Abstract: An ion exchanger of the countercurrent type includes a pressure vessel for supporting a resin bed. The vessel includes a first port through which water to be treated is supplied to the vessel during a production cycle, a second port through which regenerant is supplied to the vessel during a regenerant cycle, and a third port located intermediate of the first and second ports and connected to a lower in-bed distributor located within the vessel. A recycling loop is provided between the third port and the first port for recycling regenerant during at least a portion of the regeneration cycle. An upper in-bed distributor is located within the vessel slightly above the lower in-bed distributor and has an associated fourth port through which waste regenerant is removed from the vessel during the regeneration cycle.

Abstract: A water purification process for removing dissolved solids of the type that are normally present in a municipal water supply or the like. The process uses a forced draft decarbonator having an inlet and a product outlet, a vacuum degasifier having an inlet, a product outlet and a water level sensor, and a reverse osmosis unit having an inlet, a product outlet and a brine outlet. Preferably, the vacuum degasifier is located downstream of the forced draft decarbonator with the product outlet of the forced draft decarbonator being coupled to the inlet of the vacuum degasifier. The reverse osmosis unit is located downstream of the vacuum degasifier with the product outlet of the vacuum degasifier being coupled to the inlet of the reverse osmosis unit. Water to be purified is provided to the inlet of the forced draft decarbonator at a predetermined rate.