KR20110021269A - Automatic regeneration of water softener - Google Patents

Abstract

An automatic regeneration method of the water softener is provided. The automatic regeneration method of the water softener of the present invention includes the steps of (a) setting the automatic regeneration time on a timer electrically connected to the flow path switching valve, (b) calculating the accumulated flow rate of raw water flowing into the soft water tank; (c) determining whether the accumulated flow rate of the raw water is equal to or greater than the set reference accumulated flow rate and whether the buffered flow rate is equal to or greater than the set reference buffer flow rate, and the controller controls the automatic regeneration time according to the accumulated flow rate and the buffered flow rate. It is characterized in that it is possible to automatically enable the regeneration operation of the soft water tank.

Description

The Method for Regenerating Softener Automatically}

The present invention relates to a method for automatic regeneration of a softener, and more particularly, to set a scheduled time for regeneration of a soft water tank in a timer and calculate a raw water inflow into the soft water tank before a predetermined time based on the scheduled time for regeneration. The present invention relates to a method for automatically regenerating a water softener which can automatically proceed the regeneration process in the soft water tank by adjusting the time made.

Currently, water softeners installed in homes or offices have a basic function of chemically converting hard water ions contained in tap water into softened water.

In general, tap water (hard water) contains a large amount of chlorine used in the purification process, and also contains various heavy metals (ions) such as iron, zinc, lead, and mercury, which are harmful to humans due to deteriorated pipes and water pollution. . Such tap water is not fatal to the human body, but when used as it is when washing the skin, the metal ions contained in the water and the fatty acids of the soap combine to make metallic foreign substances. It causes skin diseases or accelerates aging of the skin.

Therefore, in order to prevent this, a water softener is developed to pass the tap water through the Na + type strong acid cation exchange resin to exchange the hardness components Ca2 + and Mg2 + with Na + in the resin to make soft water, which is mainly used for cleaning. .

The water softener has the principle of softening by replacing calcium ions and magnesium ions contained in hard water with sodium ions (Na +). For this purpose, a soft water container containing an ion exchange resin of a special high molecular compound containing sodium ions is an essential component. And a regeneration vessel containing ion exchange resin regenerators such as salt which, when dissolved in water, produces sodium ions.

That is, the water softener continuously generates tap water by contacting the ion exchange resin by continuously passing tap water into the soft water container in a state where a large number of fine ball-shaped ion exchange resins are stored in the soft water container. Since Na + is greatly reduced by continuous contact with tap water, salt water consisting of NaCl component is introduced into the soft water tank in order to preserve it.

Conventional water softeners generally include a soft water container including an ion resin for converting raw water supplied from the outside into soft water, and a salt-filled regeneration container for regenerating water for regenerating the ion resin when the ion resin is degraded. .

In the conventional water softener, when the ion exchange capacity of the water softener is lowered, raw water is introduced into the regeneration bin to produce regenerated water and the regeneration of the ion exchange resin is performed through the process of introducing the soft water into the softener. In the regeneration process, it is necessary to estimate the end of life of the ion exchange resin to manufacture regenerated water. However, it is difficult to predict the end of life, and when the water softener is operated, regeneration is impossible. In this regard, there is a need for a regeneration process at an appropriate time without using the training mode.

The present invention is to solve the above problems, by calculating the flow rate of the raw water into the soft water tank by a flow rate sensor in a predetermined time on the basis of the scheduled time of regeneration of the soft water tank in advance in the timer It is an object of the present invention to provide an automatic regeneration method of a water softener to determine whether a soft water tank can be regenerated and to automatically proceed with the regeneration process.

The automatic regeneration method of the water softener of the present invention provided to achieve the above object comprises the steps of (a) setting an automatic regeneration time on a timer electrically connected to the flow path switching valve, and (b) raw water flowing into the soft water tank. Calculating an integration flow rate of the control unit; and (c) determining whether the integration flow rate of the raw water is greater than or equal to the set reference integration flow rate and whether or not the buffer flow rate is greater than or equal to the set reference buffer flow rate. According to the buffer flow rate it is characterized in that it is possible to automatically enable the regeneration operation of the soft water tank at the automatic regeneration time.

After the step (b), it may further comprise the step of measuring the buffer flow rate of the raw water flowing into the soft water tank through the flow path switching valve from the buffer time based on the automatic regeneration time.

In the step (c), if the buffer flow rate is greater than or equal to the set reference buffer flow rate within the buffer time from the automatic play time, the automatic play time can be automatically reset to the same time the next day.

In the step (c), when the buffer flow rate is less than the reference buffer flow rate and the accumulation flow rate is more than the reference integration flow rate, a regeneration operation in the soft water tank may be performed.

