or automatically.

[0048] In the embodiments of this application, a control method for the above-mentioned water softener is also provided, such as... Figure 2 As shown, the control method is as follows: S1. Obtain the weight m1 of the water inside the water intake chamber 11 after the first water intake.

[0049] This step can be obtained after the first water intake of water chamber 11, or it can be obtained directly before leaving the factory. This value will not change after leaving the factory.

[0050] S2. After issuing a prompt to add salt to the water replenishment chamber 12, obtain the weight m2 of the first brine in the water intake chamber 11 before adding salt.

[0051] That is, after prompting the user to add salt, first obtain the weight m2 of the first brine sample taken from the water intake chamber 11 before adding salt. The determination of prompting the user to add salt can be referred to the above content.

[0052] S3. When the salt addition is completed and the resin regeneration instruction is received again, the diaphragm pump 14 is run for a first preset time, and the weight m3 of the second brine in the water intake chamber 11 is detected.

[0053] In this step, the first preset time can be 3 seconds.

[0054] S4. Based on the weight m1, the weight m2 of the first brine sample, and the weight m3 of the second brine sample, obtain the first brine concentration in the water intake chamber 11. The first brine concentration = [(m3-m2) + (m2-m1)] / m3.

[0055] S5. When the first brine concentration is greater than or equal to the preset concentration, stop the diaphragm pump 14 and regenerate the resin again.

[0056] Through the above steps S1-S5, the concentration of the first brine is calculated by measuring the weights of each sample. Based on the comparison between the first brine concentration and the preset concentration, it is determined whether the brine concentration in the water intake chamber 11 meets the resin regeneration requirements. The preset concentration is lower than the concentration of saturated brine, thus enabling multiple uses and consumption of saturated brine in the water replenishment chamber 12, improving salt utilization and reducing the number of times salt needs to be replenished.

[0057] In some embodiments, such as Figure 3 As shown, the above control method also includes further control logic: S6. When the first brine concentration is less than the preset concentration, the diaphragm pump 14 continues to run for a second preset time, and the weight m3 of the second brine is obtained in real time. The first brine concentration of the brine in the water intake chamber 11 is calculated in real time based on the weight m3 of the second brine obtained in real time. The second preset time is greater than the first preset time.

[0058] In other words, when the first brine concentration is less than the preset concentration, the brine concentration in the water intake chamber 11 may still be greater than the minimum concentration required for resin regeneration, and it can still be used for resin regeneration. Therefore, the diaphragm pump 14 can be further controlled to run continuously for a second preset time, which is greater than the first preset time (3 seconds), for example, the second preset time can be 2 minutes. After running for the second preset time, the first brine concentration is calculated again.

[0059] S7. When the concentration of the first brine calculated in real time is greater than or equal to the preset concentration, the resin is regenerated again.

[0060] In other words, when the first brine concentration calculated in real time is greater than or equal to the preset concentration, it means that the diaphragm pump 14 can be continuously operated for the second preset time to continuously deliver the brine in the water replenishment chamber 12 to the water intake chamber 11, and make the brine concentration in the water intake chamber 11 meet the preset concentration requirements for resin regeneration. At this time, resin regeneration can be performed again.

[0061] S8. When the first brine concentration calculated in real time is less than the preset concentration, the second brine concentration of the brine in the water intake chamber 11 detected by the brine concentration sensor 114 is obtained, and when the second brine concentration is less than the minimum concentration required for resin regeneration, the user is prompted to add salt.

[0062] When the real-time calculated first saline concentration is less than the preset concentration, there are two possibilities: One is that the real-time calculated first saline concentration is greater than or equal to the minimum concentration for resin regeneration, in which case resin regeneration can still be performed once. The other is that the real-time calculated first saline concentration is less than the minimum concentration for resin regeneration, indicating that the saline concentration in the water replenishment chamber 12 is also insufficient to meet the resin regeneration requirements, thus requiring the user to be prompted to add salt.

