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On this page we have put together a list of words, terms and phrases used in our industry to help give you a better heads up before speaking with our advisors. Alternatively, if you have come across a term already which baffled you, we hope our dictionary will make a great point of reference!
Backwash
This is the part of a softeners regeneration cycle which involves fresh water being passed through the resin bed and to drain to remove any brine from the cylinder ready for service.
Brine
The solution created by mixing water with salt. Used to regenerate exhausted resin.
Brine Rinse
In a softeners regeneration cycle, the brine is drawn up from the cabinet and in to the cylinder. This then passes over the resin to regenerate it ready to soften more water.
Brining
At the beginning of a regeneration, the softener will allow fresh water in to its cabinet very slowly to dissolve salt and create a brine solution.
Bypass
This is a term used for isolating the softener from the mains by way of opening or closing three valves. To get mains water in to the softener have softened water go through the premises, open the inlet and outlet valves and close the bypass. To isolate the softener in case of a fault, put the valves in the opposite positions.
Caking
The term used for when salt forms one or several large lumps at the bottom of the cabinet. Making the brining process less effective and sometimes preventing brine in to the unit.
Control Valve / Softener Head
The main construction normally found at the top of the softener unit. It controls all aspects of the softener, metering the water, timing regenerations and redirecting water throughout the unit.
Hard Water
The term used for water containing a high amount of calcium and magnesium.
High Efficiency (HE)
This is the model of softener used for installation where the premises is running on a gravity fed indirect system. It will have slightly smaller resin beads and if metered may have different sizes of gears.
High Flow (HF)
These models are used so flow is not restricted in direct feed pressurized installations. The resin beads in these units tend to be slightly larger allowing more room between for water to flow through faster.
Ion Exchange
The process in which the calcium and magnesium ions in the hard water, are transferred for sodium ions from the resin beads. This process works in reverse with a brine solution and exhausted resin bed.
Meter Controlled
One of two ways of regulating when a machine is to regenerate. This has proven to be the most cost effective and efficient as the softener meters how much water has passed through it before triggering a regeneration. If you went on holiday and no one used the water, the softener will not regenerate saving on salt consumption and general ware and tear.
Non-electric
A type of softener which relies on meters, pistons, turbines, gears and water pressure to function. No electrical connection of any kind is required.
Regenerate / Recharge
The technical term used for when a softener washes the calcium and magnesium ions from the resin bed and recharges it with sodium ready to soften more water.
Resin
Tiny beads of expandable material, used to hold ions inside a softeners cylinder.
Resin Bed
The term used for a group of resin beads.
Salt Type (Tablet, Granular, Blocks)
Salt for softeners comes in 3 main different types. Granular was the original form with each granule only being roughly 5mm in diameter. Later research discovered that this type of salt ‘caked’ in the bottom of the cabinet, forming a bridge above the water meaning no salt could be dissolved. This led to the development of tablet salt, larger tablets about an inch across. With the larger tablets there is more room for the water to flow between them stopping the issue of them sticking together. The most recent salt type, Blocks, were created to target the issue of salt not dissolving efficiently. Tablets and Granular would sit at the bottom of the cabinet, and as brine is heavier than water, the bottom layer of salt would become saturated in its own brine meaning the right concentration would not be made for regeneration. Blocks however, sit on a grid approximately 4-5 inches from the cabinets base meaning all the water becomes brine. The Blocks are slightly smaller than a house brick and come in easy to manage packs of two.
Service
This is the stage in a softeners cycle where the unit is not regenerating. The only action occurring in this stage is hard water passing through the system and being softened by the resin.
Single Cylinder
A type of softener which uses one cylinder of resin. These systems can only provide softened water whilst the unit is in service, therefore regeneration takes place in the early morning (factory set to 2:00am) when no one is drawing on the water supply.
Soft Water
This is the term used for water which is naturally soft. In some parts of the UK, due to the geography of the location, the water does not come in to contact with much, if any, calcium or magnesium before getting to the reservoir.
Softened Water
The term used for water which is initially hard, but mechanically softened. The end result is much the same as that of natural soft water, but in some cases with slightly higher sodium content.
Timer Controlled
The first of two types of softener control. Timer controlled softeners rely on a timer for regeneration scheduling. The user or engineer programs the unit to regenerate at a given time on set days. This proves less efficient than the Metered counterpart as it will regenerate and use salt, even if no water has passed through the softener.
Twin Cylinder
These softeners use two small cylinder in line as apposed to one taller cylinder. As they are smaller, the entire system can be reduced in size which gives more flexibility when installing. Because there are two cylinders, Kinetico created a softener which can regenerate at any time and still allow water to be softened. Normally, one cylinder is in service while the other is fully charged and waiting. Once the first cylinder goes in to a regeneration, the water to be softened is passed through the second cylinder. This then carries on back and forth continually providing softened water.
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