In a state in which a flow rate sensor disposed on the raw water supply passage connecting the flow path switching valve and the soft water tank is electrically connected to the control unit, the control unit operates the flow path switching valve to change to the soft water mode and the regeneration mode. It can be done.

The automatic regeneration method of the water softener according to the present invention described above appropriately controls the amount of raw water inflow into the soft water tank, the buffer time before the automatic regeneration time, etc. in the process of regenerating the soft water tank according to the automatic regeneration time set by the user. The main effect is to make the regeneration work automatically in order to ensure the maximum performance of the water softener.

The above objects, features and other advantages of the present invention will become more apparent by describing the preferred embodiments of the present invention in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Hereinafter, an automatic regeneration method of a water softener according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 is a conceptual diagram illustrating a training system in which an automatic regeneration of a training tank is performed according to the automatic regeneration method of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a flowchart illustrating time-series characteristics according to the automatic regeneration method of the present invention.

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1, the overall structure of the water softener system in which the automatic regeneration method according to the present invention is performed is examined. The water softener system is a regeneration tank that receives raw water for regeneration through a regeneration flow path E and a flow path switching valve 30 which receives raw water through a raw water flow path A from the water supply port 1. (20), the soft water tank (10) receiving the raw water from the flow path switching valve (30) through the raw water supply passage (B), the flow rate sensor 40 disposed on the raw water supply passage (B), the flow rate sensor ( 40 is electrically connected to the control unit 50. The water softened in the soft water tank 10 is subjected to a process of being supplied to the shower device 2 through the soft water supply flow path (F).

The process of regeneration in the water softener system is as follows. If the inflow rate of the raw water calculated by the flow rate sensor 40 in the state of reaching the automatic regeneration time set in the timer 52 provided in the control unit 50 satisfies the reference value preset in the control unit 50, the control unit 50 By adjusting the flow path switching valve 30 to allow the raw water flows from the power outlet (1) to the regeneration tank (20). The demineralized water produced in the regeneration tank 20 is supplied to the soft water tank 10 through the regeneration water supply passage G to assist in regeneration of the ion exchange resin. The regeneration water containing the hardness component in the softening tank 10 is discharged to the drain 3 through the drain passage D through the softening passage C and the flow path switching valve 30.

1 and 2 will be described in detail with respect to the automatic regeneration method of the water softener according to the present invention.

First, power is supplied to the water softener system (S10). The user sets the automatic playback time, which is the time at which playback is to be made, in the timer 52 (S11). The automatic regeneration time is a time that can be arbitrarily determined by the user, avoiding a time zone in which a soft water system is mainly used, and can be set by designating an arbitrary time of day. For example, it may be possible to set at night time zones where availability is relatively low.

The controller 50 checks whether the raw water flows on the raw water supply passage B through the flow rate sensor 40 (S12), and when the inflow of raw water is not detected, supplying only the minimum power to the water softener system. Maintain a power saving mode (S13). If the inflow of raw water is detected in step S12, it is possible to cancel the power saving mode of the water softener system and supply appropriate power for driving the system (S14).

Thereafter, the controller 50, which receives the flow rate information of the raw water in real time from the flow rate sensor 40 disposed on the raw water supply passage B, accumulates the amount of raw water from the time of the initial soft water system operation or after the point of regeneration. The cumulative flow rate, which is the total flow rate of the raw water that has passed through the softening tank 10, is calculated to accumulate to predict the life of the ion exchange resin in the softening tank 10 (S15).

On the other hand, the controller 50 determines whether or not the automatic regeneration time set in the timer 52 has arrived at regular intervals during the operation of the water softener system (S18). In the present invention, since the user can use the training function before the automatic regeneration time, in this case, a time for the automatic regeneration is performed by checking the flow rate into the training tank 10 within the buffering time by providing a buffering time for determining the automatic regeneration. The process is necessary to decide whether to postpone. Here, the buffer time means a certain time before the automatic regeneration time, and to check the amount of raw water flowing into the soft water tank 10 during the buffer time is to determine the use state of the soft water before the regeneration operation It is meaningful in the present invention. In addition, the raw water inflow into the soft water tank 10 during the buffering time may be referred to as the buffer flow rate.

If the automatic regeneration time does not arrive at step S18, it is determined whether the automatic regeneration time is within the buffer time from the set automatic regeneration time (S21). For example, if the automatic playback time is set to AM 3:00, it is assumed that AM 2:00 to AM 3:00 are within the buffer time range.

If it is out of the buffer time range, go back to step S12, and if it is within the buffer time range, it is determined whether or not the buffer flow rate, which is the inflow into the soft water tank 10, is out of the standard buffer flow rate set in the controller 50 (S22). ).

