Water Softening Assembly Conductivity-Based Hardness Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing water softening systems lack precision in controlling blended water hardness and optimizing ion exchange material capacity, leading to inefficiencies and inaccuracies in regeneration and blending processes.
Innovation Solution
The method involves determining the total hardness of raw and softened water using conductivity sensors and calibration characteristics, allowing for precise control of the blending device and regeneration of the ion exchange material, ensuring the blended water hardness reaches a specified target value by adjusting partial flows based on the conductivity difference between raw and softened water.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the water quality of softened water is not determined and it is assumed that hardness is always 0°dH, then the control system is simple, but the blended water hardness control becomes inaccurate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a feedback mechanism by measuring the actual conductivity of softened water and using it to calculate total hardness. This measured value feeds back to the control system to adjust the blending ratio, ensuring accurate blended water hardness control while maintaining reasonable system complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces complex mechanical hardness measurement systems with electrical conductivity measurement. By using conductivity sensors and calibration characteristics to determine total hardness, the system achieves accurate hardness control through simpler electrical measurements rather than complex mechanical or chemical analysis.
2Ease of operation
If regeneration is triggered based on assumed complete softening (0°dH), then the regeneration timing is simple to determine, but the ion exchange material capacity is not optimally utilized
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses feedback from conductivity measurements to determine the actual softening performance. By continuously monitoring softened water conductivity and calculating total hardness, the system can accurately determine when the ion exchange material is truly exhausted, optimizing regeneration timing and maximizing material capacity utilization.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces simple assumed hardness values with conductivity-based hardness determination. This electrical measurement approach provides accurate real-time information about softening performance, enabling optimal regeneration timing decisions that maximize ion exchange material productivity.
3Ease of manufacture
If previous regeneration is unsatisfactory due to insufficient regenerant concentration or exposure time, then the regeneration process is simple to execute, but the actual capacity of ion exchange resin drops and regeneration triggering becomes incorrect
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements feedback control by measuring softened water conductivity after regeneration and using this information to assess regeneration quality. If the conductivity indicates insufficient softening performance, the system can adjust regenerant concentration, exposure time, or flow rate to ensure complete regeneration, thereby maintaining reliable ion exchange resin capacity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses electrical conductivity measurement to monitor and control regeneration effectiveness. This electrical-based monitoring system provides reliable feedback on resin capacity status, enabling precise control of regeneration parameters to maintain consistent ion exchange performance.
4Measurement precision
If multiple conductivity sensors are arranged in raw water area, pure water area, and ion exchange bed, then the measurement data is comprehensive, but the device structure becomes complex and expensive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential measurement points needed for control - conductivity sensors in the raw water area and softened water area. By eliminating the sensor in the ion exchange bed and using calculated values for other parameters, the system maintains measurement precision while reducing device complexity and cost.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses conductivity as an intermediary parameter to determine total hardness through calibration characteristics. This electrical measurement serves as a mediator that provides comprehensive water quality information without requiring direct measurement of all water quality parameters, simplifying the sensor arrangement.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach provides accurate control of blended water hardness and optimal utilization of ion exchange material capacity, preventing inefficiencies and inaccuracies in regeneration and blending processes.
Implementation Method 1
Determining the electrical conductivity LF raw of the raw water using the first conductivity sensor (11); Determination of a total hardness G LF,raw of the raw water from the electrical conductivity LF raw of the raw water with a first calibration characteristic (K raw) stored in the electronic control device (18)
Implementation Method 2
a water softening system (1) with a softening device (6) comprising an ion exchange material (5), in particular an ion exchange resin
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
AI summary
Operating a water softening system, comprises (i) determining electrical conductivity of raw water, (ii) determining total hardness of raw water from electric conductivity of raw water with first calibration curve deposited in electronic control device, (iii) determining electrical conductivity of softened water, (iv) determining total hardness of softened water from electric conductivity of softened water with second calibration curve deposited in electronic control device, and (v) controlling regeneration or signaling exhaustion of ion exchanger material and/or controlling blending device. Operating a water softening system comprising a water softening device with an ion exchange material, an automatically adjustable blending device for mixing a waste water flow from a first softened partial flow and a second raw water carrying partial flow, a first conductivity sensor in the raw water region, a second conductivity sensor in a region of the softened water, and an electronic control device, comprises (i) determining an electrical conductivity of the raw water using the first conductivity sensor, (ii) determining a total hardness of the raw water from the electric conductivity of the raw water with the first calibration curve stored in the electronic control device, (iii) determining the electrical conductivity of the softened water using the second conductivity sensor, (iv) determining a total hardness of the softened water from the electric conductivity of the softened water with the second calibration curve stored in the electronic control device, according to formula (X is equal to Y1(Y1/A-B1)x (A1-B1)), where X is the total hardness in the region of the softened water, derived from the measured conductivity in the region of the softened water with the help of the second calibration curve, Y1 is the total hardness of the raw water, derived from the measured conductivity of the raw water with the help the first calibration curve, A1 is the measured conductivity in the region of the softened water, B1 is the measured conductivity in the region of the raw water, and A is the conductivity in the region of the softened water with complete softening, and (v) automatically controlling the regeneration or automatically signaling the exhaustion of the ion exchanger material and/or automatically controlling the blending device depending on the determined total hardness of the softened water. An independent claim is also included for the water softening system for carrying out the above mentioned method, where the ion exchanger material is an ion exchange resin, and the electronic control device comprises a memory for storing the first calibration curve to determine the total hardness of the raw water and a second calibration curve to determine the total hardness of the softened water, and is designed to control the blending valve, depending on the determined total hardness of the softened water and/or to initiate the regeneration of the ion exchanger materials.