USRE15618E - Xzthod of and appabatus fob softening wateb - Google Patents

Description

June 5, 1923. v 1 I Re. 15,618

R. DUGGAN METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR SOFTENING WATER Original Filed Oct. 23, 1916 y 15 solutions; and it also paratus with connections adapted for the 'psrformance of this method; all as more $5 oxid, tinoxid, zinc oxid, etc.),

.4. cium and magnesium .50 of water; and uniform mom a. accent,

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I lie-15,618 PATENT HQFFICE.

OI mm ronx, N. Y.,'ASSIGNOB TO THE PEBMUTIT OOIPAFY, A OOBPOBATION OI DELAWARE.

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, am August 90, 1918, Serial No. 127,127, filed-October 28, 1916 Application for reissue fled Apr-u 3!, 1822. Serial No. 556,131.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Tnouas B. DUGGAN, a citizen of Great Britain, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Methods of and A paratus for Softenin Water, of which 810 followin is a speci cation. v

This invention re ates to methods of and apparatus for softenin water; and it comprises a method of utilizing the activity of exchange silicates to a greater extent than is now the case and of quickly revivifying the same with good utilization of revivifying comprises certain aplly hereinafter set forth and as claimed.

In the method of, softening water by the a use of exchange silicates which is now well known, water to be softened is passed through certain materials containing silica and alumina (or another amphoteric end, such as titanium oxid, iron oxid, chromium alkali and water. These materials are used in the form of small hard granules-which are employed as a granular bed. on the passage of hard water through the 80 bed of granules the lime and magnesia compounds, to which the water owes its hardness, are taken up by the exchange s licate, alkali compounds going into solution in their lieu. After a period ofuse when the exchange silicate has. taken up a certain amount of lime and magnesia, it is revivified by paming a solution of sodium chlorld (common salt) through the bed. The lime and magnesia now go into solution as calchlorids and the exchange silicate takes up alkali again so that it is ready for re-use. v v I find certain advantages are gained. by an upward flow of salt solution in the re- I generating phase. With the relatively heavy salt solution passing in an upwar direction the relative movement of the granules with regard to each other is. more pronounced than it is with a similar flow solution takes place. 7 I

In revivification, it is found that the main of the absorbed bases will be removed ythe salt solution after the regenerating can be absorbed by 11 d ab partially revived passage of the salt liquid. has been sup lied to and assed through the layer p in an amount equ to or than that amount of liquid which stored in the spaces between the granules. Or, in other words, the liquid occurring between the granules must be displaced once or twice by'the' salt solution in order to remove the main part of the bases the exchan e silicate. Re sage of the used salt solution through the does little good and may do harm, sinaa such a solution will only take up a certain amount of calcium or magnesium before losing regenerating power. When in softening the water flows downward and the salt solution passes upward, the 'lowerlayers of silicates are completely larger into contact therewith again. It is desirable in regeneration to bring the clean-or uncontaminated salt solution first into contact with the most active or least contaminated layers of silicates.

After the revivifying solution has been used on the exchange silicate, such solution must as already stated, he. removed to prevent the contamination of the water next to be treated. In one way, giving a utilization of the salt solution, I can, after admitting the salt solution to the bed, gradually admit fresh water at the bottom of the bed, drawing oif from a point above; the admission of water being finally stopped and the residual liquid in the bed then removed by vdraining from the bottom. It is advantageous to choose the amount of water in which the regenerating salt is dissolved, so that the main art of the absorbed bases is taken into so ution and taken away before fresh water is introduced.

Other ways of removingethe salt solution than that indicated may used ;.but the described way is economical and practical, since the whole amount. of regenerating 'tauid is well utilizedbut any other suite way may be used. Care should however .be' taken that repassage of contaminated salt solution through the revived or bed is avoided.

In the accompanying illustration-.1 have shown, more or less diagrammaticall certain embodiments of apparatus within the present invention and the described process.

susceptible of use in U revived first and it is inexpedlent to bring back contaminated brine I special 7 The figure illustrates a view of a structure wherein the flow of water to be soft ened is normally downward while that of the re nerating solution is upward.

n the structure, element A, is a tank, pipe or other source of water to be softened and treated, while D is a tank, pipe or other source of salt solution. B is a casing for containing the bed of exchange silicates and is a pipe, tank or other arrangement for removing or receiving softened water. E is a diagrammatically shown sewer connection. I

