Reverse Osmosis Water Filter

What is reverse osmosis? How does a reverse osmosis water filter work? Well, to understand the working of a reverse osmosis water purifiers, you need to first understand the concept of reverse osmosis. Here's some information on the mechanism employed by reverse osmosis water filtration system.

Reverse Osmosis (RO)

The process of reverse osmosis has been widely used for residential as well as industrial purposes. Reverse osmosis, also known as hyper-filtration, is a process used for purification of water. Though initially this process was used for purifying and desalinating sea water, ever since the awareness regarding reverse osmosis filtration advantages increased, these water filters have become a part of every household. RO water filters are believed to be one of the best water purification systems. As the name suggests, reverse osmosis involves the reversal of the natural process of osmosis.

Osmosis refers to the movement of a solvent from a region of higher concentration to a region of lower concentration. In a solution of water dissolved with impurities, water is referred to as the solvent and impurities are referred to as solutes. Osmosis will involve the crossing over of the fresh or clean water through the semi-permeable membrane to concentrated solution. In case of reverse osmosis, pressure is applied to water when it is on one side of a semi-permeable membrane. Due to the application of external pressure, the impurities from water get separated and purified water passes over to the other side. Now that you know how does reverse osmosis work, let's find out more about the components of a RO water filters.

How Do Reverse Osmosis Water Filters Work

A reverse osmosis water purifier has many components. It is connected to the water source through a valve. It comprises a pre-filter or a sediment filter that removes chlorine, salt, fluoride and other sediments. The main task is performed by the reverse osmosis membrane. The commonly used membranes include Cellulose Triacetate (CTA) and Thin Film Composite (TFC). CTA has proved to be very effective in removal of chlorine, whereas TFC works wonders when it comes to getting rid of bacteria.

Such water filters can also get rid of bad odor and this is achieved through an additional pure carbon filter. The water which is purified through reverse osmosis is collected in the storage tank. When the storage tank is full, the automatic shut off valve prevents water from passing through the membrane. A check valve stops water from the storage tank from flowing back into the membrane. Clean drinking water comes out from the faucet and the impurities are disposed off through the drain line.

Effectiveness of Reverse Osmosis Water Filtration Systems

Now that you know what is meant by reverse osmosis, let's find out more about the advantages of reverse osmosis system. What makes a reverse osmosis water purifier better than other water purification systems? Since various types of contaminants and impurities are present in water, having an effective filtration system is a must.

Having a ilter system at home gives one the satisfaction that the water we drink or use in other household activities such as cleaning utensils and washing clothes is pure and is not a carrier of disease causing agents. Though various types of technologies are used for purifying water, it is believed that reverse osmosis is the most effective. RO water purifiers remove fluoride, chlorine, sulfates, metals, viruses, bacteria, salts and various other impurities. It can also get rid of bad odor. Using water free from impurities is not only good for your health, it also prolongs the life of appliances such as washing machines or water heaters. You wouldn't have to worry about clogging of pipes of other problems that are generally caused due to water dissolved with impurities.

Wondering about the disadvantages of these filters? Well, reverse osmosis is a slow process and useful minerals also get removed during the filtration process. As far as the replacement of these water filters is concerned, you might have to replace the membrane in 2-3 years. Pre-filters and carbon filters might also need to be replaced. Whole house reverse osmosis water filtration systems are quite expensive and are not really economically viable for small families. Various companies have come up with RO water purification systems.

Purification through reverse osmosis water filter is considered to be one of the most effective types of water treatment. Due to various advantages of reverse osmosis filtration, reverse osmosis filters have now become an indispensable part of every household.