Water treatment is a multi-faceted process and involves many different steps and procedures to be successful. So what does selection of a water treatment solution entail? Let’s take you through the purification treatment methods, drop by drop.
To start with, we conduct a water analysis. This gives us particle counts and size distribution in the raw water to further understand its composition and facilitate the appropriate water treatment.
Based on the water analysis and the intended use for the water (e.g., irrigation, industrial, drinking), we select a suitable treatment method. Often, we use a combination of methods to get the best results.
If the water contains large particulate too many contaminants and needs to be used for irrigation, filtration methods would suffice. However, if the same water is to be used for drinking, then we would use ultrafiltration and/or reverse osmosis (RO) as well.
Here are some of the different types of water treatments used based on the particulate matter present:
Conventional Filtration Methods
Bigger particles, between 1,000µm to 10µm, like sand, large bacteria and certain types of algae, can often be removed through conventional filtering methods. It consists of the addition of coagulant chemicals, coagulation-flocculation, sedimentation, multimedia filtration, and flash mixing, and filtration.
Microfiltration
Microfiltration is a kind of physical filtration where a contaminated fluid is passed through pore-sized membranes to separate and remove suspended particles. Particles between the size of 10µm and 0.1µm, like clay, asbestos fibres, and cysts, are removed during this stage.
Ultrafiltration
Ultrafiltration is another type of membrane-based technology in which water is forced through a semipermeable membrane. Advanced Watertek builds’s Ultrafiltration systems that remove a large number of viruses and humic acids (between the particle sizes of 0.1µm and 0.001µm) from the feed water.
Nanofiltration
Nanofiltration is a water purification method that uses membranes with minute pore sizes ranging from 1-10 nanometres and is effective at removing divalent ions like calcium, magnesium, sulphates etc.
Reverse Osmosis
The most advanced method in membrane-based water treatment is reverse osmosis, which can be used on brackish water or seawater and make it fit for human consumption. During this process, water is passed through RO membranes using high pressure to separate the contaminants and let only clean water pass out. At this stage, even the tiniest metal ions and aqueous salts (smaller than 0.001µm) are removed.
The Bottom Line
If you’re searching for a water treatment expert, look no further than Advanced Watertek. We have a range of products and solutions for all your water treatment needs. Our ability to constantly innovate and provide long-lasting solutions has helped us generate 80% repeat business using the latest advancements in membrane and reverse osmosis technology for water treatment.
Whether you want a brand new system or just want to maintain your existing one, we can help. Get a quick quote here.