Casing B contains a layer or bed 1 of exchange silicates. The granular silicates may rest on a vel layer 4, or the gravel layer may be i s ensed with. Cross-plate 5 may be replace by a strainer system or any other suitable structure. Below this cross-plate is open chamber 6 with pipe connection 7 at its lowest point. Baflie'S is arranged above this pi e connection in order to give an even distribution of the liquid. Above the bed is an empty chamber 9 Leading from tank A is water pipe 10 provided with valve 10'. Valved inlet 11 may be used inlieu of tank A as a source of water, to be softened. This pipe 10 extends downwardlyto a cross-connection 12 communieating with the casing B at the lowest point.

dmg from this cross-connection is another valved pi 13 leading to tank D for salt solution. I lieu of tank D salt solution may be brought from another source through valved in et 14. As shown, tank is provided with a salt box 15 having perforated bottom 16. Also leading from the watersupply pipe is another cross pipe 16 provide wit valved outlet pipe 17 leadmg to the tank D for salt solution. As shown this-pi is also provided with a float valve 18. eyond this valved outletpi 17 in the upper cross ipe is valve 191m beyond this'again is a own pipe 20 leading into the top of casing B. v

The up er' cross pipe is further provided with a va ve 29 beyond which it extends to connection 30 and 31 leadin down the sewer connection E, thus a ording a discharge for the back wash Water. The lower cross pipe 12 has a connection entering the bottom of the casing B but at this pointit has another connection 32 leading past valve 33 to the sewer connection E. Another valved connection 34 leads through pipe 35 to tank C for softened water.

n the operation of this structure, presuming the exchange silicate erated and ready for operation, water from 11 or A passes through 16' and 20, valve 19 being open, into chamber 9, and thence through the silicate bed 1 downward to 7. ened water passes through When the exchange silicate regeneration, the flow of water From 7 the soft 34 and 35 to C. n

I valve in 17 is o v the bed to flow and go to exit ingclosed, .19 may be 0 V the to be regenthrough the apparatus isstopped and the pened, box 15 being supplied with the requisite amount of salt. An amount of water controlled by float valve 18 enters D and dissolves the salt in the salt box. Brine from anoth course be supplied through pipe 14. The salt solution passes downward throu h 13 (valves 10 and 19 being closed) am? into the bottom of the casing B through'7. The salt solution passes upward through silicates 1 to the 'draw-ofl cock 25and thence through 26 to waste. f

In flushing out the brine water may of course be sent through the salt line coming through line 16 andpipe 17 past valve 18 into D and thence downwardly through 13, past valve 13' the casing B through pipe 7. In so doing, a simple manner of operation isaiforded 811100 the necessary quantity of saltma be put into box 15 and then thewater allowed to tion necessary for reviving and then asses this salt solution upwardly throng the.-

silicates to waste at 25 and then washes the whole apparatus. Or valve 24 ma be opened to allow air to enter, valve 10" closed and valve 33 pened allowing the liquid in downward through the mass at 7 and 32. It will be noted that 7 communicates with B at the lowest portion of the casing soa'sto insure a positive draining with removal of all water containing salt. If desired, the valve 24 bepened and a supply of fresh water sent through the mass downwardly for washingpurposes. The exchange silicate being new revived and washed is ready for another water softening phase as before.

With an operation such as that described, the dissolved impurities in the water to which-itowes its hardness (lime or magnesia or both) mainly accumulate in the face of the .bed at which the water enters, the to face. On-now passing salt solution throug from the opposite face, .this'salt solution, which is of course, substantially free of lime and magnesia, passes first through the little contaminated portion of the into contact with the contaminated portion, there taking up the lime and magnesia. As flow continues, the dissolved lime and magnesia are carried. away from the bed and do not reenterit.

What I claim is:

1. In the purification and softening of water, the process which comprises transmitting water downwardly through a granular bed of exchange silicates until such silicates have functioned to a suflicient degree, thereupon passing salt solution followed by wash water through such bed in an upward direction with removal of salt soluer source may of shown into the bottom of l i i I The water at first forms the salt solubed and then tion and wash water at or above the upper face of such bed until the silicates are regenerated, interrupting the flow at this time and draining the bed from the lowest point, and

5 once more assing water to be softened throulgh the d in a downward direction.

2. n a water softening apparatus, a casing, a bed of exchange silicates therein,

means for transmitting water to be softened 10 through such bed and means for passing salt solution through the bed upwardly to a point of outlet above such bed, means for washing out the salt solution and means con nected to the lowest int of the casing lead ing to a place of disposition for removing the water used in such washing out.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

THOMAS R. DUGGAN.

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