A control valve (10) includes a valve body with a plurality of ports (A, B, C, D, E, F) and a plurality of annular flow passages (53, 55,57). A piston (34) which includes a plurality of annular flow passages and a longitudinal flow passage is selectively movable within a bore (32) within the valve body through operation of a valve controller (70). The valve controller is selectively operative to control the position of the piston so as to enable liquid flow through a plurality of flow paths. A master controller wirelessly communicates with a plurality of slave controllers, including the valve controller. The master controller is operative to control conditions of the valve and an associated liquid treatment tank.

A hand-holdable portable water purifying and dispensing unit is described comprising at least a housing, a purified water inlet, a further-purified water dispense outlet, a dispense operator, a reservoir, one or more water further-purification devices, and an internal water recirculation pump and pathway, said pathway including the reservoir and the one or more water further-purification devices. Optionally, the reservoir has a volume in the range 100 ml to 2000 ml, preferably in the range 200 ml and 1000 ml.

Implementations of this disclosure are directed to systems, devices and methods for monitoring parameters associated with a body of liquid. In one embodiment, a device includes a container configured to be partially submerged in a liquid and includes sensors disposed within a submerged portion of the container to measure parameters associated with the liquid. An electronic component disposed within an unsubmerged portion of the container transmits information related to the parameters based upon which one or more actions related to treatment of the body of liquid are suggested.

The invention relates to a water purification system and distillation unit. The water purification system (3) comprises an input section (31) for providing water (21), in particular tap water, to a distillation unit (1), and said distillation unit (1) for producing distilled water. Said distillation unit comprises an evaporation section (12) for evaporating said water (21) and producing steam (23), and a condensation section (14) for at least partly condensing said steam (23), producing distilled water. The system further comprises a first admixing unit (32), in particular a cartridge, which is arranged and configured in such a way that it is enabled for admixing compounds, in particular minerals, to said distilled water, producing enriched distilled water, and an output section (33) for dispensing said enriched distilled water. Said evaporation section (12) is provided by a heatable side (101) of a first Peltier effect device (10) and said condensation section (14) is provided by a coolable side (102) of said first Peltier effect device (10).

A system includes an anaerobic digestion tank, a gas storage tank, a power generator, a power distribution system, and an electronic control system. The anaerobic digestion tank receives biological waste from a sewer line of a multi-unit building, and allows the received biological waste to be digested to produce a combustible gas. The gas storage tank stores the combustible gas. The power generator combusts the combustible gas to produce at least one of electrical power or heat. The power distribution system receives the electrical power from the power generator, stores at least some of the electrical power, and distributes at least some of the stored electrical power to one or more electrical devices. The electronic control system controls an operation of the system.

A control valve (10) includes a valve body with a plurality of ports (A, B, C, D, E, F) and a plurality of annular flow passages (53, 55, 57). A piston (34) which includes a plurality of annular flow passages and a longitudinal flow passage is selectively movable within a bore (32) within the valve body through operation of a valve controller (70). The valve controller is selectively operative to control the position of the piston so as to enable liquid flow through a plurality of flow paths. The valve controller further includes a installable and removable valve controller housing (74) which is releasibly engageable with a valve base (72). The valve may include a changeable multi-piece piston and changeable injector and plug components to adapt the valve to different flow and fluid mixing requirements.

Systems and methods for controlling chlorinators for pools and spas are provided. A controller communicates with a processor positioned within a replaceable cell cartridge of a chlorinator, to allow for remote control and diagnosis of the chlorinator and/or cell cartridge. The cell cartridge stores, in non-volatile memory on board the cartridge, one or more parameters associated with the cartridge. The controller can obtain this information from the processor of the cell cartridge, and can use same to configure operation of the chlorinator. Information relating to remaining cell life can be updated by the controller and stored in the non-volatile memory of the cell cartridge. Electrical and software-based mechanisms are provided for ensuring operation of only compatible cell cartridges with the chlorinator. A system for remotely diagnosing errors associated with the chlorinator is also provided.

A monitored inline hard water processing assembly for conditioning hard water includes a cannister, which is cathodic, a disc, and a rod, which is anodic. The disc is removably couplable to a top of the cannister. The disc has a pair of channels positioned therethrough, each of which is in fluidic communication with an interior space defined by the cannister. The rod is removably couplable to the disc so that the rod is electrically insulated from the disc and extends into the interior space. A monitoring unit, which is electrically coupled to the cannister and the rod, is operationally couplable to a source of electrical current to provide a flow of direct current through the rod, the cannister, and water flowing therethrough. The monitoring unit comprises an indicator, which can indicate at least two resistance states of the rod.

A method of oxidizing a component of an aqueous medium is provided. The method includes adding an effective amount of an oxidizing composition to the aqueous medium. The oxidizing composition includes an ingredient, such as hydrogen peroxide, a percarbonate salt, a peroxy compound, a chlorite or alkali metal salt thereof, a chlorate or alkali metal salt thereof, or any combination thereof. The method also includes oxidizing the component. The component may be a metal, a mineral, a microbial metabolite, an organic molecule, or combination thereof. The method also includes modulating the application of the oxidizing composition based on a measured aqueous medium parameter.

A salt-level sensor for a water softener salt reservoir (aka brine tank) may comprise a laser distance detector or ultrasonic distance detector, a processor, a wi-fi module, a power module, a memory module, a housing, and a mounting assembly. The salt-level sensor may be configured to be mounted to the underside of the lid of a salt reservoir, with the distance detector directed away from the lid location. The mounting assembly may comprise one or more threaded elements and complementary nut(s), and may additionally comprise an orientation adjustment mechanism.

A method for measuring the salt level in a salt reservoir may comprise installing the salt-level sensor on the underside of the lid; emitting a signal toward to salt; receiving a return signal; and, based on the time between emitting and receiving the signal, determining a distance to the salt.