How to choose the right water filter is the first question that comes to mind when thinking of purchasing one. There are various factors to keep in mind before finalizing one, like the quality and nature of your water source, your budget, and even the design that best fits your home or office. To simplify the process, we’ve created a quick guide to help you find the perfect water filter.
Different water filters serve different purposes. Some improve the taste of your water, while others remove harmful chemicals or specific germs.
Different Types of Filtration Technologies Used in Water Filters:
Activated Carbon Filters: Removes Chlorine and Organic Compound
An activated carbon filter helps in removing Chlorine and Organic Compounds in water. Natural organic matter(NOM) like humic and fulvic acids are found in water sources which are normally harmless. But this when reacted to chlorine from disinfectant can form disinfection byproducts (DBPs), including trihalomethanes (THMs).THMs are classified as possible human carcinogens by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the World Health Organization (WHO) due to their potential long-term health risks, including an increased risk of bladder cancer.
Reverse Osmosis (RO) Filters: Eliminating Dissolved Impurities
Reverse Osmosis (RO) is a method of removing impurities from water by forcing it through a semi-permeable membrane. This technology helps in removing dissolved salts and minerals like sulfate and magnesium, as well as heavy metals like lead, arsenic V, fluoride, and a variety of other impurities.
UV Filters: Disinfecting Water with Ultraviolet Light
UV (‘Ultraviolet’) is a simple yet effective method of disinfecting water. UV filters do not use any potentially harmful chemicals, making them environmentally friendly.UV water treatment is a highly effective and low-cost solution for killing the majority of water-borne viruses and bacteria. Furthermore, UV filters leave no taint in the water in terms of taste, color, or odor, making them ideal water purification products.
A UV water filter, also known as a ‘UV sterilizer’ or a ‘UV reactor’, is made up of a stainless steel chamber that houses UV lamps that are linked to a controller. Water passes through the unit and is exposed to the high-intensity UV light emitted by the lamps which destroy the DNA within the bacteria cells and viruses.
Pre-RO Carbon Filter
Before water reaches the RO membrane, the pre-RO carbon filter removes as many contaminants as feasible. This is mostly due to carbon filters’ larger surface area, which attracts all dissolved chemicals to the carbon particles on the surface. At this point, the carbon filter is referred to as a Pre-RO Carbon filter.
The pre-RO carbon filter further extends the life of the RO membrane by shielding it from chlorine, which is known to harm the membrane by expanding its pores.
Post-RO Carbon filter
After the RO and UV purification processes, another layer of carbon filter is added, known as the Post-RO Carbon filter. The Post-RO Carbon filter is typically used in the final stages of water purification. This carbon filter purification stage helps to improve the water’s quality. It functions as a polisher, enhancing the flavor of cleaned water.
Ultrafiltration (UF): High-Purity Water Through Advanced Membrane Technology
Ultrafiltration (UF) is a membrane filtration method comparable to reverse osmosis that uses hydrostatic pressure to drive water through a semi-permeable membrane. The ultrafiltration membrane’s pore size is usually between 103 and 106 Daltons. Ultrafiltration (UF) is a pressure-driven barrier that removes suspended particles, bacteria, viruses, endotoxins, and other pathogens from water, resulting in extremely pure water with low silt density.
Ultrafiltration (UF) is a type of membrane filtration in which hydrostatic pressure drives a liquid against a semi-permeable membrane. Suspended particles and solutes with high molecular weight are trapped, whereas water and low molecular weight solutes pass through the membrane.
Sediment Filters: Removing Dirt, Sand, and Debris
Sediment filters rely on mechanical filtering mechanisms. Mechanical filtering keeps unwanted particles from entering your water supply. Sediment filters have enough porosity to allow water to flow into your home while trapping dirt and sand. Sediment filters are nets that collect particle debris from your water.
Ceramic Filters: Natural Filtration for Microorganisms
Ceramic water filters work by allowing water to pass through millions of tiny pores on the ceramic cartridge’s casing. These pores, which are half a micron in size, trap impurities as water passes through them. The filter’s interior is a convoluted maze of sharp angles that captures any particles that have penetrated the exterior surface. Because of the small size of the pores and the complexity of the filter, water percolation through a ceramic filter is very fine particulate filtration, removing a variety of contaminants such as bacteria and sediment.
Ion Exchange Filters: Softening Hard Water
The process of Ion exchange filtration, as the name implies, works on an ion exchange mechanism. Ions in hard minerals (calcium and magnesium) are exchanged for ions in “soft” minerals such as sodium, which do not produce the hard scale that can damage kitchen equipment.
Water softener systems are made up of two tanks: a resin tank and a brine tank. The resin tank is filled with negatively charged cation resin beads that have been coated with sodium (Na+). As hard water flows through this bed, positively charged calcium (Ca++) and magnesium (Mg++) ions are drawn to and adhere to the resin, allowing sodium ions to escape into the solution. The calcium and magnesium in the water have now been converted into sodium.
Analyze the nature of your water supply and determine which combination of filtration works best for you. Most water purifiers come with multiple levels of filtration to provide you with safe, odorless, and better-tasting water. Water is precious—let’s use it wisely.
Find the Best Water Filter for Your Home with Aquasure!
Analyze the nature of your water supply and determine which combination of filtration works best for you. Most water purifiers come with multiple levels of filtration to provide you with safe, odorless, and better-tasting water. Water is precious—let’s use it wisely.
At Aquasure, we offer a wide range of high-quality water purifiers, water softeners, and water tank chillers designed to meet Qatar’s water purification needs.
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