[0063] In some embodiments, the user can be prompted whether salt needs to be added by comparing the total amount of salt used with the amount of salt added in a single instance. Specifically, the control method for the water softener also includes: The weights of the first replenishing salt water in the replenishing chamber 12 before adding salt (M1), the second replenishing salt water in the replenishing chamber 12 after adding salt (M2), the third replenishing salt water in the replenishing chamber 12 after the resin regeneration is completed (M3), and the third taking salt water in the taking chamber 11 after the resin regeneration is completed (m4) are obtained. Calculate the total salt usage D1 and the amount of salt added in a single application based on the weights of the first replenishing saline solution M1, the second replenishing saline solution M2, the third replenishing saline solution M3, the third taking saline solution m4, and the first taking saline solution m2, where D = M2 - M1, and D1 = (M2 + m2) - (M3 + m4). When D1 equals D, prompt the user to add salt.

[0064] By using the weights of the various salt solutions and the water, the total salt usage D1 and the amount of salt added in a single instance D are calculated. By comparing the total salt usage D1 and the amount of salt added in a single instance D, it is determined whether salt needs to be added, thus further improving the accuracy of salt addition detection.

[0065] In some embodiments, the control method for the water softener further includes control logic during the initial resin regeneration, specifically, the control method further includes: Before the first resin regeneration, salt is added to the water replenishment chamber 12 to form a saturated brine, and water is introduced into the water intake chamber 11, with the brine concentration in the water intake chamber 11 being zero.

[0066] In other words, before the first resin regeneration, water needs to be introduced into the water supply chamber 12 and the water intake chamber 11, and salt needs to be added to the water supply chamber 12 so that a saturated brine is formed after stirring. At this time, the water intake chamber 11 contains only water and no brine.

[0067] After receiving the resin regeneration instruction for the first time, the diaphragm pump 14 is run for a first preset time, and the weight m4 of the first brine in the water intake chamber 11 at this time is obtained. The initial brine concentration in the water intake chamber 11 is calculated based on m4 and m1, and the initial brine concentration is (m4-m1) / m4.

[0068] The diaphragm pump 14 runs for a first preset time, causing a low concentration of brine to form in the water intake chamber 11, and the concentration of the brine is calculated, which is the initial brine concentration.

[0069] When the initial brine concentration is greater than or equal to the preset concentration, the diaphragm pump 14 is stopped and the first resin regeneration is performed.

[0070] When the initial brine concentration is greater than or equal to the preset concentration, it indicates that the brine concentration in the water intake chamber 11 meets the requirements for resin regeneration. At this time, the diaphragm pump 14 is stopped to perform resin regeneration.

[0071] It should be noted that since this is the first time the resin is regenerated, the brine in the water replenishment chamber 12 is saturated brine. Therefore, after the diaphragm pump 14 has been running for the first preset time, the brine concentration will not be lower than the preset concentration for the first time.

[0072] This application also provides a household appliance, including the aforementioned water softener. This household appliance can be a dishwasher, washing machine, or other washing appliance.

[0073] It should be noted that the brief descriptions of terms in this application are only for the convenience of understanding the embodiments described below, and are not intended to limit the embodiments of this application. Unless otherwise stated, these terms should be understood in their ordinary and common meaning.

[0074] Furthermore, the terms "comprising" and "having," and any variations thereof, are intended to cover but not exclusively include, for example, a product or device that includes a series of components is not necessarily limited to those that are explicitly listed, but may include other components that are not explicitly listed or that are inherent to such product or device.

[0075] The terms "first," "second," etc., are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this application, unless otherwise stated, "multiple" means two or more. It should be noted in the description of this application that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "installed," "connected," and "linked" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can refer to the internal connection of two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application based on the specific circumstances.

[0076] The above description is merely a specific embodiment of this application, enabling those skilled in the art to understand or implement this application. Various modifications to these embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be implemented in other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of this application. Therefore, this application is not to be limited to the embodiments described herein, but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A water softener, characterized in that, The system includes a brine chamber and a resin chamber. The brine chamber includes a water intake chamber and a water replenishment chamber. The water intake chamber is provided with a water intake port that connects to the resin chamber. The water replenishment chamber is used to form saturated brine. A one-way valve that only allows flow in a first direction is provided between the water replenishment chamber and the water intake chamber. The first direction is the direction from the water replenishment chamber to the water intake chamber. The water replenishment chamber is connected to the water intake chamber through a diaphragm pump. The diaphragm pump is used to realize the liquid circulation in the water intake chamber and the water replenishment chamber. The water intake chamber is equipped with a first weight sensor connected to the controller. The controller is configured to receive the weight of the brine before and after adding salt to the water intake chamber detected by the first weight sensor, and calculate the first brine concentration of the water intake chamber based on the weight of the brine before and after adding salt to the water intake chamber, so as to confirm whether the first brine concentration is less than the preset concentration required for resin regeneration. The preset concentration is less than the concentration of saturated brine. The water replenishment chamber is equipped with a second weight sensor connected to the controller. The controller is configured to receive the weight of the brine in the water replenishment chamber before and after resin regeneration detected by the second weight sensor, and calculate the total amount of salt used based on the weight of the brine in the water replenishment chamber before and after resin regeneration, so as to confirm whether the total amount of salt used is less than the amount of salt added in a single time. The water intake chamber is equipped with a brine concentration sensor connected to the controller. The controller is also configured to receive the second brine concentration of the brine in the water intake chamber detected by the brine concentration sensor, and to confirm whether the second brine concentration is less than the minimum concentration required for resin regeneration. The preset concentration is greater than the minimum concentration.

