Kinetico PREMIER XP Series Owner's Manual page 9

H y
oW our
Hard water contains calcium and magnesium. Your Kinetico water system
contains resin beads, which hold sodium ions. When hard water passes through
the resin beads (Fig. 3) inside a Kinetico water system, the beads attract and
hold the calcium and magnesium ions in exchange for sodium. After this ion
exchange process, the water leaving your Kinetico water system is soft.
Once the resin bed is loaded with calcium and magnesium ions, it must be
cleansed (or regenerated) so that it can continue to soften water. The salt in your
salt storage tank mixes with water to wash the resin beads. The brine solution
loosens the hardness minerals which have built up on the resin beads; then the
system backwashes and flushes the hardness minerals and salt solution away.
Once this is complete, the resin beads hold sodium ions. The system is again ready
to exchange the sodium ions for more calcium and magnesium ions.
Fig. 3
Softening Cycle
With Sodium Charged
Waste Water Containing
Hardness in Exchange
Regeneration
Cycle
Economical Source of
W S
ater yStem
Water Softener Water Containing Hardness
1 2
Material Water Containing Sodium
in Exchange for Hardness
Discharging Wastewater
for Sodium
5
Salt Brine most
Sodium
W
orKS
Completely Softened
Water Softener Still
Containing Hardness
6
15 to 20 Minutes Later
9
Many Gallons Later
3
Water Softener Still
Delivering Completely
Softened Water
Excess Salt Brine Also
Removed
7
Regeneration Almost
Completed
Capacity to Soften Hard
Water Now Ending
4
Regeneration with Salt
Brine now Necessary to
Recharge Material with
Sodium
Water Softener
8
Material Ready to Exchange
Sodium for Hardness and
Deliver Softened Water