Reverse Osmosis Water Treatment Explained
Reverse Osmosis Water Treatment uses pressure to push water molecules through a semi-permeable membrane. It reverses the natural tendency of aqueous solutions to move across membranes from areas with lower concentrations of salts and contaminants to higher concentrations.
Our top pick from iSpring includes a final remineralization stage that adds back essential minerals, which helps give filtered water a more perceptible taste profile. Generally, RO drinking systems should be cleaned, sanitized and recharged annually.
It Removes Contaminants
Reverse Osmosis removes most contaminants from water by pushing it under pressure through a semi-permeable membrane. It’s a complex process, but it’s also very simple. In the following sections, we’ll break it down for you Reverse Osmosis Water Treatment so you can understand how Reverse Osmosis works and what it does to water.
First, your drinking water goes through a sediment filter (or prefilter) to remove any silt, clay, and other particles that might clog the RO membrane. Then the RO membrane filters your water on a molecular level, removing dissolved chemicals and salts that your standard filter can’t.
The membrane is actually a thin polymer membrane, similar to the plastic used to make water bottles. The holes in the membrane are so small that only water molecules can pass through. Anything larger than a water molecule is rejected as waste and is flushed down the drain.
It’s important to note that while reverse osmosis is great at removing many different types of contaminants, it doesn’t fully remove bacteria. In fact, if you live in an area with a high rate of pervasive bacteria, it’s usually necessary to add a UV treatment after the reverse osmosis membrane to ensure that bacteria is killed. EPA Water Consultants, your local water softener and water filtration system dealer in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, recommends getting a water test before adding a reverse osmosis system to your home. This way, you’ll know exactly what contaminants are in your water and what kind of system is best for your needs.
It Removes Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)
VOCs are a class of chemical pollutants that have unique properties that allow them to form waterborne vapor. Unlike airborne contaminants that can be easily detected due to their odor, VOCs in water do not have an aroma. Because of this, they are difficult to detect unless you specifically test your water for them. Once in your drinking water, however, they pose a health risk and can cause a variety of illnesses including respiratory problems, eye and nose irritation, liver, kidney, and brain damage, headaches, nausea, and even cancer.
Like other water treatment methods, reverse osmosis is able to remove a wide range of VOCs from your drinking water. It does so by using a series of filters and a semi-permeable membrane to separate the contaminated water from the pure water. Activated carbon is the most common filter used for VOCs since it can adsorb them and eliminate them from your water supply. Other VOC removal techniques include ultrafiltration and electrodialysis.
The reverse osmosis process begins with a pre-filtration phase that reduces fine, suspended materials that can clog the system’s thin film membrane. This phase is followed by a filtration step that removes chlorine from the water since it can damage the membrane. Finally, the water is pushed through a reverse osmosis membrane that is designed to remove a large range of aesthetic and health-related contaminants. This stage is typically followed by a carbon post-filtration phase that removes any remaining taste and odors. The clean drinking water then goes into a pressurized storage tank while the rejected contaminants are flushed down the drain.
It Removes Chlorine
Chlorine is a chemical that is used in water treatment to kill bacteria and viruses. It Filling Machine Supplier is necessary for public water systems to protect the health of their customers, but too much chlorine can have a negative impact on your health and may affect the taste of your drinking water. A reverse osmosis system uses a series of filters to strip the chlorine from your drinking water and ensure it is safe to drink.
The RO process begins with a pre-filtration phase that reduces fine particles and debris that can clog the membrane. Then, it passes through a carbon filter to remove aesthetic taste and odors. The RO system then uses a semi-permeable membrane to remove a wide variety of contaminants, including chlorine. The resulting water is called permeate. The concentrate water that is left over is referred to as waste or brine.
Reverse osmosis systems are available in point-of-use (POU) and point-of-entry (POE) applications. POU systems filter drinking water for specific applications such as coffee machines or faucets, while POE devices treat the entire household’s water supply.
A POU system typically costs less to install and maintain than a POE system, but both systems require annual cleaning, sanitization and filter replacement. To keep your filtration system at peak performance, it is important to purchase high-quality filters. You can find a variety of filters on the market, including melt blown polypropylene and string wound, for different water-purifying needs.
It Removes Fluoride
Reverse Osmosis systems use four stages of filtration to create better-than-bottled water for your home. The first sediment filter screens out large particles like dirt, sand, and rust to prevent them from clogging the next filters. The pre-carbon block removes odors and chemicals that have no taste, and the reverse osmosis membrane catches molecules heavier than water including sodium, high levels of lead, dissolved minerals, fluoride, bacteria, and more. Finally, a post-carbon filter polishes the water, removing the remaining traces of contaminants.
While fluoride is a necessary nutrient for healthy teeth, it can become toxic in large quantities. It is added to municipal drinking water supplies in the United States in small amounts to strengthen tooth enamel. However, excessive fluoride can cause health issues such as bone cancer and thyroid problems.
Reverse Osmosis is a highly effective way to remove fluoride from drinking water. Using reverse osmosis, pressure pushes water through the membrane. The membrane catches different types of molecules and ions, including fluoride, leaving clean drinking water on the other side. In addition to removing fluoride, Reverse Osmosis can remove nitrates, lead, pesticides, sulfates, arsenic, and many other harmful substances from your water.