Laundry washing machine (1) has an outer casing (2), a washing tub (3), arranged inside the casing (2), a rotatable drum (4), arranged in axially rotating manner inside the washing tub (3) and is designed to receive laundry to be washed. The machine further has a detergent dispensing assembly (12), designed for supplying laundry detergent into the washing tub (3), a water softening system (14), designed to receive fresh water from a water mains (13) and reduce the hardness degree of the fresh water in order to supply softened water to the detergent dispensing assembly (12) and/or to the washing tub (3), during one or more softened water laundry washing phases. The machine further has a control panel (28) configured to allow operator to input information associated with a laundry washing course having one or more softened water laundry washing phase/s; and a controller (15) configured to determine a detergent saving amount (QS) to load in the detergent dispensing assembly (12) and/or to supply to the washing tub (3), based on the softened water laundry washing phase/s of the laundry washing course to be performed.

A disclosed drum-type washing machine having a softening apparatus comprises: a cylindrical water tank accommodating laundry and having a rotating drum; a case for accommodating the water tank; and a softening apparatus having a hardness component remover for removing hardness components from washing water, and a regeneration agent accommodation unit spaced apart from the hardness component remover on opposite sides from a center of the tub, and for accommodating a regeneration agent that regenerates a function of the hardness component remover.

An appliance, system, and method for operating an appliance and determining presence of water softener at water provided to an appliance is provided. The system is configured to obtain a first water hardness value; obtain a second water hardness value based on a location of the appliance; determine a ratio of the first water hardness value and the second water hardness value; compare the ratio of the first water hardness value and the second water hardness value to a threshold limit; transmit a first water hardness signal when the threshold limit is exceeded, wherein the first water hardness signal corresponds to the first water hardness value; transmit, to the database storage device, a second water hardness signal when the ratio is within the threshold limit; and adjust operation of the appliance based on whether the first water hardness signal or the second water hardness signal is transmitted.

Laundry washing machine (1) having an outer casing (2), a washing tub (3), arranged inside the casing (2), a rotatable drum (4), arranged in axially rotating manner inside the washing tub (3) and designed to receive laundry to be washed, and a detergent dispensing assembly (12), designed for supplying laundry detergent into the washing tub (3). The washing machine also has a water softening system (14), designed to receive fresh water from a water mains (13) and reduce the hardness degree of the fresh water in order to supply softened water the detergent dispensing assembly (12) and/or to the washing tub (3), during one or more softened water laundry washing phases, and a control panel (28) configured to allow operator to input information associated with washing performance/s. A controller (15) is configured to control the water softening system (14) in order to perform a washing program comprising one or more softened water laundry washing phases based on input washing performance/s information.

A laundry treatment apparatus includes a tub configured to receive washing water, a drum rotatably disposed in the tub, a water supply unit configured to supply washing water to the tub, and a softener supply unit configured to supply softener to the tub. The water supply unit is in fluidic communication with the softener supply unit.

An electro-chemical activation (ECA) system includes an anode chamber, a cathode chamber, and a neutralization chamber. The anode chamber includes an anode configured to convert water having an alkaline-metal chloride into an anodic electrolyte that includes hypochlorous acid. The cathode chamber includes a cathode configured to convert water into a cathodic electrolyte. The neutralization chamber includes a neutralization cathode configured to remove protons from the anodic electrolyte after it leaves the anode chamber. The ECA system is configured to recirculate the anodic electrolyte back through the anode chamber and the neutralization chamber at least one more time to produce a concentrated chlorine solution. The ECA system is further configured to recirculate the cathodic electrolyte back through the cathode chamber at least one additional time to produce a concentrated alkaline solution.

A laundry washing machine includes an outer casing and, inside the casing, a washing tub arranged inside the casing directly facing a laundry loading/unloading opening realized in a front wall of said casing, a rotatable drum arranged in axially rotating manner inside the washing tub and structured for receiving the laundry to be washed, a detergent dispenser which is structured for supplying detergent into the washing tub, and a water softening device which is structured for reducing the hardness degree of the fresh water supplied to the washing tub. The water softening device includes a water-softening agent container filled with a water softening agent able to reduce the hardness degree of the fresh water supplied to the washing tub, a regeneration-agent reservoir which is structured to receive a salt or other regeneration agent for performing a regeneration of the water softening function of the water softening agents, and a water supply circuit which is structured for selectively spilling/pouring a given amount of fresh water into the regeneration-agent reservoir. The regeneration-agent reservoir includes a regeneration-agent container which is fillable with a given quantity of regeneration agents, and the water supply circuit includes a first sprinkler head provided with a shower-making portion which is structured for feeding a shower of water droplets by gravity into the regeneration-agent container.

A laundry treatment appliance comprising: a fresh water supply; a treatment chamber; a water softener; a liquid delivery system connected to the water supply, the water softener, and a treatment agent delivery system configured to store a water-soluble treating agent pod and/or a steam generator. The liquid delivery system is configured to supply fresh water from the water supply or soft water from the water softener into the treatment chamber. The appliance can perform one or more treatment cycles including at least one of: a first cycle in which the process liquid supplied by said process liquid delivery system further includes laundry treatment agents contained in the pod, and a second cycle in which the steam generator is activated to steam into the treatment chamber. The appliance further comprises a control unit to activate the water softener to provide the process liquid delivery system with soft water.

The present invention relates to an electrolysis body suitable for water disinfection for use in a water reservoir having a definite internal volume comprising a) a pair of electrodes made of a conductive material suitable for providing electrolysis, b) means for applying current to the electrodes, c) an insert unit having a first side and a second side opposite each other, wherein the first side faces out of the water reservoir when the insert unit is placed in position in the water reservoir in use for water disinfection and the second side faces into the volume of the water reservoir when placed in position in the water reservoir in use for water disinfection, and d) optionally a filter unit extending from the second side of the insert unit. The present invention also concerns a water reservoir comprising the body, as well as a washing system comprising the water reservoir.

A disclosed drum-type washing machine having a softening apparatus comprises: a cylindrical water tank accommodating laundry and having a rotating drum; a case for accommodating the water tank; and a softening apparatus having a hardness component remover for removing hardness components from washing water, and a regeneration agent accommodation unit spaced apart from the hardness component remover on opposite sides from a center of the tub, and for accommodating a regeneration agent that regenerates a function of the hardness component remover.