Granted Patent B2

US 8,231,791 · App. 12/687,279 · Granted Jul 31, 2012

Abstract

Claims (14)

1. A water softening system comprising: a first treatment tank filled with ion exchange resin having a first water capacity; a second treatment tank filled with ion exchange resin connected in parallel with said first treatment tank and having a second water capacity that is less than said first water capacity; at least one flow meter configured to determine a demand flow rate of water entering the system; and a controller in communication with said at least one flow meter, said controller configured to direct the water into said first treatment tank and to block flow into said second treatment tank when said demand flow rate is greater than a designated flow rate, and to direct the water into said second treatment tank and to block flow into said first treatment tank when said demand flow rate is equal to or less than said designated flow rate.

2. The water softening system of claim 1 , further comprising at least one additional treatment tank having a water capacity equal to said first treatment tank, wherein said controller is configured to direct the water into at least one of said first treatment tank and said additional treatment tank when said demand flow rate is greater than said designated flow rate.

3. The water softening system of claim 1 , further comprising at least one additional treatment tank having a water capacity equal to said first treatment tank, wherein said controller is configured to direct the water into said first treatment tank when said demand flow rate is greater than said designated flow rate and said additional treatment tank is in a regeneration mode, and to direct the water into said additional treatment tank when said demand flow rate is greater than said designated flow rate and said first treatment tank is in a regeneration mode.

4. The water softening system of claim 1 , wherein said designated flow rate is a maximum flow rate intended to flow through said second treatment tank.

5. A water softening system comprising: a plurality of first treatment tanks each filled with ion exchange resin, each having a first water capacity; a second treatment tank filled with ion exchange resin having a second water capacity that is less than said first water capacity; at least flow meter configured to determine a demand flow rate of water entering the system; and a controller in communication with said at least one flow meter, said controller configured to direct the water into one of said first treatment tanks and to block flow into said second treatment tank when said demand flow rate is greater than a first designated flow rate, to direct the water into said second treatment tank and to block flow into said first treatment tanks when said demand flow rate is equal to or less than said first designated flow rate and to direct the water into a plurality of said first treatment tanks and to block flow into said second treatment tank when said demand flow rate is greater than a second designated flow rate, wherein said second designated flow rate is greater than said first designated flow rate.

6. The water softening system of claim 5 , further comprising a first flow meter connected to said plurality of first treatment tanks and a second flow meter connected to said second treatment tank, wherein said controller is in communication with said first flow meter and said second flow meter and directs the water into at least one of said first treatment tanks when a flow rate determined by said first flow meter is greater than a demand flow rate and directs water into said second treatment tank when a flow rate determined by said second flow meter is less than said demand flow rate.

7. The water softening system of claim 5 , wherein said controller is configured to determine if any of said first treatment tanks are in a regeneration mode and direct the water into at least one of said first treatment tanks when said demand flow rate is greater than said designated flow rate and said at least one of said first treatment tanks is not in a regeneration mode.

8. The water softening system of claim 5 , wherein said designated flow rate is a maximum flow rate intended to flow through said second treatment tank.

9. The water softening system of claim 5 , wherein said first water flow rate capacities of at least two of said first treatment tanks are different.

10. The water softening system of claim 5 , wherein said controller is configured to determine a number of said first treatment tanks to turn “on” by dividing said demand flow rate by said second designated flow rate.

11. A method of controlling a water treatment system comprising: providing a first treatment tank filled with ion exchange resin having a first water capacity and a second treatment tank filled with ion exchange resin having a second water capacity that is less than said first water capacity; directing water into said first treatment tank and blocking flow into said second treatment tank when a flow rate of the water is greater than a designated flow rate; and directing the water into said second treatment tank and blocking flow into said first treatment tank when said demand flow rate is equal to or less than said designated flow rate.

12. The method of claim 11 , further providing at least one additional first treatment tank, each of said additional first treatment tanks having said first water capacity.

13. The method of claim 12 , which includes directing said water into at least one of said first treatment tanks when said flow rate of the water is greater than said designated flow rate and said at least one of said first treatment tanks is not in a regeneration mode.

14. The method of claim 11 , further providing at least one additional first treatment tank, each of said additional first treatment tanks having said first water capacity, wherein said first water capacities of at least two of said first treatment tanks are different.

Assignments (12)