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Introduction
This article will take an in-depth look at water filtering systems.
The article will bring more detail on topics such as:
Principle of Water Filtering Systems
Types of Water Filtering Systems
Applications and Advantages of Water Filtering Systems
And Much More...
Chapter 1: Principle of Water Filtering Systems
This chapter will discuss what water filtering systems are, their components, and how they work.
What is a Water Filtering System?
A water filtering system is a mechanism that is designed to remove solid particles, tiny or large, from inside a liquid through the use of a filter medium that only allows the liquid to pass but restricts solid particles. A basic water filter removes the impurities through the use of a fine physical barrier to lower the level of contamination. The filters purify the water at different levels to be used for various purposes like supplying clean water for the public, agricultural water free from contaminants, and water to be used for industrial purposes like cooling systems.
Components of a Water Filtration System
A basic water filtering system has four critical components for filtration to occur. The requirements are a filter medium, a fluid that has solids in suspension, a force usually created by the pressure difference between two points and the mechanism (the filter) that contains the medium, the fluid to be filtered and allows the driving force. Cake is a byproduct of the filtering process. The system has special provisions for the removal, washing, and drying of the formed cake.
The filter media can be divided into two different classes. One type is the thin barriers usually exemplified as a filtration cloth, filtration screen or the common laboratory filter paper. The second class is the thick barriers which are usually sandfill beds, porous ceramics coke beds, porous metal and a precoat of filter aid that is often used in the filtration of fluids that comprise gelatinous precipitates in the industry.
The thin filter medium has a single barrier where the openings are smaller compared to the particles to be separated from the fluid. A sand bed may be used in the case of a gelatinous cake that would block the pores of the filtration medium and stop the system from working.
A thick filter medium such as a sand bed may be significantly larger than the particles to be separated from the fluid. The particles may move for some distance through the tortuous path of the liquid and through the medium but will eventually be entrapped in the smaller interstices within the particles that make up the filter bed.
The filtering force drives the fluid to be filtered and makes it pass through the filtrate medium. The filtering force is brought by the force of gravity or by a generated centrifugal force or application of a vacuum below the filter to create the pressure difference. Centrifuges with a bowl with a permeable filter medium can be considered as the centrifugal force replaces the gravitational force which is significantly greater than gravity. For the case of a laboratory filtration process, a partial vacuum is applied at the bottom to boost the rate of the filtration.
How a Water Filtering System Works
In most cases, the water filtering system works by capturing the undesirable elements and impurities inside the water and thereby allowing only clean water to pass through.
The water filtration systems meant to purify water for residential use are thin film composites that block even the smallest microscopic bacteria and allows clean water through. The sediments and contaminants are trapped because of their large surface area as the fluid is driven through the medium. The activated carbon then acts like a magnet for lead and other volatile compounds. Finally, the chemical reactions within the filtering system minimize and reduce chemicals like chlorine.
Chapter 2: Types of Water Filtering Systems
There are five common types of filters widely used in industrial and commercial situations. These types of water filters are discussed in this section.
Absorption Water Filtration System
In this type of water filtering system, carbon is commonly used because it is very effective at rounding up and capturing water borne contaminants. The carbon makes use of its jam-packed surface that has crannies and nooks that can trap all chemical impurities in the water.
The filtration system has granular activated carbon which is able to reduce any unwanted tastes in the water and any odors through absorption. The more expensive filters are lined with blocks of carbon which are generally more effective at filtration and carry a micron rating for respective particle removal. There are other substances which can be used in place of carbon and these are wood or coconut shells.
Ion Exchange Water Filtration System
Ion exchange is a filtration process that is used to soften hard water through exchanging of elements like magnesium ions and calcium ions that reside in hard water for other elements such as hydrogen or sodium. Ion exchange process physically removes all hard minerals thereby reducing the limescale and thus making the water suitable for application uses where it is kept at high temperatures like in commercial coffee machines.
A small bead resin is used in the ion exchange process. The resin uses sodium ions to soften the water and must be periodically charged to make sure the resin does not become ineffective.
Resins that use sodium ions are not usually used in water meant for drinking because drinking water should be limited to 200 mg/liter. Since the sodium ion exchange process increases salt levels in water, a hydrogen-based exchange resin is preferred for filtration systems.
