METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR MONITORING AND CONTROLLING THE QUALITY OF WATER USED IN A HOUSEHOLD APPLIANCE

The present invention relates to an apparatus (1) for monitoring and controlling the quality of water used in a household appliance, comprising a device (4) for monitoring and controlling the water quality and at least one processing and control unit (2, 8), characterized in that said device (4) for monitoring and controlling the water quality in turn comprises at least one fluid-tight casing (13) and at least one reflecting wall (10), where at least one ultrasonic transducer (6) is housed within said fluid-tight casing (13), and wherein said ultrasonic transducer (6) is configured to emit an acoustic wave (A) towards said reflecting wall (10), placed at a known distance (D) from said ultrasonic transducer (6), and to receive the acoustic wave reflected (A') by said reflective wall (10), between said casing (13) and said reflective wall (10) a monitoring volume (V) being defined, adapted to be invaded by said water, so that said emitted acoustic wave (A) and said reflected acoustic wave (A') cross said monitoring volume (V), said at least one processing and control unit (2, 8) being in signal connection with said ultrasonic transducer (6) and being configured to process a signal indicative of a time-of- flight (ToF) of said acoustic wave (A, A') associated with a temperature signal of said water and to generate, on the basis of said time-of-flight (ToF) indicative signal, at least one of: a signal indicative of the degree of hardness of said water, a signal indicative of the degree of turbidity of said water and a signal indicative of the presence of particulate matter and microplastics in said water. La présente invention se rapporte à un appareil (1) de surveillance et de contrôle de la qualité de l'eau utilisée dans un appareil ménager, comprenant un dispositif (4) de surveillance et de contrôle de la qualité de l'eau et au moins une unité de traitement et de contrôle (2, 8), caractérisé en ce que ledit dispositif (4) de surveillance et de contrôle de la qualité de l'eau comprend à son tour au moins un boîtier étanche aux fluides (13) et au moins une paroi réfléchissante (10), où au moins un transducteur ultrasonore (6) est logé à l'intérieur dudit boîtier étanche aux fluides (13), et ledit transducteur ultrasonore (6) étant conçu pour émettre une onde acoustique (A) vers ladite paroi réfléchissante (10), placée à une distance connue (D) dudit transducteur ultrasonore (6), et pour recevoir l'onde acoustique réfléchie (A') par ladite paroi réfléchissante