Means and method for backwashing the zeolite in a hot lime hot zeolite water softening system

Claim 1

THE METHOD OF TREATING WATER IN A HOT LIME HOT ZEOLITE SOFTENING APPARATUS COMPRISING THE STEPS OF: ESTABLISHING A FLOW OF SAID WATER THROUGH A PLURALITY OF ZONES; ADDING LIME TO SAID WATER IN A LIME SOFTENING ZONE TO PARTIALLY REDUCE THE CARBONATE HARDNESS OF SAID WATER; FILTERING THE LIME SOFTENED WATER IN A FILTERING ZONE; PASSING ONE PART OF THE FILTERED LIME SOFTENED WATER FROM THIE FILTERING ZONE IN THE NORMAL FORWARD DIRECTION THROUGH A FIRST ION EXCHANGE ZEOLITE SOFTENING ZONE TO COMPLETE THE SOFTENING OF SAID PART OF SAID WATER; SIMULTANEOUSLY PASSING THE REMAINDER OF THE LIME SOFTENED WATER THROUGH A SECOND ION EXCHANGE ZEOLITE SOFTENING ZONE IN THE DIRECTION REVERSE OF THE NORMAL FORWARD DIRECTION TO BACKWASH SAID SECOND ION EXCHANGE ZEOLITE SOFTENING ZONE FOR A TIME INTERVAL SUFFICIENT TO ELIMINATE CHANNELS OF NONUNIFORM HYDRAULIC RESISTANCE AND TO CARRY OFF SUSPENDED MATERIAL IN SAID SECOND ZONE; RETURNING A PART OF THE BACKWASH WATER LEAVING SAID SECOND ZONE TO SAID SECOND ION EXCHANGE ZEOLITE SOFTENING ZONE; AND PASSING THE REMAINDER OF SAID BACKWASH WATER THROUGH SAID FIRST ION EXCHANGE SOFTENING ZONE.