Water Filtration: Reverse Osmosis and Distillation

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Two of the most effective methods of purifying water are reverse osmosis and distillation. What remains after these processes is pure H2O. There is neither toxins, nor beneficial minerals lingering. The body receives more than 95% of its needed minerals from food. In general, the benefit of having pure water to drink far outweighs the minor amount of minerals lost through these processes.

Pressure Turns Osmosis Into Reverse Osmosis

It is easier to understand how reverse osmosis works if one first comprehends the process of osmosis. Reverse osmosis isn’t really about causing osmosis to do an about face. In reality the two are related in every way but one.

Osmosis occurs when two different densities of liquid are placed into adjoining compartments within one container. Each compartment of the container shares a semi-permeable membrane through which only water molecules are small enough to pass. There is no outside force or pressure applied during the process of osmosis. In fact, the process itself generates an energy capable of performing work. Within nature when tree roots break up concrete the force of osmosis is at work.

Getting back to the double-chambered container: the liquid on either side of the semi-permeable membrane will create an osmotic pressure caused by the differences in density. This pressure will induce water molecules to pass through the membrane. Molecules will more easily pass into the denser liquid, because on the denser side the large particles will inhibit the water from passing through the membrane. In time an equilibrium will be reached, and the osmotic pressure is released when both chambers exert the same amount of pressure on each other. In this case each compartment can not become equal in solution, because the salt can not pass through the membrane. So what must happen is the water side (less dense) must retain some of the water passing from the denser side. This will cause the water level between the compartments to become unequal, but their pressure will equalize, halting the movement of molecules through the membrane.

There are tales of shipwrecked people drinking sea water only to die from dehydration. Their deaths were the result of osmosis. When the salty water enters the stomach the osmotic pressure created causes the cells to release its water to equalize the density of the sea water.

In reverse osmosis the process is nearly the same, except one chamber of the container is empty, and pressure is used to force the denser liquid through the semi-permeable membrane. Reverse osmosis is the preferred method of desalinating sea water. The animation below shows how the pressure from the hose forces water molecules through the semi-permeable membrane into the empty chamber.

The only drawback to the reverse osmosis process is that as much unprocessed water will be lost to the drain as pure water is gained. The reason for this is because pressure must be maintained at a certain level yet the flow through the membrane is slower than the water entering the holding tank. In a sense the runoff acts like the steam release in a pressure cooker. Without this release too much pressure could build up, resulting in damage to the unit.

Promolife offers the Five and Six Stage Reverse Osmosis water purifier. These stages are:

* Sediment Pre-filter 5 Microns
* KDF Pre-filter
* Carbon Block Post Filter
* In Line GAC Post Filter
* TCF 50 Gallons Per Day Reverse Osmosis Membrane
* UV Sanitizer (6 Stage Only)

Distillation: The Elder of Water Purification

Water distillation is as old as the need to survive. It is a basic concept. Boil dirty water, capture the steam, allow it to cool back into water and voila, it is purified.

This is true with one catch. Sometimes the impurities boil away at a lower temperature than water. In this case they too would be released into vapor, then cooled back into the water. Three methods of removing these VOCs (volatile organic compounds) have been developed. The first, gas vents, are tiny holes in the steam pipe which allow the VOCs to escape from the vapor before it has been cooled down. The second is fractional columns which separate the water vapor from the VOCs vapor and cools each in different chambers within the distiller. The third method is an activated carbon filter which traps the VOCs, allowing only pure water to pass through.

There are two kinds of distillers, batch and continuous flow. Batch distillers are easier to set up as they do not require any plumbing. One simply pours unprocessed water into the boiling chamber, then allows the distiller to do its work. The continuous flow units require the installation of a water supply line to the distiller. The water level is regulated by a float valve in the boiling chamber which pulls in new water when needed.

Promolife sells four models of distillers, three batch units and one continuous flow. All of the units have gas vents and use activated carbon filters to remove any VOCs that occur within the boiling chamber.

The Waterwise 7000 series is the continuous flow distiller. It is fully automated and is available in a 3, 8 or 12 gallon holding tank. The Waterwise 9000, Waterwise 8800 and MH9435 are all countertop batch models. They are all easy to fill, use and maintain.

There is one misunderstanding about distilled water that needs to be addressed. It is often stated that distilled water leaches minerals from the body. This goes on the premise that since all the minerals are removed through the distillation process, once the water enters the body it goes in search of minerals to replace what it perceives to be lacking. It is true that distilled water acts a bit like a magnet in its ability to attract free-floating minerals. However, it does not have the ability to pull minerals from body or food cells. Distilled water in essence assists the blood and lymphatic system by carrying discarded and unusable minerals the body will never use to the kidneys and lungs where they can be expelled.

Both distillation and reverse osmosis provide water that is over 99% pure. And in the end, isn’t that what purification is all about?

Article written by Cat Pippin Lowe for PromolifeNews.com.
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