Abstract: A water softening system includes a resin tank which has an open drain during a regeneration cycle, and a pressurized brining system communicating with the resin tank. The brining system includes a closed brine reservoir with an outlet communicating with the resin tank and an inlet adapted to be coupled to a pressurized source of water, a salt reservoir at atmospheric pressure, and a semi-permeable membrane in communication with and forming a partition between the reservoirs and allowing free movement of salt ions therethrough while substantially inhibiting flow of water therethrough to form brine in the brine reservoir, which brine is then urged through the brine outlet and into the resin tank by the water pressure in the brine reservoir.

Abstract: A two-chamber fluid control valve for a water softener system is provided. The valve includes a primary chamber having a primary inlet for passage of a primary fluid into the primary chamber and a primary outlet for passage of fluid out of the primary chamber, and a primary valve member disposed for closing the primary outlet. The valve also includes a secondary chamber having a secondary inlet and a secondary outlet fluidly communicating with, and for passing the secondary fluid into, the primary chamber, and a secondary valve member disposed for closing the secondary outlet to prevent the passage of air out of the secondary chamber and into the primary chamber, whereby primary and secondary fluids can be combined in the primary chamber prior to flowing out of the primary outlet of the primary chamber. The valve allows a homogeneous brine/secondary chemical solution to be formed therein and fed to a water softener tank to regenerate and treat the tank and the ion exchange medium therein.