Water Softeners are devices or systems used to remove hard water minerals, such as calcium and magnesium, from water. They are commonly used in residential, commercial, and industrial settings to improve the quality of water for various purposes, such as drinking, washing, and industrial processes.
Water softeners work by using a process called ion exchange. They contain a resin tank filled with negatively charged resin beads. As hard water flows through the resin tank, the minerals in the water, such as calcium and magnesium, stick to the resin beads, exchanging places with the sodium ions on the resin.
As the resin beads become saturated with hard water minerals, they need to be regenerated. This is done by flushing a saltwater solution through the resin tank, which replaces the hard water minerals with sodium ions once again. The wastewater from this process, called brine, is then flushed out of the softener.
Softeners come in various sizes and types, including portable, whole-house, and commercial/industrial models. Some models also include additional features, such as a sediment filter or a carbon filter, to improve the quality of water even further.