Fluidized bed pellet reactor water softener and process for softening water

A process for softening water, the process comprising:

• providing a fluidized bed pellet reactor for softening hard water, the reactor comprising:
• a seed storage tank for storing fine sand for use as crystallization seeds,
• a reactor tank for containing a fluidized bed of pellets,
• an inflow pump for pumping inflow fluid, the fluid having a pH, to be treated into the reactor tank to fluidize the bed of pellets,
• a reagent storage tank for storing a chemical reagent for adjusting the pH of the fluid in the reactor tank,
• means for delivering seed from the seed storage tank to the reactor tank,
• means for delivering reagent from the reagent storage tank to the reactor tank,
• means for withdrawing pellets from the reactor tank, and
• means for measuring the weight of the reactor tank, the reactor tank having contents, and the contents of the reactor tank;
• the process further comprising:
• mixing a predetermined weight of seed with a predetermined volume or weight of water in the seed storage tank to form a mixture of the seeds and water;
• filling the reactor tank with a predetermined volume of water;
• transferring a predetermined amount of the mixture of the seeds and water from the seed storage tank to the reactor tank;
• pumping the inflow liquid to be treated into the reactor tank to create a fluidized bed;
• delivering the chemical reagent from the reagent storage tank to the reactor tank to crystallize the calcium ions as calcium carbonate on the seeds to form pellets;
• maintaining density of the fluidized bed at a predetermined optimum density;
• withdrawing treated water as an effluent from the reactor tank;
• withdrawing the pellets from the reactor tank.