RO water vs DI water, which is better for you?

Water is an essential element of our lives and we need it for various purposes like drinking, cooking, cleaning, and more. However, not all water is created equal, and different types of water are available in the market. RO water and DI water are two popular types of purified water that are used for various purposes. In this article, we will discuss the differences between these two types of water and explore which one is better for our daily life.

What is RO water?

RO water is produced through a process called reverse osmosis. In this process, water is forced through a semi-permeable membrane that allows water molecules to pass through while blocking larger molecules like minerals, bacteria, and viruses. RO water is used in various applications, including drinking and cooking, as it removes impurities and contaminants from water, making it safe to consume.

Reverse Osmosis tankless system is commonly used in homes, commercial settings, and industrial applications to purify water. These systems are effective at removing a wide range of contaminants, including lead, arsenic, fluoride, and more. They are also capable of removing harmful bacteria and viruses from water.

Benefits of RO water

RO water has several benefits that make it the preferred choice for drinking and cooking purposes. Some of the benefits of RO water include:

1. Improves taste and odor

RO water systems can improve the taste and odor of water by removing impurities that can affect the flavor. This makes it more enjoyable to drink and use for cooking.

2. Removes harmful substances

RO water systems can remove harmful substances like lead, arsenic, and fluoride from water. These substances can be present in tap water and can have negative health effects if consumed regularly.

3. Retains essential minerals

While RO water removes minerals from water during the filtration process, many systems add them back into the water to improve its taste and quality. This ensures that essential minerals like calcium and magnesium are still present in the water.

Benefits of DI water

DI water also has its benefits, which make it suitable for specific applications. Some of the benefits of DI water include:

1. Removes all ions and minerals

DI water removes all ions and minerals from water, making it free of any impurities that can affect the outcome of industrial and laboratory processes.

2. Ensures consistency

DI water ensures consistency in industrial and laboratory processes by providing a reliable and pure water source that does not contain any impurities or contaminants.

3. Improves quality

DI water can improve the quality of products by ensuring that the water used in manufacturing is pure and free of any impurities that can affect the quality of the end product.

Is RO water the same as Deionized water?

No, RO water is not the same as DI water. While both types of water are purified, they use different methods to remove impurities. RO water is produced by filtering water through a semi-permeable membrane, while DI water is produced by removing ions and minerals from water through an ion exchange process.

RO water may still contain some minerals and ions, while DI water is completely free of them. However, both types of water are free of contaminants and impurities, making them safe to consume and use for various applications.

RO water VS DI water, which is better for you daily life?

The answer to this question depends on the intended use of the water. For drinking and cooking purposes, RO water is the better choice. RO systems are designed to remove impurities and contaminants that can affect the taste and quality of the water. They can also remove harmful substances like lead, arsenic, and fluoride, which may be present in tap water.

Furthermore, RO water still contains some minerals that are essential for our health, such as calcium and magnesium. While these minerals are removed during the filtration process, they are often added back into the water to improve its taste and quality.

On the other hand, DI water is not suitable for drinking because it lacks minerals that are essential for our health. In fact, drinking DI water can be harmful as it can leach minerals from our bodies and cause mineral deficiencies. However, DI water is the better choice for industrial and laboratory purposes where the absence of minerals and ions is important.

RO and DI water both have their benefits and drawbacks, and it is important to understand their differences to make an informed decision about which one to use. For daily life, drinking and cooking, RO water is the better choice, while DI water is suitable for industrial and laboratory purposes. So for daily life water treatment, SimPure Y7P is a highly recommended product for those looking for an efficient and reliable RO water system. With its advanced filtration technology, it effectively removes impurities and contaminants from water, ensuring clean and safe drinking water for daily use. Its compact design and easy installation make it a convenient choice for any household or office.

Conclusion

In conclusion, RO water and DI water are two popular types of purified water that are used for various applications. RO water is the better choice for drinking and cooking purposes as it removes impurities and contaminants, improves taste and odor, removes harmful substances, and retains essential minerals. DI water, on the other hand, is suitable for industrial and laboratory purposes where the absence of minerals and ions is important.

Both types of water have their benefits and drawbacks, and it is important to understand their differences to make an informed decision about which one to use. Ultimately, the choice of water depends on the intended use and the specific requirements of the application. By choosing the right type of water for the task at hand, you can ensure the best possible outcome and maintain optimal health and safety.

