Water hardness is removed by a non-electric process called ion-exchange
Ion exchange is a well established technology that was first discovered in 1845 by an English scientist called Thompson.
The process used a natural material called zeolite. Today the modern successor
to zeolite is used throughout industry worldwide and in recent times
products using this process such as: -
Dishwashers
Water softeners
Jug filters
have entered domestic life in homes across the United Kingdom.
Essentially, water is simply passed through a bed of plastic beads known as resin, rather like a jug
filter. Softening is instantaneous and it emerges as artificially softened
water, mimicking the properties of natural soft water.
Nil scale formation
Dissolves existing scale
Enhanced soap suds, meaning that much less can be used
Unlike naturally occurring soft water, softened water has exactly the same amount of dissolved solids as hard water. All we have done is exchanged calcium and magnesium ions that cause scale and soap scum for sodium ions that do not.
This continues until the resin bed is exhausted and need recharging. Typically the resin bed will be recharged 2 or 3 times a week automatically using a brine
solution. It is important to note that brine made from salt does it soften the water, it is just used to recharge the ion-exchange resin bed media
inside the water softener. Modern installations typically have a third hard
water mini tap fitted as part of the installation.
Salt is added to the water softener about once per month and the Ensign water
softener will alert the user when salt is running low and requires refilling
within 7 days.
Ion exchange resin beads
FACT:
All water softening is non-electric.
No electricity is used to soften water.
Only the electronic controller and salt monitor systems use electricity and then only between 1.2 and 6 watts @ 12 volts. That's less than
12p per month.
Eventually, ion exchange resin will stop working after 10 to 15 years. When this
happens we are happy to replace resin beds and return the machine to work for
another 10 to 15 years.
You wouldn't drive a car without a fuel gauge would you? Then why own a water softener without a salt monitor... (more)
Ensign established 1982
Ensign - The Water Softener Centre
Unit 6 Hertford Court, Marlborough Business Park, Marlborough, Nr Swindon SN8 4AW, United Kingdom.
Tel Lo-Call 0845 643 1982
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