Automatic recharger brine preparation from a canister

Abstract

The disclosure relates to systems and methods for generating a brine solution using a canister for recharging zirconium phosphate in a reusable sorbent module. The canister can include salt and have an inlet and an outlet. The inlet can extend upwardly into an interior of the canister above solid sodium chloride and sodium acetate. Water can be added to dissolve the salts in the canister and the resulting solution can be collected as a brine solution for use in recharging the zirconium phosphate.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system, comprising:
 a sorbent recharger; the sorbent recharger comprising:   i) a receiving compartment for a zirconium phosphate sorbent module;   ii) at least a first fluid line fluidly connectable to an inlet of the zirconium phosphate sorbent module in the receiving compartment;   iii) at least a second fluid line fluidly connectable to an outlet of the zirconium phosphate sorbent module;   iv) at least one pump;   a brine container fluidly connectable to the first fluid line;   a salt canister; the salt canister comprising an inlet fluidly connectable to a water source and an acetic acid source; and an outlet fluidly connectable to the brine container; the salt canister includes at least one sodium salt;   a control system; the control system programmed to:   i) pump a preset volume of fluid from the water source into the salt canister;   ii) recirculate fluid in a first flow path from the outlet of the salt canister to the brine container and then to the inlet of the salt canister; and to   iii) pump a preset volume of acetic acid into the first flow path.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the sodium salt is sodium chloride, sodium lactate, sodium diacetate, or sodium acetate, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , the control system further programmed to pump fluid from the brine container through the zirconium phosphate sorbent module. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , the control system programmed to recirculate fluid in a first flow path until a homogeneous solution is generated in the first flow path. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , the control system programmed to recirculate fluid in a first flow path for a preset period of time. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the salt canister comprises a filter pad between the any one of the one or more sodium salt and the outlet. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the salt canister comprises a cap on a bottom of the salt canister; wherein the inlet and outlet enter the salt canister through the cap. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the salt canister comprises a filter pad in the cap; the filter pad between any one of the one or more sodium salt. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the inlet of the salt canister extends upwardly into the salt canister. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein the inlet of the salt canister extends upwardly above the any one of the one or more sodium salt in the salt canister. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the any one of the one or more sodium salt are initially solid. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the salt canister is initially filled about ¾ with any one of the one or more sodium salt. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the salt canister comprises an air vent at a top of the salt canister. 
     
     
         14 . A use of the system of  claim 1  to generate a brine solution for recharging zirconium phosphate; comprising the steps of:
 pumping water from a water source to a salt canister through an inlet of the salt canister; the salt canister containing sodium chloride and sodium acetate to recirculate fluid from an outlet of the salt canister, to a brine container, and back to the inlet of the salt canister in a first flow path; 
 pumping acetic acid into the first flow path; and 
 collecting fluid from the first flow path into the brine container to generate the brine solution. 
 
     
     
         15 . The use of  claim 14 ; wherein the brine container is fluidly connected to a sorbent recharger; and further comprising the step of pumping the brine solution through a zirconium phosphate sorbent module in the sorbent recharger. 
     
     
         16 . The use of  claim 14 , wherein the fluid is recirculated in the first flow path until a homogenous solution is generated. 
     
     
         17 . The use of  claim 14 , wherein the fluid is recirculated in the first flow path for a preset period of time. 
     
     
         18 . The use of  claim 14 , wherein the salt canister comprises a filter pad between the any one of the one or more sodium salt and the outlet. 
     
     
         19 . The use of  claim 14 , wherein the salt canister comprises a cap on a bottom of the salt canister; wherein the inlet and outlet enter the salt canister through the cap. 
     
     
         20 . The use of  claim 19 , wherein the salt canister comprises a filter pad in the cap; the filter pad between the any one of the one or more sodium salt and the outlet. 
     
     
         21 . The use of  claim 14 , wherein the inlet of the salt canister extends upwardly into the salt canister. 
     
     
         22 . The use of  claim 14 , wherein the inlet of the salt canister extends above the any one of the one or more sodium salt the salt canister. 
     
     
         23 . The use of  claim 14 , wherein the any one of the one or more sodium salt are initially solid. 
     
     
         24 . A salt canister for use in recharging zirconium phosphate, the salt canister comprising:
 an inlet fluidly connectable to a water source;   an outlet fluidly connectable to a brine container; and   a cap on a bottom of the salt canister; wherein the inlet and outlet enter the salt canister through the cap; the salt canister containing any one or more sodium salt.   
     
     
         25 . The salt canister of  claim 24 , further comprising an air vent on a top of the salt canister. 
     
     
         26 . The salt canister of  claim 24 , wherein the inlet of the salt canister extends upwardly into the salt canister. 
     
     
         27 . The salt canister of  claim 26 , wherein the inlet of the salt canister extends upwardly above the any one of the one or more sodium salt in the salt canister. 
     
     
         28 . The salt canister of  claim 27 , wherein the sodium salt is sodium chloride, sodium lactate, sodium diacetate, or sodium acetate, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         29 . A sorbent recharger, comprising:
 at least one inlet fluidly connectable to a water source;   at least one inlet fluidly connectable to a brine container; and   at least one outlet fluidly connectable to a salt canister containing one or more of a sodium salt.   
     
     
         30 . The salt canister of  claim 29 , wherein the sodium salt is sodium chloride, sodium lactate, sodium diacetate, or sodium acetate, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         31 . The sorbent recharger of  claim 29 , further comprising a control system programmed to:
 pump a preset volume of fluid from the water source into the salt canister;   recirculate fluid in a first flow path from the outlet of the salt canister to the brine container and then to the inlet of the salt canister; and to   pump a preset volume of acetic acid into the first flow path.   
     
     
         32 . The sorbent recharger of  claim 29  wherein the control system is programmed to recirculate fluid in the first flow path until a homogeneous solution is generated in the first flow path. 
     
     
         33 . The sorbent recharger of  claim 29 , wherein the control system is programmed to recirculate fluid in a first flow path for a preset period of time. 
     
     
         34 . The sorbent recharger of  claim 29 , the control system further programmed to pump fluid from the brine container through the zirconium phosphate sorbent module. 
     
     
         35 . The sorbent recharger of  claim 29 , the control system programmed to recirculate fluid in a first flow path until a homogeneous solution is generated in the first flow path. 
     
     
         36 . The sorbent recharger of  claim 9 , the control system programmed to recirculate fluid in a first flow path for a preset period of time. 
     
     
         37 . The sorbent recharger of  claim 29 , wherein the salt canister comprises a filter pad between the any one of the one or more sodium salt and the outlet. 
     
     
         38 . The sorbent recharger of  claim 29 , wherein the salt canister comprises a cap on a bottom of the salt canister; wherein the inlet and outlet enter the salt canister through the cap. 
     
     
         39 . The sorbent recharger of  claim 38 , wherein the salt canister comprises a filter pad in the cap; the filter pad between the any one of the one or more sodium salt and the outlet. 
     
     
         40 . The sorbent recharger of  claim 29 , wherein the inlet of the salt canister extends upwardly into the salt canister. 
     
     
         41 . The sorbent recharger of  claim 40 , wherein the inlet of the salt canister extends upwardly above the any one of the one or more sodium salt in the salt canister. 
     
     
         42 . The sorbent recharger of  claim 29 , wherein the any one of the one or more sodium salt is initially solid. 
     
     
         43 . The sorbent recharger of  claim 29 , wherein the salt canister is initially filled about ¾ with the any one of the one or more sodium salt. 
     
     
         44 . The sorbent recharger of  claim 29 , wherein the salt canister comprises an air vent at a top of the salt canister.