2. The water softener according to claim 1, characterized in that, The water intake chamber is provided with a water inlet located below the water intake port. The water inlet is connected to a water source through a three-way valve. The three-way valve is also connected to the resin chamber. The resin chamber and the water inlet are selectively connected to the water source.

3. The water softener according to claim 2, characterized in that, An inlet valve and a flow meter are provided between the three-way valve and the water source.

4. A control method for a water softener according to any one of claims 1-3, characterized in that, The control method includes: Obtain the weight m1 of the water inside the water intake chamber after the first water intake; After issuing a prompt to add salt to the water replenishment chamber, obtain the weight m2 of the first brine in the water intake chamber before adding salt; When salt addition is completed and a resin regeneration instruction is received again, the diaphragm pump is run for a first preset time, and the weight m3 of the second brine in the water intake chamber is detected. The first salt concentration of the salt in the water intake chamber is obtained based on the weight m1, the weight m2 of the first brine intake, and the weight m3 of the second brine intake. The first salt concentration = [(m3-m2)+(m2-m1)] / m3; When the concentration of the first brine is greater than or equal to the preset concentration, the diaphragm pump is stopped and the resin is regenerated again.

5. The control method for a water softener according to claim 4, characterized in that, Also includes: When the first saline concentration is less than the preset concentration, the diaphragm pump continues to run for a second preset time, and the weight m3 of the second saline is obtained in real time. The first saline concentration of the saline in the water intake chamber is calculated in real time based on the weight m3 of the second saline obtained in real time. The second preset time is greater than the first preset time. When the first brine concentration, calculated in real time, is greater than or equal to the preset concentration, resin regeneration is performed again; When the first brine concentration calculated in real time is less than the preset concentration, the second brine concentration of the brine in the water intake chamber detected by the brine concentration sensor is obtained, and when the second brine concentration is less than the minimum concentration required for resin regeneration, the user is prompted to add salt.

6. The control method for a water softener according to claim 4, characterized in that, Also includes: The weights of the first replenishment salt water in the replenishment chamber before adding salt (M1), the second replenishment salt water in the replenishment chamber after adding salt (M2), the third replenishment salt water in the replenishment chamber after the resin regeneration is completed (M3), and the third extraction salt water in the extraction chamber after the resin regeneration is completed (m4) are obtained. Calculate the total salt usage D1 and the amount of salt added in a single application based on the weights of the first replenishing saline solution M1, the second replenishing saline solution M2, the third replenishing saline solution M3, the third taking saline solution m4, and the first taking saline solution m2, where D = M2 - M1, and D1 = (M2 + m2) - (M3 + m4). When D1 equals D, prompt the user to add salt.

7. The control method for a water softener according to claim 4, characterized in that, Also includes: Before the first resin regeneration, salt is added to the water replenishment chamber to form a saturated brine, and water is introduced into the water intake chamber with the brine concentration in the water intake chamber being zero. After receiving the resin regeneration instruction for the first time, the diaphragm pump is run for a first preset time, and the weight of the first brine in the water intake chamber at this time, m4, is obtained. The concentration of the first brine in the water intake chamber is calculated based on m4 and m1, and the concentration of the first brine is (m4-m1) / m4. When the initial brine concentration is greater than or equal to the preset concentration, the diaphragm pump is stopped and the first resin regeneration is performed.

8. A household appliance, characterized in that, Includes the water softener described in any one of claims 1-3.

Images