Water purification tablets

Water purification tablets are used to make water safe by killing harmful micro-organisms in water to prevent different water borne diseases as like typhoid, cholera, dysentery and more others. Water purification tablets are used in emergency situation such as travelers, militaries, hikers, campers and emergency organizations and any person else who needs to drink water of questionable quality. It can also be used for continuous in household’s purpose. It is also called water disinfection tablets or water treatment tablets.

Normally water is contaminants by suspended particles, different Inorganic and organic elements that create turbidity and color in water, algae, bacteria, viruses and more others micro-organisms. Water purification tablets are not suitable for all type of water; it is suitable for clear water that is contaminants by bacteria, viruses and many others micro-organisms. If the water is contaminants by suspended particles or turbid then it should be need filtered throughout a cloth or other methods until the water would be clear. After the water is clear then it is suitable for Water purification tablets to make water purified.

Generally Chlorine compounds are the most common type of ingredients that is used in water purification tablets. Chlorine is an excellent disinfectant and able to rapidly destroy a lot of harmful micro-organisms. There are several ingredients that are used in water purification tablets such as Sodium Dichloroisocyanurate (NaDCC), sodium hypochlorite, bleach, iodine, Chlorine dioxide, chloramines and halazone. Sodium Dichloroisocyanurate or Troclosene Sodium ingredient is approved by USA EPA (Environmental Protection Agency) and it is more efficient than others ingredient. Chlorine compounds are a chlorine donor, when it is dissolved in water they releases free chlorine and react as a strong oxidant.

Water purification tabletsWater purification tablets dissolves within minutes and disinfects the water within 30 minutes. It is work a very wide range of water types and reduces total and fecal coliform bacteria and other micro-organisms levels to zero or low risk. It should be careful about inject over dosage. It is recommended that chlorine addition into drinking water should not cross over range between 4 and 8 ppm. Reason chlorine is a toxic gas and overdose can be harmful for human. In USA public utility water generally has 1 to 2 ppm chlorine. The chlorinated water ought to be allowed to sit for at least half an hour prior to being used for drinking purpose.

Although chlorine is an excellent disinfect but it has some drawbacks. For example if the water contain organic compounds, the chlorine may be reacts with some of them and can be form potentially harmful compounds (such as trihalomethanes, haloacetic acids). More over it has limited efficiency against protozoa (as like Giardia lamblia) that form cysts of its life cycle in water. But Iodine tablets are effective against Giardia lamblia.

Many organizations such as WHO, Unicef, Red Cross, Oxfam are used water purification tablets for their emergency aid service in different countries.

Ion Exchange water treatment system

Ion exchange water treatment system is one of the most common processes and it is works on the basis on ion exchange principle. It removes the scale-forming calcium and magnesium and others metal ions from hard water. To removes these ions water are passes through ion exchange column filled with synthetic resin.

Ion exchange column
There are two type ion exchange column; cation exchange column and anion exchange column. In cation exchange column selectively cations are adsorb, on the other hands in anion exchange column selectively anions are adsorbs from supplied water and release same type of ions. Depends on application only cation exchange column or both ion exchange column are used for water treatment. For boiler and demineralised water needs both ion exchange column.

Cation exchange column
The column that filled with the resins containing base exchanging radicals are called cation exchange column.  Sodium or hydrogen cation exchangers are generally used in this column. Hydrogen cation exchanger is used to remove all cations from water including sodium ion. The process of ion exchange will continue until available cations are packed. Then it should be need regeneration with suitable chemicals. The following reactions are taken place in cation exchange column.

2HR  + Ca(HCO3)2 → CaR2 + 2H2O + 2CO2

2HR  + 2NaHCO3 → 2NaR + 2H2O + 2CO2

2HR  + MgSO4 → MgR2 + H2SO4

Regeneration: MgR2 + H2SO4 → 2HR  + MgSO4

Anion exchange column
The column that filled with the resins containing acid exchanging radicals are called anion exchange column.  Here OH- ion is exchanged for the anion. The process of ion exchange will continue until available anions are packed. Then it should be need regeneration with suitable chemicals such as caustic soda. The following reactions are taken place in anion exchange column.

H2SO4  + 2R4NOH → (R4N)2SO4 + 2H2O

Regeneration: (R4N)2SO4 + NaOH  → 2R4NOH  + Na2SO4

The softening water by Ion exchange water treatment system can be used all purpose, even boiler. Because of the process removes all ions and acids from water. To produce house hold water, laundry process water it should be used sodium cation exchanger only. In this case regeneration is completed by passing a NaCl solution through the resin.

