Abstract: A water softener tank houses resin beads retained within an upper screen assembly and a lower screen assembly. The upper and lower screens are formed of material transparent to a given wavelength of a laser. The tank is formed of material that absorbs the given laser wavelength. The upper and lower screens are directly laser welded to the tank.

Abstract: A water softener is composed of a cabinet of a resin bed, a brine tank, and a brine valve. The improved water softener has an outer housing having sides, a bottom, and an open top. A wall is disposed within the housing forming a brine chamber and a resin bed chamber for housing ion-exchange resin beads. Cross-contamination of the resin beads by the brine is prevented.

Abstract: A brine valve includes a housing having a first port, a second port, and a piston port. The piston port is fitted with a non-apertured water-sealing diaphragm. An external piston has a first end and a second end. The external piston second end pushes against the diaphragm. An apertured cap affixes over the piston port to retain the external piston in place. The external piston first end extends outside of the apertured cap. An internal piston is disposed within the housing and has a first end and a second end. The internal piston first end pushes against the diaphragm and against the external piston. A seal ring is disposed towards the second end and is fitted to seal the first port. A spring is placed against the internal piston second end. Pushing on the external piston first end moves both pistons to permit water to flow between the housing first and second ports.

Abstract: A brine valve includes a housing having a first port, a second port, and a piston port. The piston port is fitted with a water-sealing diaphragm. An external piston has a first end and a second end. The external piston second end pushes against the diaphragm. An apertured cap affixes over the piston port to retain the external piston in place. The external piston first end extends outside of the apertured cap. An internal piston is disposed within the housing and has a first end and a second end. The internal piston first end pushes against the diaphragm and against the external piston. A seal ring is disposed towards the second end and is fitted to seal the first port. A spring is placed against the internal piston second end. Pushing on the external piston first end moves both pistons to permit water to flow between the housing first and second ports.

Abstract: A water treatment tank for use in a water treatment or softening system is disclosed which is operative in a treatment mode to receive untreated water through an inlet port and to pass treated water through an outlet port, and which is operative in a backwash mode to receive wash water through the outlet port and to pass waste water through the inlet port. Treatment tank has a vessel having an interior cavity which is partitioned into a top headspace portion, and a middle treatment bed space portion, and a bottom headspace portion via the placement of a pair of distributor filters mounted within the interior cavity to extend between the side walls thereof. The filters are spaced-apart, respectively, from the top end wall to define therewith the top headspace portion and the bottom headspace portion.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for the cyclic regeneration of a water softening system having a plurality of parallel water treatment units, N, each containing a water softening treatment bed which requires periodic regeneration. The method entails first calculating a volume of water to be treated per cycle, V.sub.s, by dividing the capacity of the smallest capacity treatment unit by N. Water is then treated with all the treatment units until V.sub.s water has been treated by any of said units. Once V.sub.s water has been treated by any of the units, an arbitrarily selected first unit is subjected to regeneration while water is treated with all the remaining units. The process is continued by sequentially selecting the next remaining treatment unit for regeneration once another V.sub.s volume of water has been treated by any of the units.

Abstract: In its broadest aspects, a method for the cyclic regeneration of a water softening system disclosed. The water softening system comprises an exchange medium in a tank which is in fluid communication with a brine storage tank. This method comprises the steps of filling the brine storage tank with refill No. 2 of softened water in a quantity sufficient to create sufficient brine for said exchange medium, said brine storage tank already containing refill No. 1 of softened water from a later step of the method. The exchange medium is subjected to backwashing No. 1 with water flowing counter the direction of water flowing therethrough during water softening operations. Next, brine from the brine storage tank is passed through the exchange medium. Water then is passed through the brine exchange tank. The exchange medium thereafter is subjected to backwashing No. 2 with water flowing counter to the direction of water flowing therethrough during the water softening operation.

Abstract: In its broadest aspects, a method for the cyclic regeneration of a water softening system is disclosed. The water softening system comprises an exchange medium in a tank which is in fluid communication with a brine storage tank. This method comprises the steps of filling the brine storage tank with a second refill of softened water in a quantity sufficient to create sufficient brine for said exchange medium, said brine storage tank already containing a second refill of softened water from a later step of the method. The exchange medium is subjected to first backwashing with water flowing counter the direction of water flowing therethrough during water softening operations. Next, brine from the brine storage tank is passed through the exchange medium. Water then is passed through the brine exchange tank. The exchange medium thereafter is subjected to second backwashing with water flowing counter to the direction of water flowing therethrough during the water softening operation.