DE4142697A1 - Water softening device for dishwashers - includes a salt container in which collecting space is sepd. apart from salt receiving space - Google Patents

Abstract

A water softening device is for household appliances, dishwashers in particular, and is equipped with an ion exchange container and a salt container (3) which features a collecting space (7), a recycled water connection and a brine discharge line. The collecting space is spatially separated by a filter (5) from the salt receiving space (6) of the salt container (3). The filter (5) is equipped with a continuous filter surface and the collecting space (7) features a water-permeable partitioning (11) below the filter (5) in the direction of the recycled water flow. This partitioning (17) has the function of a water distribution element for brine mixing.

Description

The object of the invention relates to a water softening device for Household appliances, in particular for dishwashers, with an ion exchange container and a salt container, which is a collecting space in the floor area with a regeneration water connection for an upstream one if necessary Regeneration water storage container and one leading to the ion exchange container Brine drain line, the collecting space through a sieve from Salt receiving space of the salt container is spatially separated.

Such a water softening device is from the German disclosure document 33 03 161 known.

According to the known state of the art, the salt container is regenerated Ion exchanger flows from bottom to top, for which the salt container in the lead to the ion exchange container in the upper area below the lid brine overflow, in which also from the collecting space under the sieve branching brine drain opens directly. The brine drain is one with salt the salt chamber in the salt container in the collecting room upstream. This training is intended to ensure that the ion from exchanger also during the first regeneration process after refilling the salt salt sufficient salt concentration is made available.

In the known very complex bypass solution, it has proven to be disadvantageous proved that with a newly filled salt container especially for the first Re generation processes, the amount of salt required for regeneration in each case for regeneration is so high that there is an oversaturation in the resin bed (Ion exchanger) transported brine comes. This goes unused Salt is lost and pollutes the environment. With decreasing salt supply in the salt container ter and the resulting increase in the flow rate of The brine concentration then reaches fresh water through the salt cushion to its op the maximum value for the regeneration to finally reach the end of the salt supply  fall even further and finally by pressing a salt refill show the operator to draw attention to the refilling of salt. The irregular salt concentrations in the known softener device is therefore a problem.

Starting from a water softening device for household appliances, in particular for dishwashers, with one ion exchange container and one Salt container of the type mentioned is the object of the invention the salt concentration for regeneration with little construction effort to keep constant over the entire salt mining.

The object is achieved according to the invention by the features of the saying 1.

Advantageous configurations emerge from the subclaims.

The advantages achieved with the invention are in a constant brine center to see. This results in environmentally friendly salt consumption, which is also cost-saving for the consumer. There are also more System-related advantages: The fact that the fresh or raw water supplied the salt container or the salt poured into the container for brine processing no longer flows from the bottom up, but the path with the low Most resistance below the sieve can occur with lower back pressures be worked. This represents an improvement in the use of the Water softening device in a raw water treatment plant Gravity regeneration (upstream regeneration water reservoir), because even small water columns are enough to work with the system can. For optimal water or brine distribution and brine mixing provides according to the invention arranged in the collecting room water permeable Partition wall. This partition is in the flow path of the flowing brine in Art arranged a flow barrier through which a uniform brine distribution is achieved in the entire area of the collecting room.

The description below serves to explain the subject according to of the invention, of which an embodiment shown in the drawings is.  

Show it:

Fig. 1, a water softener, consisting of a salt container and a ion exchange container in front view, in section,

Fig. 2 shows the salt container of the water softening device in plan view, in partial section along the line II-II of FIG. 1, in an enlarged view.

The water softening device ( 1 ) shown in Fig. 1 for household appliances, especially for dishwashers, consists of an ion exchange container ( 2 ) and a salt container ( 3 ) connected upstream of this container, the upper opening ( 4 ) for refilling the regeneration agent (NaCl) with a Lid not shown is closable. The salt container ( 3 ) is connected in a manner known per se equipped with several retrievable water chambers regenerating water reservoir from which the regeneration water required for brine treatment is withdrawn by gravity. For the sake of clarity, such a known water bag is not shown. The basic structure of the ion exchange container ( 2 ) corresponds to the exchanger described in German laid-open specification 33 03 161.

In the bottom area below the salt chamber ( 6 ) covered by a sieve ( 5 ), the salt container ( 3 ) has a collecting space ( 7 ) with a raw or regeneration water connection ( 8 ) and a brine drain line ( 9 ) leading directly to the ion exchanger, in a check valve ( 10 ) is connected, which prevents the back flow of brine or the ingress of water from the ion exchange container ( 2 ) into the salt container ( 3 ).

