Water treatment system

A water treatment apparatus comprising:

• a) at least one water treatment tank defining a fluid flow path extending from a tank inlet to a tank outlet, said treatment tank including water treatment media disposed in said flow path;
• b) regeneration determining apparatus for determining when said treatment media requires regeneration, including a fluid pressure operated, spring-loaded control valve, the control valve comprising a fluid pressure operated piston having a peripheral seal for sealingly engaging an associated bore, said piston defining an effective pressure area for receiving fluid pressure generated opening forces from a fluid pressure signal line, a stem coupled to said piston including one end slidably received in a piston bore and a spring received in said piston bore for urging said stem in an axial direction away from said piston head and a seat secured to another end of the stem said piston head moving in an opening direction only in response to a fluid pressure signal in said fluid pressure signal line, said control valve being only fluid pressure operated and not operable by an externally applied non-fluid pressure force and,
• c)said piston head, stem, spring and seat configured such that, upon receiving said fluid pressure generated opening forces, said piston head initially moves towards said seat, compressing said spring until said seat disengages an associated seating surface, whereupon said spring expands to further move said seat away from said associated seating surface while said piston head is receiving said fluid pressure generated opening forces.

A water pressure operated water treatment apparatus having an inlet connected to a source of water to be treated, said treatment apparatus capable of operating at a low source water pressure comprising:

• a) at least one water treatment tank defining a fluid flow path extending from a tank inlet to a tank outlet, said treatment tank including water treatment media disposed in said flow path;
• b) a system controller for controlling the regeneration of said treatment media including:
• i) a regeneration control turbine;
• ii) a fluid pressure operated multi-stage, spring-loaded control valve assembly for communicating fluid to said regeneration turbine, said control valve assembly having a seat relatively movable with respect to a fluid pressure operated piston head communicating with a fluid pressure signal source such that initial movement in said piston head, in response to a fluid pressure signal, produces movement of said piston head toward said seat while said seat remains engaged with an associated sealing surface, thereby creating a spring force on said seat, whereupon further movement of said piston head, beyond said initial movement, moves said seat away from said associated sealing surface and allows said seat to move in a direction away from said piston head in response to said spring force, said piston head moving in an opening direction only in response to said fluid pressure signal, said control valve assembly being only fluid pressure operated and not operable by an externally applied non-fluid pressure force.