Mechanical Water Filtering System
The mechanical water filtering system is able to remove dirt, sediments, or any other particles in the water through the use of a barrier. The filter can be a simple mesh that can filter out huge debris or a ceramic filter made of an extremely complex porous structure for the ultra-fine removal of very small pathogenic organisms.
A filter that makes use of mechanical filtration has a micron rating that designates how effective the filter is based on the size of the suspense particles and how it is capable of removing them. The common ratings of such water filters are as follows:
5 micron – This filtration system can remove all particles that are large enough to be seen by the naked eye.
1 micron – At 1 micron, particles that are too small to be seen without a microscope can be filtered.
0.5 micron – This system can remove cysts like giardia and cryptosporidium.
Reverse Osmosis
The technique of removing dissolved solids like magnesium or calcium from water is done through reverse osmosis. The water is passed through a semipermeable membrane at a high pressure and leaves behind most of the contaminants.
This filtration system is very effective at purifying water and is usually coupled with other filters such as the mechanical (sediment) filter and absorption (activated carbon) filter to make the impurities in water as few as possible.
Water pressure is used to force water through a membrane and thus no electricity is necessary but leaves a considerable amount of waste water that has to be sent to the drain. The reverse osmosis unit is quite expensive because of the multi stage water filters. Despite being expensive the system does filter the water so that it can be used in applications where close to 100% pure water is needed.
Sequestration Water Filtration System
Sequestration refers to the process of isolating a substance by chemical means. A food grade polyphosphate is usually used in such filters to isolate minerals like calcium and magnesium that have corrosive effects. The polyphosphate is introduced in small amounts. Because of the presence of hard minerals in the water, scale inhibition of the polyphosphate is not suitable but rather the water softening process can be achieved by the ion exchange process. The use of such filtration is advised in areas where water is alkaline or hard water.
Typical Examples of Water Filtration Systems
Some of the examples of water filtration systems include:
Coffee Machine Water Filters
Water is very important in making perfect coffee. The normal filtration rules are different when it comes to dealing with a coffee bean which needs a special mixture of minerals so that it releases its full flavor. This is the reason why there are some expensive expresso machines which are capable of cleaning and protecting the particles inside the coffee.
Drop in Filters
The drop-in filters are designed to fit within the water filter housing. The housings vary with the intended use but the common sizes are 10" and the 20."
Fridge Filters
These fridge filters are essential in the filtration of feed water as it is coming through to the drinking water and ice mechanism. This feature is now common in the new American style refrigerators. Usually, the size and compatibility of the filter depends on the make, model, or style of the fridge.
Household Water Filter Systems
Water filter systems are commonly used to remove unwanted tastes and bad odors from the water supply system to provide fresh tasting and clean water for domestic usage. Home based and domestic systems such as Watergem are compact and the general setup of the system is easy in small spaces and under the sinks. The commercial water filter systems are a bit different depending on the intended usage like municipal water filtration systems or on the specialty of the equipment. Some of the water filtration systems are made and sold fully equipped with all necessary kit required to get you set up and connected in the water lines.
Inline Water Filters
These inline filters are stationed directly on the water line or the appliance so that the water passes through the filter before it reaches distribution points like the tap or dispensary unit. It is commonly used inside households and this type of filtration is best suited for under the sink installations because of its very small sizes. Inline filters can lessen common difficulties in municipal water such as chlorine perception, odor, and bacteria and thereby providing bottled-water tasting water minus the plastic waste. In Europe, the Hydro+ inline water filters are the most popular and best selling products.
Water Filters for Commercial Foodservice
Combo ovens depend on good quality water for the production of steam. The chemical reaction that happens when poor-quality water is heated to produce vapor or hot water causes limescale that can lead to system breakdowns.
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Chapter 3: Applications and Advantages of Water Filtering Systems
In this section, the applications together with the drawbacks and advantages associated with water filter systems are discussed.
Applications of Filtering Systems
The applications of water filtering systems include:
Protect Equipment
In industrial manufacturing, the process of filtration can aid protect the expensive and complex machinery that is used. When foreign objects enter a system without being filtered, the whole system is cramped and may lead to a system failure. For instance, the particles can combine and form a larger residue that can clog the water purification system.
Purification of Fluids or Gasses
Filtration is also important in that it keeps fluids like water, chemicals and gasses clean and pure form of contaminants. The filtration process removes unwanted particles from fluids or gasses so that a pure end product is obtained.
