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NASA's silver ion technology purifies and softens water while also holding back bacteria growth in filtering units. Manufacturers use this combined technology to create home use water filtering systems that not only purify and soften water, but also remove unpleasant tastes and odors.
The silver ion technology purifies the water while also softening it to make it easier to drink. It does this by exchanging hardness-causing ions such as calcium, magnesium, and iron for softer sodium and potassium ions. It also holds back bacteria growth in the filtering water units. Today, it is used to create home-use water filtering systems that not only purify and soften the water but also remove unpleasant tastes and odors.
Free Board
Free board is the area where resin is allowed to expand. This area also allows the dirt that is collected on top of the resin bed to be flushed out.
Resin
Pro systems water softeners us dowse ion X 2000. There are several brands available but I am choosing to evaluate ion X 2000 because because of its long life and its resistance to chlorine.
Dip Tube
This tube is also known as the distribution tube or riser tube.
Layer of Gravel
The gravel protects the lower basket of the dip tube. This basket keeps the resin from entering the dip tube and passing into the home. The gravel also allows the water to flow through with ease.
Brine Float Assembly
Inside the brine tank, you'll find the brine float assembly. This part resembles a large ballcock assembly but one difference, it has an air inductive valve at the bottom which allows water to come up.
Fill Tube
In the softener process, it is necessary to have a tube that connects the head with the brine tank. This tube has two functions, it is used to draw brine out of the brine tank and, it is also used to refill the brine tank for future regeneration.
Salt Tray
This is located at the bottom of the tank. This tray has holes so that the salt will not bridge. Bridging happens when the glue and the salt forms a kind of crust or false top. When this happens, you might inspect the tank and see this false top. This would lead you to think that the system has not been using salt when in reality, the area underneath this crust will be hollow. Its a good practice to always hit the top to make sure this has not occurred.
Dating back to the 1960s, a NASA owned space center (known as Johnson Space Center) and the Garrett Corporation, Air Research Division, conducted a research program to develop a small, lightweight water purifier for the Apollo spacecraft that would require a minimal amount of power and would not be need to be monitored around-the-clock by astronauts in orbit. The 9 ounce water purifier, slightly smaller that a pack of cigarettes and completely chlorine-free, bestowed silver ions into the spacecraft's water supply to successfully kill the bacteria. A NASA Technical Brief released around the time of the research reported that the silver ions did not "impact an unpleasant taste to the water."
NASA's innovation to control microbial contamination in space caught on quickly. This opened the doors for safer methods of controlling water pollutants on Earth. Companies like Carefree Clearwaater, Ltd., of Cornelia, Georgia, were given the green light by NASA to manufacture a reformed version of the space Agency's patented Electrolytic Silver Ion Cell for scores of commercial and industrial applications, including swimming pools, hot water spas, decorative fountains, ponds, manufacturing processes, and evaporative water cooling towers. This quickly indicates that NASA's concoction is having a positive impact on society.
The Carefree Clearwater systems based on NASA's Apollo-era technology electronically release copper and silver ions into the water to destroy bacteria and algae which are then filtered out. Unlike chlorine, the ions do not dissipate from heat and sunlight, therefore they are capable of providing a very stable sanitizer residual. The ionization significantly reduces the demand for chlorine so that fewer chloramines are formed and fewer chemicals are consumed. This cuts down on undesirable side effects that are obtained in swimming pool environments, such as burning eyes, odor, and bleaches or dry skin and hair. Furthermore, the ions pose no health risks as compared to chlorine. Multiple independent laboratory tests from NASA, health departments, and universities, and many years of field testing have confirmed the exceptional sanitizing ability of copper/silver ionization.
Whilst there are many different environmental issues that traditional water softeners give rise to, it is important to note that it's not all negative. If properly maintained and managed, water softeners can do an excellent job dealing with limescale which off course has unfavorable effects on the environment.
Water softeners significantly reduce the carbon footprint at home. As mentioned earlier, obtaining a water softener greatly reduces the energy used for limescale. This leaves a great eco friendly foot print on may different houses as data from EU IN 2018 showed that 14.5% of domestic energy consumption came from water heating. The energy saving trust confirmed that the average UK home used approximately 4kWh, producing around 80 liters of hot water at 55 degrees Celsius.
A major con of salt-based ion-exchange water softeners is the chloride they produce and release into septic or sewage systems. Chloride from salt can ooze into and pollute ground water from one-site septic systems. Chloride also gains access to the environment via waste water treatment facilities. This is because facilities aren't designed to remove it. This leads to chloride ending up in rivers, lakes and streams. High levels of of chloride in the environment are toxic to fish and other aquatic creatures.
For most people who are healthy, the amount of added sodium in the softened water poses no health threats. However, for those who are hypersensitive (have high blood pressure) and must live on a low-sodium diet or a sodium restricted diet, the sodium in the softened water can pose a big threat to their health.