You might have seen many advertisements about RO water purifiers or your close people buying such a product. But, how much do you know about these appliances?
Do you know how the RO purifier works or what are its benefits?
If not, you have landed yourself at the right place because here, we will discuss everything you need to know about what RO purifiers are, how it functions, and so on. So, without much delay, let’s delve deep into the learning class about this special class of water purifiers.
What do you mean by “RO” in RO water purifiers?
To understand what RO is, you first need to learn what osmotic pressure is. The liquid part is mainly called the solvent in a solution, while the solid part is the solute. Considering water is more like a mixture where 70% of solutes remain in a dissolved or sparingly dissolved state based on the temperature.
Sometimes, the water can have higher solute concentrations while others can lower. When you separate two water samples different in their concentration, naturally, solvent or water molecules will move through the semipermeable membrane from the side with lower concentration to higher concentration. This usually happens without any external factor, which is osmosis is a natural process.
However, when pressure is applied externally, the flow direction of water molecules changes, i.e., they move from the higher concentration to the lower side. This process is known as reverse osmosis or RO.
The Detailed Working of RO Purifiers
Now coming to the working of the RO water purifiers, these appliances are reinforced with a filter having a semipermeable membrane. The open pores have the same size as water molecules to ensure that any other dissolved chemical or impurity cannot pass through it.
When water enters the filtration tank, the flow speed is controlled via external pressure. On the left side of the membrane, the solute concentration is more than on the input side. Therefore, the concentration remains low on the right side of the membrane. Due to the pressure, water molecules will move from higher to lower concentrations while the rest of the dissolved molecules or impurity will be restricted.
During this filtration process, it is not just the water molecules that move from one side to the other. Rather, any other component having a size similar to or less than that of the water molecules will be able to pass through it. This is why RO filtered water is rich in minerals and vitamins.
What are the Different Types of RO Purifiers?
The RO water purifier can be classified into multiple categories based on certain factors. In the below section, we have listed down the different types and the factors that set them apart.
RO water purifiers based on additional filters:
- The RO+UF+UV purifier has both a UV tank and UF filter for maximum purification efficiency.
- RO+UF filter combinations will remove any impurities that have crossed the membrane in the RO chamber due to its smaller size.
- RO+UV purifiers will produce water having 0% microbes and germs.
RO water purifiers based on installation system:
- For kitchens having small spaces, the wall-mounted RO water purifiers are best.
- If you do not want to install it on the walls, go for a product placed on the countertop.
- You can install Undersink RO water purifiers right below the kitchen sink if the pressure at inlets is low.
How will the RO water purifier benefit you?
The RO water purifiers are considered one of the best appliances that will take care of your health and improve your lifestyle. If you aren’t familiar with the major advantages of this purification system, here are some of the points that will help you get better clarification.
1. Improves the overall water taste
The RO water purifiers can remove most compounds dissolved in the supply water. As a result, the taste will improve a lot. Usually, RO dispensed water tastes sweeter, unlike regular water that might taste salty due to dissolved salt compounds or bitter due to heavy metals.
2. Consumes less energy power
The RO purifiers do not need too much electricity for filtering the water as the pressure is maintained by the valve present at its inlet. Therefore, these appliances are considered much eco-friendlier and won’t raise your electric bills by huge amounts. Besides, there are fewer risks of electrical damages with lower electricity consumption even if the appliance is operating for hours.
3. Removes 70% contaminants
With the RO filter, the purifier can remove almost 70% dissolved and sparingly dissolved contaminants present in the inlet water. In addition, it will block all the dissolved ions or molecules having larger sizes than the water molecules like heavy metals, germs, calcium and magnesium salts, causing hardness and more.
4. Needs almost zero maintenance
Another major benefit of using the RO water purifiers is that they need almost zero maintenance, thanks to the advanced designs. The semipermeable membrane will easily purify the water without suffering from corrosion, impurity accumulation and more.
5. Extensive RO system within a filter
There are three to seven layers in most RO purifiers with different extents of filtration. This reduces the pressure on the filter and prevents any impurity from passing through, having a size slightly larger than the water molecules. This ensures the maximum level of purification and, therefore, will help you consume healthy and safe water.
6. Higher longevity and durability
The RO water purifiers are designed to last for a long time without any additional repairs, fixes, and more. Besides, as the filters are made from a high-quality material like food-grade ABS plastic, you won’t have to worry about the performance and overall durability.
In what ways can you choose the best RO purifier?
As there are so many different RO purifiers available in the market, it is next to impossible to pick the right one in one go. Besides, since you might not have bought a purifier previously, the different product specifications might overwhelm you. For this reason, we have shed light on some of the major factors to be considered for selecting the best appliance that can meet all your requirements.
1. Capacity
The first thing you have to consider for choosing the best RO water purifier is its capacity. Usually, the water storage tank volume can vary from 4 litres to 15 litres based on the brand you are choosing. If you want the appliance for yourself or a family of two people, go for products having a tank capacity below 7 litres. However, for medium-sized families with 3 to 4 members, the tank capacity should vary between 7.5 litres and 9 litres. Similarly, if you have a large family, it’s better to opt for products that have tanks with a volume of more than 9.5 litres.
2. Purification rate
The purification rate is defined as the total volume of water the appliance can purify in one hour. Some products have higher purification rates, like 20 litres per hour, while others may have a rate of as low as 7 litres per hour. The higher the purification rate, the faster the purification process will and the more will be the water volume. Therefore, ensure that the chosen product has the most appropriate purification rate to meet all your requirements.
3. Types of additional filter
As discussed above, most RO water purifiers are reinforced with UF, UV, or both filtration units. Therefore, if your house receives supply water laden with heavy metals, iron, and more such unwanted dissolved solutes, go for a product that comes with either UF+UV or only UF filter in addition to RO. Similarly, if you want the dispensed water to be free from microbes and germs, it would be best to choose a product having either RO+UV or RO+UV+UF.
4. pH balancer
Sometimes, the RO water purifiers can balance the pH of the water and maintain its alkalinity within appropriate levels. Usually, the water received in urban areas is either acidic (provided the water treatment plant is close to any chemical factory) or highly alkaline (due to the dissolution of bases). As a result, you cannot drink much water as it will disrupt the pH balance in your body. This is why most manufacturers equip their RO purifiers with a pH balancer.
5. Mineralizer
If you want to ensure that the dispensed water contains all the minerals that are beneficial for your body, make sure to choose a RO water purifier having a TDS controller or mineralizer. A TDS controller will ensure that the RO filter doesn’t block dissolved solutes having a size of certain ‘X’ ppm. On the other hand, the mineralizer will add more minerals before the purifier water is stored in the tank.
Conclusion
We have discussed everything you need to know about RO water purifiers in the above article. Therefore, make sure you aren’t choosing any wrong product or discarding the idea of having such an appliance. So, be very careful while choosing a product because you cannot let your investment go down the drain.