System Safety
The systems also help reduce cross contamination of any associated health hazards that may occur in a workplace or the environment at large. Potentially hazardous particles are separated from each other or from the liquid. This helps in the compliance of safety and quality standards brought up by Environmental Safety and Health Agencies.
Product Isolation
Punctured tubes are made with holes to separate the particles from each other. Many industrial processes are done with the products needing to be separated at one time, such as in the purification of copper pyrites.
Efficiency of Mechanical Operations
The process of filtration helps improve the efficiency of mechanical operations that deal with fluids. For example, when bringing up oil from the ground in oil rigs, sand and debris are also taken up and these need to be taken out before they make the pressure systems function at a poor rate.
Advantages of Using Filtration Systems
The process of filtration greatly reduces the amount of toxic chemicals in tap water. There are over 2000 toxic substances in tap water and by regulations by the environmental protection agencies and up to 99.9% are removed from the water. The use of a filtration system is also cost effective in the sense that people have now migrated to the use of bottled water instead of the regular tap water because it is less pure than bottled. Investing in state-of-the-art filtering systems increases the percentage purity of regular tap water and reduces costs on having to manufacture bottles and purchase bottled water.
Water filtration systems improve the quality of life for both plant and animal life. The human body has up to 70% water and it requires pure and clean water for a healthier livelihood and growth. Pure filtered water also has other health benefits like treating acne and other skin conditions. Pure water is also important in our daily domestic activities like cooking, washing and cleaning. Without filtration, water has odors or tastes sour due to the presence of impurities. It also makes sure that domesticated animals have clean and purified water. This improves beef and milk production in cows, improves quality of eggs for poultry, and healthier growth and fur in indoor pets.
Filtration systems create better water for the environment. This is attained when the use of bottled water is reduced and thereby reducing the amount of non-biodegradable substances.
Water filtration systems also prolong appliance life. For instance, water meant for cooling motor engines needs to be filtered as the impurities could react with the internal mechanisms and thereby lessen the life expectancy.
Another advantage is that it lowers health problems common in some individuals. Studies have shown that gastric infections are common in areas where water is poorly filtered. Filtered water is therefore easy on the stomach and reduces health effects.
Residue in sinks, showers, and dishes is due to poorly filtered water. When the water is clean from chemical impurities, the surfaces will remain clean and clothes will retain their ‘newness‘. Everything in the household is cleaner and brighter with cleaner water.
Another advantage for water filtration systems is that they have an easy installation and setup. Water filtration installation is an easy process and does not require an extensive knowledge base to construct home-based filtration systems.
Drawbacks of Water Filtering System
In this section, the demerits of water filtering systems will be discussed and noted. First and foremost, the initial installation of the system is a lot more expensive especially for the case of large commercial or industrial filters. The specialized mechanisms that are used in the manufacture of filtration systems are costly and would fail a cost benefit analysis since people resort to cheaper means of water purification or simply go for bottled water which is relatively cheaper per unit cost.
Another drawback is that some of these filters have a tendency to remove all contaminants and chemicals from the local water source. Some of these chemicals are harmful to human health though there are other chemicals that prove essential to human health or aid in the body‘s defense mechanism. For instance, a little bit of fluorine is important in dental health as it can kill some microorganisms that reside in plaque. A drawback of the water filtering system is when it removes the fluorine from the water that would have aided in the body‘s micro-organism‘s defense mechanism. The system cannot determine which chemicals can be filtered off and which stay. It is possible but the related costs will be very high.
Another disadvantage is that the purified water becomes too pure and will lack trace elements that may be important to the human body‘s nutritional growth. Filtered water is very pure and lacks small quantity elements that are helpful to human anatomy. These small trace elements are sodium, magnesium and iron just to mention a few. These elements are important and crucial to human biology‘s metabolism processes and ionic balances.
The water filtration systems also do not have the ability to get rid of microscopic bacteria, organic matter, and viruses. The system therefore is not ideal for water sources that have already been contaminated with disease-causing organisms that are even at times too small to see with the naked eye.
Considerations When Setting Up an Industrial Water Filtration System
There are a lot of industries or manufacturing companies that make use of filtration systems in pharmaceutical processing, food manufacturing, and wastewater treatment. The selecting of the right industrial filtration system puts into consideration many different factors and these include the particle size of the contaminants, the operating conditions of the system, the system compatibility with the chemical to be worked with and the physical layout of the household. The filtration systems are therefore an important part in the overall system and so selecting the system is a decision which should be thought out and made with careful consideration.
