How to Make Distilled Water

Water, the miraculous molecule, a combination of covalently bonded oxygen atom and two hydrogen atoms, the harbinger of life is one of the most abundant resources on Earth. The problem is that although roughly 71% of Earth's surface is covered with water, it is saline and undrinkable! That is where distillation comes into the picture as a technique by which highly pure drinking water can be obtained from any impure sources.

Distillation method is in principle the same method that makes rainfall or monsoon possible! Sea water evaporates due to the heat generated by Sun and forms clouds. Clouds condense to give us rain which fills our ponds, lakes and rivers. So if you want to understand what distillation is, understand how nature makes the phenomenon of rain possible. Most of the scientific techniques that we have developed just mimic nature.

The Procedure for Making Distilled Water

The process is very simple in principle. Firstly, heat the impure water in a container until it reaches boiling point (which is 100 degree Celsius or 211.73 degree Fahrenheit at sea level). Then collect the vapor that is created and transport it through appropriate arrangement to another closed container at lower temperature. This second container should be cooled by placing it in ice or covering with a wet cloth. Use a tube to transport the vapor from one container to the other. Make sure it does not diffuse. Clean the second container and connecting tube thoroughly and make sure they are sterilized.

Just as dew forms on leaves from mist, similarly the vapor that is transported will condense in that container due to the sudden drop in temperature. Thus, after separating the water component from the mixture, what remains are the impurities. For example, if you heat sea water, you will find salt left behind in the container with other impurities. That is how salt is made on the seashore by the way!

Distillation however cannot guarantee 100% removal of impurities. Some chemicals and impurities can vaporize with water and condense again. So they cannot be removed by this pure distillation process. Other techniques are required to separate these chemicals and ions. One thing the boiling process ensures is the killing of most microbes that exist in the impure water.

This is the basic structure of distillation procedure. Now, in this procedure you could change the heating mechanism and the cooling mechanism or the number of times you boil the water. Double distilled water is even more pure. One can always experiment with the heating mechanism.

A time will come when pure water sources will be endangered and become scarce. Drinking water, like crude oil, will become a costly commodity! At that time, distilling seawater to pure water will become a need of the day. In many countries, plans are in place to build distillation centers on the sea shore with solar power as the heating mechanism. They will convert sea water to drinking water after treating them for other impurities. This is a great business opportunity for the future!

Distilled Drinking Water

Distilled water is safe drinking water. Still, there is one drawback of distilled water which many people have pointed out. That is, although distillation removes all the solid impurities from water, it also strips off valuable minerals which are needed by the body.

Counter argument is that the amount of mineral dosage from water is very small and can be adequately supplemented by diet. Other minor drawback is, it is devoid of taste that we are used to in water from natural sources like rivers. The same is true for bottled water. This can be taken care of by adding the requisite amount of minerals for taste and health.

Distilled water is devoid of impurities and is therefore ideal to be used in a variety of industrial applications as a coolant, lubricant and solvent. Do not use distilled water for aquariums as it cannot sustain life unless enriched by certain chemicals and nutrients.

Distilled water can be easily made anywhere, anytime. All you need is a tube that transports heated vapor between two containers and a cooling mechanism for the second container. You can heat the water, for example, by using convex lens or magnifying glass and focusing the sunlight on the container.

Try out different materials for the container like transparent plastic that can withstand high temperatures.This way you can experiment and build your own distillation kit which can be used to distill water when you are outdoors camping! Try it out!