If the buffer flow rate is out of the reference buffer flow set in the control unit 50 in step S22 can be seen that the excess water flows into the soft water tank 10 within the buffer time, so that the control unit 50 determines the automatic regeneration time Alternatively, it may be postponed at an arbitrary time (S23). Preferably, the postponing at the same time of the next day will be appropriate in consideration of the user's convenience. After step S23, the process moves back to step S12.

In step S15 and step S18 there is a step of performing a determination as to whether the automatic playback time is delayed (S16), if it is determined that the automatic playback time is postponed, it is again determined whether the delayed automatic playback time has arrived ( S17). That is, a determination is made as to whether the condition for releasing the deferred mode is completed in the state in which the automatic regeneration time is postponed due to the excessive buffer flow rate.

In the step S17, the present invention, it is considered that it is preferable to set the same time on the next day, it is determined whether 24 hours have elapsed from the original automatic playback time. In this case, when the integration of the 24 hours is completed, the smoke mode is canceled and proceeds to step S18 to continue the procedure, and if the integration of 24 hours is not completed, proceeds to step S12 again. Here, the 24 hours corresponds to an example and can be set in various ways depending on the usage environment or system.

If the automatic regeneration time arrives at step S18 again, the accumulated flow rate in the soft water tank 10 is checked to determine whether or not the reference integrated flow rate preset in the control unit 50 is exceeded (S19). If the reference cumulative flow rate is exceeded in step S19, since the limit life of the ion exchange resin in the soft water tank 10 is approached, the controller 50 operates the flow path switching valve 30 to allow the raw water to flow into the regeneration tank 20. (S20). Herein, if the range is within the reference integration flow rate, the process goes back to step S12.

When the automatic regeneration process in the present invention is summarized and described, the automatic regeneration time is delayed if the buffer flow rate used in the water softener within the buffer time before the set automatic regeneration time is higher than the reference buffer flow rate, and the buffer flow rate is lower than the reference buffer flow rate. Regeneration should be performed only when the oil flow is above the standard accumulated flow.

As described above, the automatic regeneration method of the water softener according to the present invention, the raw water inflow into the soft water tank, the buffer time before the automatic regeneration time, etc. in the process of regeneration of the soft water tank according to the automatic regeneration time set by the user The main effect is to automatically perform the regeneration work in the line to ensure the maximum performance of the water softener through the process of properly adjusting the control unit.

In addition, conventionally, when the regeneration operation is required, the disadvantages of manually regenerating the operation or switching the flow path switching valve to regenerate during the time when the training mode is not used are greatly improved in the present invention. have.

While preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described specific embodiments. That is, those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains can make many changes and modifications to the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the appended claims, and all such appropriate changes and modifications are possible. Equivalents should be considered to be within the scope of the present invention.

1 is a conceptual diagram illustrating a training system in which an automatic regeneration of a training tank is performed according to the automatic regeneration method of the present invention; and

2 is a flowchart showing time series characteristics according to the automatic regeneration method of the present invention.

<Description of the symbols for the main parts of the drawings>

1: Water tap 2: Shower device

3: drain 10: soft water tank

20: regeneration tank 30: flow path switching valve

40: flow rate sensor 50: control unit

52: timer

Claims (5)

(a) setting an automatic regeneration time on a timer electrically connected to the flow path switching valve; (b) calculating the accumulated flow rate of the raw water flowing into the soft water tank; And (c) determining whether the accumulated flow rate of the raw water is equal to or greater than the set reference accumulated flow rate and whether the buffered flow rate is equal to or greater than the set reference buffer flow rate; The control unit can automatically enable the regeneration operation of the soft water tank at the automatic regeneration time according to the accumulated flow rate and the buffer flow rate. The method of claim 1, After the step (b), measuring the buffer flow rate of the raw water flowing into the soft water tank through the flow path switching valve from the buffer time on the basis of the automatic regeneration time; automatic regeneration method of the water softener further comprising a. . 3. The method of claim 2, In the step (c), the automatic regeneration time of the water softener, characterized in that the automatic regeneration time is automatically reset to the same time the next day if the buffer flow rate is more than the set reference buffer flow rate within the buffer time from the automatic regeneration time. . 3. The method of claim 2, In the step (c), when the buffer flow rate is less than the reference buffer flow rate and the accumulation flow rate is more than the reference integration flow rate, the regeneration operation in the soft water tank is performed. 3. The method of claim 2, In a state in which a flow rate sensor disposed on the raw water supply passage connecting the flow path switching valve and the soft water tank is electrically connected to the control unit, the control unit operates the flow path switching valve to change to the soft water mode and the regeneration mode. Automatic regeneration method of the water softener, characterized in that.

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