Choosing a purification or filtration system can be a distressing or a very serious process. There are many features to consider and it is not a decision to be made without considering the working environment of the system. In this section, a detailed and comprehensive discussion of the factors that must be considered when looking into acquiring a water filtration system.
Particle Size
It is very important to consider the size of the particles that need to be filtered and what best system to look for. Some particles are organic whilst others are inorganic. The fluids to be filtered should also be considered in the selection of the appropriate filtration system.
Filter sizes are differentiated in units known as microns. Microns are very small units of length and a single micron is equivalent to one millionth the length of a single meter. Typically, beach sand is known to be roughly between 0.3 to 60 microns while dust mites can range to small measurements of 100 to 300 microns and ground coffee has an incredibly small measurement of 400 microns.
Identification should occur to decide what needs to be filtered and the average size. If there happens to be industrial standards or regulatory standards that must be considered, you can begin to narrow down the selection here. Another important factor to take note is that the smaller the micron rating on the filtration system the quicker the system gets clogged and thereby cramping the system and leading to a system failure. It is advisable to give room for expansion like for instance when you require a 50-micron filter, it will not be a bad idea to acquire a 25-micron filter just to be safe. Overall effects of this need to be considered but it is far better to change the filtration medium when it becomes clogged rather than dealing with a system failure.
Operating Conditions
Working conditions like atmospheric pressure or temperature of the environment where the filter will be used is another aspect that needs to be considered. Some filters are made from equipment that cannot withstand high temperature while others cannot resist high pressures without crumbling. For instance, if the system has liquid running through at a temperature greater than 140°C a filter made from metal rather than that of plastic works better. Another example is the use of a filtration system that can handle 100 gpm in a new environment where it will be exposed to a pressure of 300 gpm. The system would be unable to handle such pressure and would not filter out the intended particles.
Chemical Compatibility
The chemical compatibility is quantified by the general stability obtained when two or more substances are mixed together. Compatible substances will not show any visible changes. If they undergo a visible change, chemical or physical, then the substances are considered to be incompatible. The chemical compatibility of the substances and the filter itself need to be considered when looking into choosing a filtering system.
If the filter happens to be not chemically compatible with the fluid flowing through it, this could result in degradation and decomposition of the filter which will result in the allowing of contaminants to continue to pass through within the stream. When choosing a water filtration system, it is imperative to take note of any chemicals that will be flowing through the system and then perform comprehensive research to make sure they are compatible with the materials that need to be filtered.
Physical Configuration of Housing
The physical layout of the filtration systems and housing comes in numerous distinct shapes and sizes. Not only do you have to deal with a myriad of different systems when choosing, ranging from reverse osmosis systems, cartridge filters, single and multi-bag systems, you will also need to take into consideration other physical conditions. Consider the area where the filtration system is to be located (is it big or small) and if it happens to be small a multi bag filtration system may not be the best of choices since it is best used in a spacious area.
Another important aspect to consider is the selection of a self-cleansing of a manual filtration system. Both these systems come with their fair share of advantages and disadvantages and usually the ideal decision-making factor is the issue of monetary funds. Self cleaning filters are much more expensive but in the long run can save up a lot of money. Other practical things that may be considered is what kind of materials is the whole system made up of and what end connection type is necessary.
Each and every filtration technique has a set of drawbacks and these are the particles each can remove. So, most water filtration systems use a set of combinations and methods to achieve a favorable level of purity. For instance, inhouse water jug filters make use of mechanical type filtration systems, absorption and ion exchange type filter systems. Inline filters on the other hand make use of mechanical and absorption type filtering systems and then the end goal is to make use of a sequestration filtration system if the filter is known to inhibit scale. Reverse osmosis systems make use of mechanical and absorption and most importantly reverse osmosis and this depends on how many stages are in the reverse osmosis system.
By understanding the five methods through which water is filtered and the various ways in which they can be combined to work in conjunction, you should expectantly find it easier to establish what kind of filters are needed based on the application.
Conclusion
In summary, water filtration systems are mechanisms meant to purify water by removing particles large and small so as to produce cleaner and pure water that is safer to use. There are numerous types of filtration systems and it is imperative that a careful consideration be done before selecting a good system to buy.
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