Accumatic^TM Brine System

The Accumatic^ä brine system consists of a brine tank and an internal or external brine ejector (also called a throat and nozzle assembly) mounted inside the Task Master II^ä or Task Master^ä – 2 or 2-½ inch valve or mounted externally as part of a valve nest. Inside the brine tank is a brine valve, a protective housing called a brine well, and a salt platform.

The brine system applies a salt solution to the softener to regenerate the cation exchange resin.  Saturated brine (26% NaCl by weight) is drawn from the brine tank by the ejector. Each model of softener has a different injector to generate a different brine flow rate.  The corrosion resistant injectors are sized to dilute the saturated brine to 10% NaCl by weight.   This brine concentration minimizes salt use during regeneration. 

To create the saturated brine, dry salt is added to the brine tank, where it is dissolved in water.  Since there is always an excess of salt, the brine solution is saturated.  In the high grid plate design, the dry salt is not allowed to fill the bottom of the brine tank.

The saturated brine is drawn from below the grid plate (and below the salt bed) eliminating salt bridging and mushing. The Accumatic^ä system controls the amount of brine solution added during regeneration and automatically refills the brine tank with water after regeneration. Because of the high grid plate, brine volume is not dependent upon void space in the salt bed.  Brine drawn during regeneration is repeatable and accurate. 

 

 

Features

·         Made from Pipe. The Accumatic^ä brine valve is available in ⅜, ½, 1” and 1¼” sizes. All sizes are constructed of heavy duty Sch.80 PVC. The sizes are I.D. as in pipe size, not O.D. as in tubing size. Our ⅜” ID brine valve is the same size as other ½” O.D. valves. The Accumatic brine valve is made from pipe, not tubing.

·         Very precise measurement of brine.  The Accumatic^ä valve provides accurate volumetric control of brine draw. The same amount is drawn every time.  The voids of the salt do not affect the brine draw.

·         Brine check in brine valve prevents air draw into mineral tank.

·         Positive pressure is applied to seat the brine valve to prevent brine contamination during the service cycle.

·         Standard systems have a fixed brine float which is factory preset at a brine draw which works for the system. Brine draw can be adjustable by adding the optional adjustable brine float.

 

 

Accumatic^TM Brine System Operation

1. The Task Master^ä valve shifts to the brine position. Flow now passes through the brine injector mounted inside the valve body (internal injector).  (See part #2 on the exploded view of the Task Master^ä.) The injector draws a vacuum on the brine line.
2. This vacuum releases the brine valve seal (originally seated by incoming fill water pressure). The Free-flow valve drops open allowing brine to be drawn from the tank. As water is drawn from the tank, the main float will drop to allow re-fill. At the same time, the vacuum draws the air check valve closed to prevent the drawing of air through the re-fill valve.
3. The unit will continue to draw brine until the water level in the brine tank reaches the bottom of the brine riser tube. At this time the brine check will seat. This again prevents air from being drawn into the system. The Task Master^ä valve remains in brine position and water continues to pass through the injector even though it is not drawing brine.  This cycle is called Slow Rinse.  Slow rinse ends when the cycle timer advances the piston to the Fast Rinse position.
4. In the Fast Rinse position (and all other positions except Brine Draw) the brine line is under positive pressure.  This positive pressure lifts the inverted free-flow valve, and the air check valve and allows water to begin refilling the brine tank.
5. Refilling continues until the water level in the brine tank reaches the preset level and the float causes the brine valve seat and seal. The continuing positive pressure on the brine line maintains this seal. 

The fresh water, which entered the brine tank, is now in contact with solid salt. Over the next few hours, the water becomes saturated with salt creating saturated brine.