Water Softening Structure with Parallel Unit Groups for Continuous Supply
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing water softeners struggle to provide a ceaseless supply of soft water in regions with high water hardness, especially in small installations, due to frequent regeneration needs, low resin utilization rates, and limited flow rates.
Innovation Solution
A water softening structure comprising a first-stage and a second-stage water softening unit group connected in parallel, with a controller and switching apparatus to manage regeneration and flow distribution, allowing for continuous soft water supply and improved resin utilization.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a single tank or multi-tank series connection is used for water softening, then the device can perform resin regeneration, but it cannot provide a 24-hour ceaseless supply of soft water
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides water softening units into two independent groups (first-stage and second-stage) that can operate separately. Each group contains multiple water softening units that can be independently controlled, allowing one group to serve water while the other undergoes regeneration without interruption.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines multiple water softening units into two parallel groups, where each group can independently perform softening and regeneration functions. This merging of multiple units into functional groups enables continuous operation by switching between groups.
2Productivity
If double tank and multi-tank parallel connection is used to satisfy water softening requirement, then soft water can be supplied, but resin needs to be regenerated frequently resulting in low resin utilization rate and waste of regenerant and water resources
Solution Approach 1:
The system dynamically switches between different water softening units based on their regeneration status and performance. The switching apparatus dynamically reconfigures which units are in service and which are regenerating, optimizing resin utilization by keeping units in service as long as possible before regeneration is needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The system ensures continuous useful action by maintaining at least one group of water softening units in service at all times. While one group operates, the other undergoes regeneration, ensuring uninterrupted soft water supply and maximizing resin utilization before regeneration becomes necessary.
3Productivity
If double tank and multi-tank parallel connection is used, then soft water can be supplied, but the soft water flow rate is limited by the height of resin bed
Solution Approach 1:
The system segments the water softening function across multiple parallel units with shorter resin beds. By distributing the flow across multiple units rather than requiring a single tall resin bed, the system achieves higher total flow rates while maintaining effective softening capacity.
4Productivity
If a large-sized water softener is used to satisfy high flow rate demand in regions with high hardness water quality, then high flow rate soft water can be supplied, but the device becomes difficult to install in places with limited space
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses a compact modular design where multiple water softening units are arranged in a space-efficient configuration. The units can be nested or closely positioned, allowing the system to achieve high flow rates through parallel operation without requiring a large installation footprint.
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
The solution enables a 24-hour ceaseless supply of soft water, significantly increasing resin and regenerant utilization rates, reducing regeneration frequency, and minimizing water and energy consumption, while also reducing the device's size and operational costs.
Implementation Method 1
A water softener mainly uses ion exchange resin for ion exchange, where calcium and magnesium ions in water are adsorbed by the resin, thus reducing water hardness.
Implementation Method 2
After the ion exchange resin reaches saturated, the resin needs to undergo a regeneration process to restore its softening capacity. Generally, a certain concentration of sodium chloride solution is used for the resin regeneration.
Data Source
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AI summary
A water softening structure, which is used in a water softener, and comprises: a first-stage water softening unit group, which includes A water softening units connected in parallel, and the first-stage water softening unit group is connected in series to a second-stage water softening unit group, wherein A ≥ 1; the second-stage water softening unit group, which includes B water softening units connected in parallel, wherein B ≥ 1; a controller, which can disconnect, according to adsorption amounts of the water softening units, a certain water softening unit needing to be regenerated, connect in parallel a regenerated water softening unit to the second-stage water softening unit group, and at the same time, control to connect in parallel a certain water softening unit in the second-stage water softening unit group to the first-stage water softening unit group; and a switching apparatus, which is connected to each water softening unit, and can control, according to a controller instruction, each water softening unit to be connected in parallel to or be disconnected from a certain water softening unit group, wherein all the water softening units simultaneously run and are separately regenerated. The water softening structure can uninterruptedly supply water, and can significantly improve the utilization rates of resin and a regenerant, so as to significantly reduce the regeneration frequency of a device, thereby saving on operation costs.