Everything you wanted to know about reverse osmosis

“Who stirs up water – 2”: or everything you wanted to know about reverse osmosis:

My first material – a comparison of household water filters “Who stirs up water” was prepared in the heat of a researcher-immigrant. When you first move to your own apartment, you begin to pay attention to trifles – because you do and buy for yourself, and you need everything to be “forever”. In a post I shared my experience comparing filter jugs and sorption flow filters from different manufacturers. Initially, there were no plans to wake up the militant commentators … And then they knocked at the door and said: “Write more, you will be a guest!” And I wrote. I work at an enterprise in the chemical industry, therefore, in everyday  life, chemistry is for me a subject of close personal  interest. The first material was born from a comparison of household water filters, which I conducted in search of the best solution for my new apartment. In that post, my colleague and I compared pitcher and sorption flow filters from different manufacturers, and also shared our conclusions with readers. Honestly, I did not expect that the material would cause such interest at Geek times, and would collect so many comments.

And so what I definitely did not expect that the manufacturers of filters studied and analyzed in that our article will react so quickly. However, I was contacted by representatives of   a well known company and invited to become a guest of their blog. Naturally, I did not refuse. In the comments of the first comparison, many readers asked why I did not compare reverse osmosis filters. The answer is simple: the cost of each in the region of 7-8 thousand rubles. Of course, I am an enthusiast, but not to the extent that, for the sake of an interesting experiment and useful article, to part with such a large sum. In general, the cards came together: I agreed to write a blog on the condition that they give me a sample of their most advanced reverse osmosis filter, ,and cover the costs of purchasing an opposing filter for the upcoming comparison. I chose an opponent at my discretion – I liked the reverse osmosis  filter  , which  is very popular. This filter is an example of a high-quality  “standard”  , in my opinion, an excellent competitor for other filters  . Moreover, both are in the same price category “about 8,000 rubles”. The Ro plant price in Pakistan is quite affordable.

What are good reverse osmosis filters?

Household filters for additional purification of drinking water can be divided into three types.

First view

Filter jugs. They are the cheapest, they are mobile. Filter jugs purify water from chlorine, rust, heavy metals and organics. But, if you have to soften hard water, the jug cartridges do not remain effective for long, they will have to be changed very often. And pitchers do not cope with biological pollution – water after them needs to be boiled, especially if you are not sure about its bio-safety. They scored from a well, for example.

Second view

Flowing  sorption filters that are connected to the water supply (usually in the kitchen for washing). Such filters give good purification of water from most pollutants – the percentage of purification from chlorine, rust, heavy metals and organics in stationary filters is much higher. They over a longer period, in comparison with jugs, can purify water from hardness salts. But they do not purify water from viruses, and require frequent regeneration of softening cartridges.

And finally ,  the third type.

Reverse osmosis filters are water purification AT ALL from all impurities. Removing 100% hardness salts, 100% rust, 100% heavy metals, 100% bacteria and parasite cysts from water. Reverse osmosis delays even viruses, which no other type of household water purification system can handle. At the exit from the reverse osmosis filtration system, you get the most pure water that you can safely and safely drink without boiling – this is H20 in its purest form.
Fact for lovers of bottled water: most brands of bottled drinking water on sale are ordinary tap (or artesian) water that has been purified in a reverse osmosis filter and flavored with a small amount of mineral impurities to give a pleasant taste. Moreover, we are talking about water for 30 rubles / liter, as well as many “premium” waters for 200-400 rubles / liter. The real cost of such water is 0.5-0.7 rubles per liter. Pure sells, so to speak.

How does the reverse osmosis membrane work?

Despite its effectiveness in water purification, reverse osmosis membranes are quite sensitive to oxidizing agents (chlorine) and precipitates, such as colloidal iron, which can “stain” the surface of the membrane. Therefore, reverse osmosis filters have preliminary mechanical and sorption purification modules that filter chlorine, sand, dirt and mucus. After pre-treatment, water enters the module with the membrane. To explain the principle of the reverse osmosis membrane, you can give a simple example: a juicer.  Purified water – fruit,  filter – juicer, perfectly pure water – juice. Only unlike a juicer, the membrane can “squeeze” not only “pulp”, which is an analogue of undissolved impurities, but also substances that are dissolved in water. Water with impurities under pressure is forced through a rolled membrane. All impurities are absolutely everything! – remain on the membrane itself, exceptionally clean water passes through. Another stream of untreated water passes along the membrane, flushes all impurities from it and sends them to the sewer. To get 1 liter of clean water, some filters consume as much as 10 liters of drainage water to flush the membrane. Because of this advance technology the Ro plant price in Pakistan is increasing gradually but not on a large scale.