Apparatus and method for controlling water softener

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12084361-B2
Application number	US-202017075271-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 20, 2020
Priority date	Oct 22, 2019
Publication date	Sep 10, 2024
Grant date	Sep 10, 2024

Abstract

An apparatus for controlling a water softener according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes: a concentration detector detecting a concentration of total dissolved solids in water introduced into a channel; a voltage controller controlling a voltage applied to an electrode so that the detected concentration of the total dissolved solids reaches a target concentration; a flow rate detector detecting a flow rate of the water introduced into the channel; and a water softening time controller controlling, based on the detected flow rate, a water softening time for the water so that the detected concentration of the total dissolved solids reaches the target concentration.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. An apparatus for controlling a water softener, the apparatus comprising:
a concentration detector detecting a concentration of total dissolved solids (TDS) in water introduced into a channel;
a voltage controller controlling a voltage applied to an electrode so that the detected concentration of the total dissolved solids reaches a target concentration;
a flow rate detector detecting a flow rate of the water introduced into the channel; and
a water softening time controller controlling, based on the detected flow rate, a water softening time for the water so that the detected concentration of the total dissolved solids reaches the target concentration; and
a database storing, for each concentration of the total dissolved solids and each flow rate in the channel, the water softening time for the water according to a voltage applied to the electrode,
wherein the voltage controller controls the voltage applied to the electrode to be a minimum voltage required for making the concentration of the total dissolved solids reach the target concentration within a preset time, and wherein the water softening time controller controls the water softening time for the water to be a maximum water softening time required for making the detected concentration of the total dissolved solids reach the target concentration at the voltage applied to the electrode by the voltage controller, thereby minimizing the amount of water wasted and increasing a recovery rate.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein in a case where the concentration of the total dissolved solids detected by the concentration detector is equal to or higher than a reference concentration, and the flow rate detected by the flow rate detector is equal to or higher than a reference flow rate, the voltage controller maintains the voltage applied to the electrode at an initial value, and the water softening time controller maintains the water softening time for the water at a preset value, so that the detected concentration of the total dissolved solids reaches the target concentration.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein in a case where the concentration of the total dissolved solids detected by the concentration detector is equal to or higher than a reference concentration, and the flow rate detected by the flow rate detector is lower than a reference flow rate, the voltage controller maintains the voltage applied to the electrode at an initial value, and the water softening time controller controls the water softening time for the water, so that the detected concentration of the total dissolved solids reaches the target concentration.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein in a case where the concentration of the total dissolved solids detected by the concentration detector is lower than a reference concentration, the voltage controller maintains the voltage applied to the electrode at an initial value, and the water softening time controller controls the water softening time for the water so that the detected concentration of the total dissolved solids reaches the target concentration.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein in a case where the concentration of the total dissolved solids detected by the concentration detector is lower than a reference concentration, the voltage controller decreases the voltage applied to the electrode and the water softening time controller maintains the water softening time for the water at a preset value, so that the detected concentration of the total dissolved solids reaches the target concentration.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the database stores a minimum voltage required for making each concentration of the total dissolved solids reach the target concentration within a preset time, and a maximum water softening time required for making each concentration of the total dissolved solids reach the target concentration at a preset voltage.

7. An apparatus for controlling a water softener, the apparatus comprising:
a concentration detector detecting a concentration of total dissolved solids (TDS) in water introduced into a channel;
a voltage controller controlling a voltage applied to an electrode so that the detected concentration of the total dissolved solids reaches a target concentration;
a flow rate detector detecting a flow rate of the water introduced into the channel; and
a water softening time controller controlling, based on the detected flow rate, a water softening time for the water so that the detected concentration of the total dissolved solids reaches the target concentration; and
a database storing, for each concentration of the total dissolved solids and each flow rate in the channel, the water softening time for the water according to a voltage applied to the electrode,
wherein the voltage controller controls the voltage applied to the electrode to be a minimum voltage required for making the concentration of the total dissolved solids reach the target concentration within a preset time, and wherein the water softening time controller controls the water softening time for the water to be a maximum water softening time required for making the detected concentration of the total dissolved solids reach the target concentration at the voltage applied to the electrode by the voltage controller, the water softening time is increased relative to a regeneration time, thereby increasing a recovery rate.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherin in a case where the concentration of the total dissolved solids detected by the concentration detector is equal to or higher than a reference concentration, and the flow rate detected by the flow rate detector is equal to or higher than a reference flow rate, the voltage controller maintains the voltage applied to the electrode at an initial value, and the water softening time controller maintains the water softening time for the water at a preset value, so that the detected concentration of the total dissolved solids reaches the target concentration.

9. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein in a case where the concentration of the total dissolved solids detected by the concentration detector is equal to or higher than reference concentration, and the flow rate detected by the flow rate detector is lower than a reference flow rate, the voltage controller maintains the voltage applied to the electrode at an initial value, and the water softening time controller controls the water softening time for the water, so that the detected concentration of the total dissolved solids reaches the target concentration.

10. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein in a case where the concentration of the total dissolved solids detected by the concentration detector is lower than a reference concentration, the voltage controller maintains the voltage applied to the electrode at an initial value, and the water softening time controller controls the water softening time for the water so that the detected concentration of the total dissolved solids reaches the target concentration.

11. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein in a case where the concentration of the total dissolved solids detected by the concentration detector is lower than a reference concentration, the voltage controller decreases the voltage applied to the electrode and the water softening time controller maintains the water softening time for the water at a preset value, so that the detected concentration of the total dissolved solids reaches the target concentration.

12. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the database stores a minimum voltage required for making each concentration of the total dissolved solids reach the target concentration within a preset time, and a maximum water s

Assignees

• Kyungdong Navien Co Ltd

Inventors

• Yoon Ji Hyung
• Lee Soo Young

Classifications

• C02F2209/10

  Solids, e.g. total solids [TS], total suspended solids [TSS] or volatile solids [VS] · CPC title

• C02F2209/40

  Liquid flow rate · CPC title

• C02F2209/44

  Time · CPC title

• C02F2201/46135

  Voltage · CPC title

• C02F2209/05

  Conductivity or salinity · CPC title