IP Library Granted Patent US 9,346,689
Granted Patent B2
US 9,346,689 · App. 12/976,232 · Granted May 24, 2016

Method of water discharge management

Inventors: Jeffrey J. Hellenbrand (Prairie du Sac, WI); Edward T. Maas (Poynette, WI); Jill E. McDonald (Madison, WI); John P. Fetzer (Lake Mills, WI)
Assignee: Hellenbrand, Inc.
C02F1/42B01D24/383B01D24/46B01D24/4642B01D24/4853C02F1/001C02F1/006C02F1/008C02F1/66C02F5/00C02F2001/425C02F2209/055C02F2303/16Y02W10/37Y10T137/86493
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 9,346,689
App. No.
12/976,232
Granted
May 24, 2016
Kind
B2
Abstract

A method of water discharge management in a water processing system is provided. The method includes providing a supply of a first solution, providing a supply of a second solution, and selectively supplying the first solution to a water processing system and the second solution to the water processing system. The method further includes controllably and selectively directing discharge water formed in the water processing system through a first multi-way valve to a waste outlet during a period in which the discharge water satisfies a first selected criteria, and to a second multi-way valve during a period in which the discharge water satisfies a second selected criteria. The method also includes controllably and selectively directing the discharge water through the second multi-way valve to a first storage container connected to the second multi-way valve during a period in which the discharge water satisfies a third selected criteria, and to a third multi-way valve during a period in which the discharge water satisfies a fourth selected criteria. In addition, the method includes controllably and selectively directing the discharge water through the third multi-way valve to a second storage container during a period in which the discharge water satisfies a fifth selected criteria, and the discharge water as a solution to the supply of first solution during a period in which the discharge water satisfies a sixth selected criteria.

Claims (32)

1. A method of water discharge management in a water processing system comprising:

providing a supply of a first solution;

providing a supply of a second solution;

selectively supplying the first solution to a water processing system and the second solution to the water processing system;

discharging a discharge water from the water processing system; and

implementing a reclamation protocol comprising:

controllably and selectively directing the discharge water from the water processing system directly through a first multi-way valve to a waste outlet during a period in which the discharge water satisfies a first selected criteria, and to a second multi-way valve during a period in which the discharge water satisfies a second selected criteria;

controllably and selectively directing the discharge water received from the first multi-way valve through the second multi-way valve to a first tube during a period in which the discharge water does not satisfy a third criteria, or to a second tube fluidly coupled to a regenerant solution storage container during a period in which the discharge water satisfies the third selected criteria; and

controllably and selectively directing the discharge water from the waste outlet through an external drain line, wherein the discharge water in the external drain line comprises non-recaptured turbid liquid waste;

wherein the first multi-way valve and the second multi-way valve are controlled by the water processing system which also controls and implements a regeneration cycle of the water processing system and the reclamation protocol;

wherein the second selected criteria and the third selected criteria are each selected from the group consisting of a concentration of soft water ions, a concentration of hard water ions, a ratio of soft water ions to hard water ions, turbidity of the discharged water, and clarity of the discharged water; and

wherein the second selected criteria and the third selected criteria are different selected criteria from the group.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first solution supply is a supply of a regenerant solution having soft water ions.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second solution supply is a supply of raw hard water having hard water ions.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the water processing system is selected from the group consisting of a water conditioning system, an ion exchange system, and a filtration system.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the water processing system is selected from the group consisting of a water conditioning unit, a cation exchange system, an anion exchange system, a water filtration system, pH filter, acid neutralizer, carbon filtration system, taste filter, odor filter, multi-media filter, ag filter, birm filter, iron filter, hydrogen sulfide filter, sand filter, and particulate filter.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising controllably and selectively directing the discharge water through the second multi-way valve to a grey water storage container during a period in which the discharge water satisfies a fourth selected criteria selected from the group consisting of a concentration of soft water ions, a concentration of hard water ions, a ratio of soft water ions to hard water ions, turbidity of the discharged water, and clarity of the discharged water, wherein the fourth selected criteria is different from the second selected criteria and the third selected criteria.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first selected criteria is selected from the group consisting of a concentration of soft water ions, a concentration of hard water ions, a ratio of soft water ions to hard water ions, turbidity of the discharged water, and clarity of the discharged water, and the first selected criteria is different from the second selected criteria and the third selected criteria.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the fourth selected criteria is selected from the group consisting of a low concentration of soft water ions and high concentration of hard water ions.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the third selected criteria is selected from a group consisting of a high concentration of soft water ions and a low concentration of hard water ions.

10. The method of claim 1 , wherein the supply of first solution is stopped while discharged water continues to exit the water processing system during a slow rinse phase.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the flow rate of second solution from the supply of second solution into the water processing system increases, repacking resin beads of the water processing system during a fast rinse phase, and recapturing the discharge water exiting the water processing system.

12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising using a valve controller executing the reclamation protocol to control the first and second multi-way valves and divert the discharge water through the system.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the valve controller uses a predetermined time period to execute the reclamation protocol.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the valve controller uses an optical controller to execute the reclamation protocol.

15. The method of claim 12 , wherein the valve controller senses current draw to execute the reclamation protocol.

16. The method of claim 12 , wherein the valve controller uses a characteristic of the discharge water to execute the reclamation protocol.

17. The method of claim 1 , wherein the water processing system comprises an ion exchange medium comprising a bed of resin beads.

18. The method of water discharge management of claim 1 , further comprising:

controllably and selectively directing the discharge water received from the first multi-way valve directly through the second multi-way valve to a waste water storage container connected to the second multi-way valve during a period in which the discharge water satisfies a fourth selected criteria, and to a third multi-way valve during a period in which the discharge water satisfies a fifth selected criteria;

wherein the third multi-way valve is controlled by the water processing system.

19. The method of claim 6 , wherein the discharge water in the grey water storage container is treated for subsequent use.

Assignments (5)
MERGER Recorded Feb 24, 2023
From: NEW AQUA, LLC
To: FRANKLIN ELECTRIC CO., INC.
Reel/Frame 062798/0762 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded May 18, 2021
From: FIRST MERCHANTS BANK
To: NEW AQUA, LLC
Reel/Frame 056276/0979 →
NUNC PRO TUNC ASSIGNMENT Recorded Aug 12, 2019
From: HELLENBRAND, INC.
To: NEW AQUA, LLC
Reel/Frame 050026/0453 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Mar 28, 2019
From: NEW AQUA, LLC
To: FIRST MERCHANTS BANK
Reel/Frame 048722/0732 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jan 26, 2011
From: HELLENBRAND, JEFFREY J; MAAS, EDWARD T; MCDONALD, JILL E; FETZER, JOHN P
To: HELLENBRAND, INC.
Reel/Frame 025698/0580 →
Continuity (2)
Provisional Application 61288978 · Dec 22, 2009
Related Publication 20110147315A1 · Jun 23, 2011