Patriot Twin Analyst – Owner’s Manual – Owner’s Manual – Revision 1.1
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17
Understanding how your system operates
Water Softening Process
The smallest units that make up chemical compounds and still retain the properties of those compounds are
called molecules. Molecules are made up of atoms or groups of atoms. Electrically charged atoms are called
ions. The charge of a single ion can be either positive or negative - Ions of metals and of hydrogen are usually
positively charged and are called cations. Ions such as chlorine, nitrate, phosphate, fluoride and sulfates are neg-
atively charged and called anions.
Certain insoluble materials are made up of large ions forming a skeletal structure containing oppositely charged
ions. These ions can be exchanged with other similar ions in an ion exchange.
The first commercial application of ion exchange was water softening in 1905. Since then, ion exchange has
been the most reliable method of softening and conditioning water in homes and industry.
The Softening of water by ion exchange relies on the replacement of the calcium and magnesium ions in the
water by an equivalent number of sodium ions.
The Softening process may be illustrated by the following equation:-
Obviously, the system can only exchange a certain amount of hardness and other contaminants before becoming
exhausted. This is referred to as the capacity of the resin. The capacity of the resin is referred to as grains of cal-
cium carbonate hardness removed per cubic foot of resin or Milliequivalents per liter. When the capacity has
been exhausted, the resin needs to be regenerated with a solution of sodium chloride (brine) as follows:-
Your Patriot Twin Analyst System can be regenerated with Potassium Chloride if desired
.
Over the years the composition of ion exchange media has advanced, reflecting sophisticated global technologi-
cal advances.
Ion exchange resins used in your Patriot Twin Analyst System are made in the USA, without harmful toxic sol-
vents. This media is designed to be physically and chemically strong while making water that feels good, tastes
great and works hard for you.
Engineered above and beyond all others, the Patriot Twin Analyst System incorporates cutting-edge technology
to bring you water that feels good, and works hard to protect your home. It is not surprising that the Patriot
Twin Analyst System is our flagship water softener – The Best of the Best, delivering a virtually limitless sup-
ply of clean soft water for your family.
R2. Na +
Ca(HCO3)2 =
R2 . Ca +
2NaHCO3
Sodium Ion Exchange Resin
Calcium Bicarbonate in water
Calcium Ion Exchange Resin Sodium Bicarbonate in Water
R2.Ca +
2NaCl =
2 R.Na +
CaCl2
Calcium Ion Exchange Resin Sodium Chloride Brine
Sodium Ion Exchange Resin
Calcium Chloride Waste
