How Does Reverse Osmosis System Works ?

By Scott Rodgers

Reverse osmosis is considered to be the finest filtration system available today. Generally all the bottling companies use this treatment technology. It is very effective in removing a wide range of contaminants that are left out by other water filtering technologies.

A RO system helps in removing very minute particles from the contaminated water. Membrane pores are 0.0005 micron in size therefore it halts bacteria (0.2 to 1 micron), virus (0.02 to 0.4 microns) or any other tiny object to pass through it.

RO membranes are of two types: Thin Film Composite (TFC) and Cellulose Triacetate (CTA). TFC membranes eliminate more impurities than a CTA membrane. However, TFC membranes are more likely to be corrupted by chlorine. For this reason, carbon pre-filters are used in RO filters.

A RO system includes granular activated carbon (GAC) pre-filters, reverse osmosis membrane, storage tank and a faucet for delivering purified water. The quality of a RO system depends on the quality of membrane used and storing capacity of the tank.

A RO system contains a semi permeable membrane to stop the impurities and let pure water pass through it. For cleaning of water, pressure is build up in the purifier and this pressure is generated with the help of strong pumps.

The membrane that is used to filter out the impurities is cleaned by a process called cross flow. In this process the filtered impurities are removed along with waste water by means of a drain. As the impurity is flushed away the membrane remains clear and dust free.

If a membrane will continuously clean the chlorine, iron, manganese, hydrogen sulfide and bacteria it will soon be damaged. Therefore, sediment pre-filter and an activated carbon pre-filter or post-filter are used along with membrane to enhance the durability of the filter. This system is very effective in removing nitrate from water.

Reverse osmosis water purifier is an outstanding choice for almost all the homeowners. It is mostly recommended for purifying water in homes but it is not recommended to purify the water that contains biological contaminants like untreated ocean water. For these applications combination of RO and ultraviolet system should be taken to have better protection against viruses and other contaminants. - 33393

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