Zeolite process for water softening

What is zeolite
Zeolite is micro-porous mineral which is used as catalyst in many industrial purposes such as water purification and air purification. The zeolites are hydrated aluminosilicates and general composition AlxSiyO2(x+y)  (without water molecules). Zeolites are two types natural and synthetic or artificial. The natural zeolite that is used for water softening is gluconites or greensand. Permutit is the synthetic zeolite that is most used in water softening and its chemical formula is Na2O, Al2O3, nSiO2, xH2O. These are used as ion exchanger and odor removal in water softener. Permutit are more porous, glassy, and have higher softening capacity than greensand.
Zeolites are characteristically soft to moderately hard, light in density, insoluble in water but can act as base exchangers in contact with water containing cations. Hence these can remove Ca2+ and Mg2+ ions from water when hard water is passes through.

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Zeolite process for water softening
Zeolite process for water softening has become a commercial success for the reason that zeolite can be easily regenerated. When Ca2+ and Mg2+ ions containing hard water is passes through a bed of sodium zeolite, the sodium ions are replace by the calcium and magnesium ions.

Na2Ze  + Ca(HCO3)2 → 2NaHCO3 + CaZe
Na2Ze  + Mg(HCO3)2 → 2NaHCO3 + MgZe
Na2Ze  + CaSO4  → Na2SO4 + CaZe
Na2Ze  + MgSO4 → Na2SO4 + MgZe

When all sodium ions are replaced by calcium and magnesium ions, the zeolite becomes inactive. Then the zeolite needs to be regenerated. Brine solutions are passing through the bed of inactivated zeolite. The following reactions are taken place and form Na2Ze.

CaZe + 2NaCl → Na2Ze + CaCl2
MgZe + 2NaCl → Na2Ze + MgCl2

The softening water by this process is used for laundry process and cannot be used for boiler purpose. Because this water softening system contains NaHCO3 in the water; when this water is heated, it produces CO2 which is corrosive for boilerplates.
zeolite water softening process
1 Pound – Clinoptilolite Zeolite Powder

Lime soda process

Lime soda process is one of the water softener systems. In this system calcium hydroxide and soda ash are used as reagents. By this process soluble magnesium and calcium salts are removed as calcium carbonate and magnesium hydroxide precipitated. After removal of this precipitated, we obtain soft water. Both temporary water hardness and permanent water hardness are removed by this lime softening water softener systems. Before water treatment calculate the amount of temporary and permanent water hardness, and then estimate the amount of lime and soda ash and added control with careful. In case of temporary water hardness the following reactions are take places:

Ca(HCO3)2 + Ca(OH)2 → 2CaCO3 + 2H2O

Mg(HCO3)2 + Ca(OH)2 → 2CaCO3 + MgCO3 + 2H2O

MgCO3 + Ca(OH)2 → Mg(OH)2 + CaCO3

In case of permanent water hardness the following reactions are take places:

CaSO4 + Na2CO3→ CaCO3 + Na2SO4

MgSO4 + Na2CO3→ MgCO3 + Na2SO4

MgCO3 + Ca(OH)2 → Mg(OH)2 + CaCO3

There are two type lime-soda process; cold lime soda process and hot lime soda process.

Cold lime soda process
In the cold lime soda process the reactions take place at normal temperature. The raw water is passed into a tank with a static continuous flow, at the same time a calculated amount of chemical mixture of lime and soda ash are also added a static continuous flow and then thoroughly mixed with a stirrer in this mixture tank. Afterward this water is allowed to settle. When the settlement becomes complete the water is passed by continuous up-flow process into another tank which is called filter bed. Then we get soften water.
The cold lime soda process is not suitable for all purposes. It is limited for those purposes where partially softened water needed because this process fails to precipitate completely all the hardness forming salts. The cold lime soda process is used for municipal water and cooling water softener systems. The reason in case of municipal purpose, it is not necessary to remove all water hardness forming ions. Same way cooling water should be free from temporary water hardness. In this process it is possible to remove magnesium water hardness nearly completely but calcium hardness may be remains more than 40ppm.

Hot lime soda process
In the hot lime soda process the reactions take place at higher temperature near about boiling point of water. The chemical mixing process is same as the cold lime soda process, but steam is applied in mixture tank. As a result precipitation becomes almost complete very quickly. This process is more effective than cold lime soda process. The hot lime soda process water softener systems are exclusively used for boiler purpose. In this process it is possible to remove magnesium water hardness completely and calcium hardness may be remains very low. Moreover dissolved corrosive gases also removed by this hot lime soda process.