An example water center appliance configured to incorporate various features associated with a sink is provided. An example water center appliance includes a top section and a bottom section. In one example embodiment, the top section includes a sink basin, a faucet, a water filter assembly, a water inlet connection, and an electricity connection. In one example embodiment, the bottom section includes a first sliding drawer, and a second sliding drawer, wherein the first sliding drawer and the second sliding drawer are shaped to accommodate one or more components of the top section.

A water-softening system includes a filter device including filter units that are provided in at least some of a plurality of supply channels arranged in parallel to supply raw water to a consumption site and that remove at least part of ionic matter contained in supplied raw water by electro-deionization and discharge soft water containing less ionic matter than the raw water, a plurality of supply valves provided in the plurality of supply channels to open or close the supply channels, and a processor connected to the filter device and the plurality of supply valves. The processor determines whether water is supplied to the consumption site and controls at least one of the plurality of supply valves to remain open to maintain a state in which water is allowed to be supplied to the consumption site, when it is determined that no water is supplied to the consumption site.

A performance indication device for a filter is provided. The performance indication device includes a water metering device to convert the energy of water flowing through the filter into mechanical rotation of a drive gear. A gear reduction assembly operably couples the drive gear to a valve gear and reduces the rotational speed of the valve gear relative to the drive gear. A flow controlling device is operably coupled to the valve gear and is configured to reduce or terminate the flow of water through the performance indication device and the filter when a target flow capacity is reached. The performance indication device thus provides an accurate indication to the user as to when the filter capacity has been expended without the need for a complex control system or communication link or any modification of the appliance in which the filter is installed.

A water softener system includes a brine tank, an ion-exchange resin and a softener control valve fluidly coupling the brine tank and the ion-exchange resin. The softener control valve has an inlet configured to receive a flow of feed-water and an outlet configured to deliver a flow of product water. A flow meter is configured to monitor a flow rate of water to or from the control valve, and a sensor is arranged upstream of the inlet of the softener control valve to measure a fluid property of the flow of feed-water. A controller is configured to calculate an available exchange capacity of the ion-exchange resin using flow rate data from the flow meter and a hardness value of the feed-water, which the controller calculates using a fluid property value from the sensor and a predetermined coefficient. The controller is also configured to initiate a regeneration of the ion-exchange resin using the brine tank and the softener control valve, and to update the predetermined coefficient based at least partially on the calculated available exchange capacity upon initiating the regeneration.

A system for signaling and/or displaying a depletion condition of a filter cartridge in a water treatment device by means of filtration with replaceable cartridges. The filter cartridge including an identification code which identifies the cartridge and which can be read by means of an optical reader of a portable electronic device. The portable electronic device includes a programmable control interface which can be displayed on a screen of the portable electronic device, by means of which it is possible to acquire identification data of the cartridge, to modify one or more predefined or previously imposed parameters in relation to the conditions of use of the cartridge, and to display the effective duration of the cartridge.

A water purifier includes a raw water flow path into which raw water is introduced, a clean water flow path connected to the raw water flow path and having a water discharge nozzle disposed at an end, a filter device disposed in the clean water flow path, and to which a filter is installable to filter the raw water, a drain flow path branched off from the clean water flow path between the filter and the water discharge nozzle and connected to a drain port to drain water in the clean water flow path to outside, a drain valve configured to open or close the drain flow path, and a controller configured to determine a remaining life of the filter on a point in time at which the filter has been replaced and control the drain valve to perform a cleaning operation based on the remaining life of the filter.

An embodiment provides a method for determining a filter life, including: introducing an aqueous sample into a filtration device comprising at least one filter and one or more sensors located upstream of the at least one filter, wherein the one or more sensors are capable of measuring a component of the aqueous sample; measuring the component of the aqueous sample using the one or more sensors; identifying a load on the at least one filter based upon the measuring of the component of the aqueous sample and at least one filtration characteristic; and determining the filter life of the at least one filter based upon the identifying. Other aspects are described and claimed.

A dental instrument water supply filter includes a hollow cylindrical body which bounds an interior area. The interior area houses a plurality of iodinated resin particles. A pair of water permeable discs are positioned in the interior area of the body at opposed axial ends. End caps close the interior area of the body at the respective opposed ends, and each end cap includes a respective removable fluid fitting. Water that is used in connection with the operation of a dental instrument is passed through the filter. The filter provides filtration and reduces microorganisms in the water that is passed therethrough and also releases ions into the water that are effective to reduce the growth of contaminants in the water lines to the instrument.

The present invention provides a method of managing operation of a point-of-use fluid treatment arrangement for providing treated fluid to at least one end user. The point-of-use fluid treatment arrangement comprises a fluid supply source provided by an operator, at least one fluid outlet for providing fluid to an end user, in which the at least one fluid outlet is in fluid communication with and spaced downstream from a point of supply of the fluid supply source, at least one point-of-use or point-of-entry fluid treatment device located at or adjacent a corresponding fluid outlet, and at least one communication unit.

The disclosed technology includes a water filtration unit. A disclosed water filtration unit includes a filtration unit housing defining a filtration unit cavity; an inlet coupled to the filtration unit housing; a pump positioned at least partially within the filtration unit cavity and including a pump inlet and pump outlet, the pump inlet coupled to the inlet; a filter housing positioned at least partially within the filtration unit cavity and including a filter inlet and filter outlet, the filter inlet coupled to the pump outlet and filter outlet coupled to a water dispenser; and a power source in communication with the pump to power the pump to push water through the filter housing when the water filtration unit is coupled to a water source.