Awareness about water quality and standards is growing nowadays, making people utilise different treatment and purification devices. Numerous drinking water filtration methods exist. To choose what kind of device might be appropriate, it is important to know the key methods and terms being employed today and what problems they are all designed to address. You can then begin to compare specific manufacturers and dealers, knowing you’re then obtaining what you want. As you will see, each system has somewhat different purposes and is more or less appropriate for residential, commercial or industrial use.
Briefly, there are the following methods:
Filtration. It is a technique used to remove the smallest dirt particles, bacteria and other microorganisms through special microfiltration devices. This method is widely used both in homes and the food and beverage industry for drinking, cooking, ice-making, etc.
Adsorption. It is a process where a solid (mainly activated carbon or alumina) is used for removing a soluble substance from the water. Reduces chlorine taste, certain organics and musty and fishy odors.
Deionization (DI). This method consists in removing minerals, as well as nitrates and sulfates. It is used mainly as part of a purification system wherever water of exceptionally high quality is difficult or impossible to attain by other processes. DI is often used for ice making, high-pressure boilers, metal plating, electronics manufacturing, pharmaceutical and medicine processing.
Distillation. In this familiar process that mimics the hydrologic cycle, water is converted into vapor by heating, then cooled and condensed to liquid and collected.
Reverse Osmosis (RO). It is the finest filtration method known. This process allows the removal of the smallest particles from a solution. Reverse Osmosis membranes remove dissolved impurities (e.g. mineral salts, toxic metals) - those even smaller than the water molecules themselves. RO can be used alone or as part of a system to prepare water of a very high quality.
Electrodialysis. Allows removal of salts and minerals due to direct current electricity and special membranes. The amount to be removed is regulated by the electric current and the design of the membrane. Electrodialysis may be used together with ion exchange to produce ultra-high purity water for industry use. It should be noted that electrodialysis plants require relatively clear influent water, so pre-treatment of the supply may be necessary.
Disinfection. The process of killing (inactivating) harmful and objectionable bacteria, cysts and other pathogenic microorganisms by various agents such as chemicals, heat, ultraviolet light, ultrasonic waves, or radiation. Disinfection is usually considered a 99% kill compared to sterilization that generally attains 100% kill.
Silver Bacteriostatis. It is a method of bacteriological growth inhibition by means of silver compounds.
Oxidation. It causes precipitates that can then be removed by filtration thus
allowing water impurities, such as iron, manganese and hydrogen sulfide to be removed.
Neutralization. Purpose: Produces a water of neutral pH. How it works: The addition of bicarbonates, alkalinity, acid or a base.
Ion Exchange Softening. It removes calcium and magnesium to produce softened water. It also removes all radioactive radium and barium from a water supply. It is used both in homes , commercial laundries, car washes, restaurants, hotels, beauty salons and in manufacturing processes such as textile making and those involving steam production.
Chemical Treatment. Controls corrosion and the destructive disintegration of metal.
Combined Methods Water Treatment Purpose. This approach involves mixing the basic methods that are needed and used in many cases to solve water quality problems. For example, chlorination may be used for disinfection and the precipitation of iron or hydrogen sulfide, which is then removed by filtration.
As you see, the scope of water treatment methods is extremely wide. So, take your time and make an informed decision in order to purchase of the appropriate treatment option for your specific water filtration needs. Pure water will never have tasted so sweet!