Reverse Osmosis Filters
are best for their ability to remove a large percentage of contaminants from the water, including dangerous waterborne bacteria. These filters work by forcing water through a reverse osmosis membrane using pressure.
There is no life on this earth without water. Nature does its part to recycle the amount of water on the planet to meet humanity’s massive water needs, however, the fresh water that humans need to survive is a tiny fraction compared to salt water and polluted water. That is why for a number of years people have used a reverse osmosis water filter to ensure the cleanest water possible.
Polluted water in its journey through reverse osmosis filters passes through several filtration stages, the most important of which is the reverse osmosis membrane.
Reverse osmosis membrane components
The reverse osmosis membrane is a carefully designed, multi-layered semi-permeable membrane. The reverse osmosis membrane is made of polymers such as polyamide and cellulose. Polyamide can be manufactured, or obtained from natural sources, such as wool and silk. Cellulose membranes are the oldest, having been in use since 1955, but polyamide is more efficient.
The pore size of the reverse osmosis membrane is less than 1 nanometer, about 90,000 times smaller than the width of a human hair. These filters remove all germs in the water, along with other fine chemical compounds that may be present in it.
How do reverse osmosis filters work
Its work through several steps:
Initially, water from building pipes or any other source enters the reverse osmosis filter and passes through a pre-filter, whose job is to filter the water of all large particles, such as sediment, dirt and rust that may come through the water pipes. This filter is relatively inexpensive and increases the overall life of the reverse osmosis filter.
After passing through the pre-filter, a pressure pump is used to push the water through a reverse osmosis membrane capable of removing microorganisms and TDS present in the water. Dissolved solids include the minerals and organic molecules found in water. The water that passes through the reverse osmosis membrane is 97-98% free of dissolved ions and 99% of germs.
Some reverse osmosis filters may also contain post-treatment filters, which improve the taste of the water. This after-filter contains mineral balls that selectively regenerate the good minerals lost during the reverse osmosis process.
Waste and dirt leave the filter through another pipeline connection that goes to the sewer.
The final product coming out of the filter is clean, potable fresh water.
Pollutants that reverse osmosis filters can remove
The reverse osmosis water purification system is known to eliminate 99% of the pollutants in the water. These include:
chlorine and fluorine
Lead, arsenic, chromium, radium, barium and cadmium
Salts – nitrates, sulfates, etc.
Sediment, Dirt and Rust
heavy metals
Parasites
Volatile Organic Compounds (VOCs)
Herbicides and Insecticides
Total Dissolved Solids (TDS)
Where can reverse osmosis filters be used
Reverse osmosis filters are used to purify domestic drinking water, and are also used on a much larger scale in sewage treatment plants, water desalination plants, and plants that extract salt from water, this method is also used to make seawater drinkable, and it allows ships at sea to purify seawater For fresh drinking water.
Disadvantages of reverse osmosis filters
Although they are considered the best at purifying water and making it drinkable, reverse osmosis filters have the disadvantage that they are difficult to maintain.
If the pump experiences any malfunction that may cause the water pressure to drop, this means that the flow of water through the reverse osmosis membrane will be very slow. This will increase the time it takes for the reverse osmosis filter to purify the water.
If the filters are not cleaned regularly, this can lead to clogging of the reverse osmosis system and the formation of bacterial biofilms inside the device, further contaminating the water coming from the pipes.
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