METHOD OF WATER DISCHARGE MANAGEMENT

• US 20110147315A1
• Filed: 12/22/2010
• Published: 06/23/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 12/22/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Franklin Electric Company Incorporated (EBW, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hellenbrand, Inc. (New Aqua, LLC)
• Inventors: Fetzer, John P., McDonald, Jill E., Maas, Edward T., Hellenbrand, Jeffrey J.
• Granted Patent: US 9,346,689 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 210/670
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 15/203 Equilibration or regeneration
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 24/383 using multiple way valves
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 24/46 Regenerating the filtering material in the filter B01D24/44 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 24/4642 with valves, e.g. rotating valves
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 24/4853 by clearness or turbidity measuring
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/001 Processes for the treatment of water whereby the filtration technique is of importance C02F1/44 takes precedence; construction of filters in general B01D24/00 - B01D41/00
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/004 using large scale industrial sized filters
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/006 Water distributors either inside a treatment tank or directing the water to several treatment tanks; Water treatment plants incorporating these distributors, with or without chemical or biological tanks for settling tanks B01D21/24
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/008 Control or steering systems not provided for elsewhere in subclass C02F
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/283 using coal, charred products, or inorganic mixtures containing them
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/42 by ion-exchange ion-exchange in general B01J
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 1/66 by neutralisation; pH adjustment for degassing C02F1/20; using ion-exchange C02F1/42; for flocculation or precipitation of suspended impurities C02F1/52; for removing dissolved compounds C02F1/58
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2001/425 using cation exchangers
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2201/005 Valves
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/055 Hardness
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2209/11 Turbidity
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 2303/16 Regeneration of sorbents, filters
• CPC Class Codes: C02F 5/00 Softening water; Preventing scale; Adding scale preventatives or scale removers to water, e.g. adding sequestering agents softening using ion-exchange C02F1/42
• CPC Class Codes: Y02W 10/37 using solar energy
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/86493 Multi-way valve unit

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

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;

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;

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; and

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.

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, filter ag filter, birm filter, iron filter, hydrogen sulfide filter, sand filter, and particulate filter.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the discharge water directed to through the third multi-way valve to the storage container is grey water.

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.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the second 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.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the third selected criteria is the discharge water is usable as a source of potable water.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the fourth selected criteria is the discharge water is not used as a source of potable water.

11. method of claim 1, wherein the fifth 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.

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

13. The method of claim 1, Wherein the sixth 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.

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

15. 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 and is recaptured.

16. 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 the resin beads during a fast rinse phase, and recapturing the discharge water exiting the water processing system.

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

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the controller uses a predetermined time period to execute the recapture protocol.

19. The method of claim 17, wherein the controller uses an optical controller to execute the recapture protocol.

20. The method of claim 17, wherein the controller senses current draw to execute the recapture protocol.

21. The method of claim 17, wherein the controller uses a characteristic of the discharge water to execute the recapture protocol.