The sieve ( 5 ), which is preferably of a flat design, delimits the collecting space ( 7 ) towards the salt receiving space ( 6 ) and has a continuous or closed (uninterrupted) sieve surface ( FIG. 2) provided with sieve openings ( 5 a). In the collecting space ( 7 ) under the sieve ( 5 ) in the direction of flow of the incoming raw water from the fresh water network or from the aforementioned regeneration water storage container, a water-permeable partition ( 11 ) in the function of a distribution element for brine mixing is preferably arranged in a curved manner ( FIG. 2 ). The partition ( 11 ) is made as a slit diaphragm with the same and / or differently sized openings ( 12 ) in the passage cross section and the regeneration water connection ( 8 ) opposite between the bottom ( 13 ) and the sieve ( 5 ) of the salt container ( 3 ) as a barrier arranged for the flowing brine ( 15 ). This enables the uniform formation of a liquid flow (see arrows) in all sections of the collecting space ( 7 ) in front of and behind the partition ( 11 ). The openings ( 12 ) in the area of the fresh water connection ( 8 ) could preferably be made smaller than in the distant partition wall area in order to further optimize the brine distribution in the collecting space ( 7 ). The brine drain line ( 9 ) lies in the level of the fresh water connection ( 8 ) and the partition ( 11 ) in the collecting space ( 7 ) is also arranged opposite one another.

The volume of the collecting space ( 7 ) suitably corresponds to a raw or fresh water amount of about 400 ml, which is required for the preparation of a brine solution necessary for regeneration in a desired concentration. With each regeneration process, raw or fresh water is admitted in a certain amount (e.g. also 400 ml) from the regeneration water storage container or from the fresh water network into the collecting space ( 7 ), with a correspondingly large amount of brine from the collecting space ( 7 ). is displaced into the ion exchange container ( 2 ). The quantity of fresh water supplied to the collecting space ( 7 ) dilutes the brine in the collecting space ( 7 ). To compensate, however, a certain constant amount of salt ( 4 ) from the salt receiving space ( 6 ) passes through the sieve ( 5 ) (see hatched arrows in FIG. 2) and is added to the brine. The correct brine solution is therefore available again before each new regeneration process. The salt filled in the salt container ( 3 ) is designated ( 14 ).

With the design of the salt container ( 3 ) according to the invention, a constant amount of salt is always consumed per regeneration process at a preselected constant amount of fresh water, so that a constant high number of regeneration programs can be achieved while the amount of salt in the salt container ( 3 ) is also constant. The water flowing into the collecting space ( 7 ) follows the path with the least resistance and is guided in the shortest possible way through the collecting space ( 7 ) regardless of the salt supply in the salt receiving space ( 6 ). Due to the higher density of the brine ( 15 ) through the sieve ( 5 ) bagged brine ( 15 ) is mixed well with the inflowing water.

To control the salt molecule concentration in the collecting space ( 7 ) the salt container ( 3 ) is assigned a salt refill indicator ( 16 ) ( Fig. 1), which draws attention to the depletion of the salt supply. The salt refill indicator ( 16 ) can be arranged in the lower region of the salt container ( 3 ) above the sieve ( 5 ) or in the brine drain line ( 9 ) and preferably consists of a known magnetic float-controlled reed contact sensor device. Other sensor designs that operate on a purely electrical or optical basis are also possible, however. It is also expedient to vent the salt container ( 3 ), which can be implemented, for example, by a vent line ( 17 ) emanating from the collecting space ( 7 ). B. can be connected to the dishwasher ventilation of the dishwasher, not shown.

Claims (8)

1.Water softening device for household appliances, in particular for dishwashers, with an ion exchange container and a salt container, which has a collecting space in the floor area with a regeneration water connection for a possibly upstream regeneration water storage container and a brine drain line leading to the ion exchange container, the collecting space having a sieve from the salt receiving space of the salt container is spatially separated, characterized in that the sieve ( 5 ) bounding the collecting space ( 7 ) towards the salt receiving space ( 6 ) is provided with a continuous sieve surface, and that in the collecting space ( 7 ) under the sieve ( 5 ) in the direction of flow of the inflowing regeneration water, a water-permeable partition ( 11 ) is arranged in the function of a water distribution element for the brine mixture, which is opposite the brine drain line ( 9 ). 2. Water softening device for household appliances according to claim 1, characterized in that the partition ( 11 ) the regeneration water connection ( 8 ) at a distance opposite between the bottom ( 13 ) and the sieve ( 5 ) of the salt container age ( 3 ) is preferably arranged curved. 3. Water softening device for household appliances according to claim 1 and 2, characterized in that the partition ( 11 ) is made as a slit diaphragm with the same and / or differently sized openings ( 12 ) in the passage cross section. 4. Water softening device for household appliances according to one or more of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the openings ( 12 ) in the area of the fresh water connection ( 8 ) are made smaller than in the distant partition area. 5. Water softening device for household appliances according to one or more of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the salt container ( 3 ) is associated with a salt refill indicator ( 16 ) responsive to the brine concentration in the collecting space ( 7 ). 6. Water softening device for household appliances according to one or more of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the salt refill indicator ( 16 ) in the lower region of the salt container ( 3 ) or in the brine drain line ( 9 ) is arranged and preferably from a magnetically float-controlled reed contact sensor device consists. 7. Water softening device for household appliances according to one or more of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the salt container ( 3 ) is vented. 8. Water softening device for household appliances according to claim 7, characterized in that to the collecting space ( 7 ) of the salt container ( 3 ) a vent line ( 17 ) is closed.