Laboratory Water Purification System: Working Principle ...
Laboratory Water Purification System: Working Principle ...
The laboratory water purification system is an indispensable piece of equipment in the laboratory. These systems remove impurities and contaminants from tap water through physical and chemical processes to produce pure, sterile, high-quality water. In today's laboratories, the water environment as the most basic environment of the vast majority of laboratories occupies a very important position in the experiment, water quality often determines the authenticity and reproducibility of many experimental results, because any trace substances that may contaminate or interfere with the experimental results may lead to erroneous experimental results. In this blog, ATO will share with you some information and experiences about laboratory water purification systems.
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The laboratory water purification system is one of the common equipment in laboratories, its role is to remove impurities and pollutants in tap water to obtain high-purity water quality to meet the needs of various applications in laboratories. Laboratory ultrapure water is a kind of water with extremely high purity, which refers to the water that almost completely removes the conductive medium in the water, and at the same time removes non-dissociated gases, colloids, and organic matter (including bacteria) to a shallow level. Its conductivity is generally 0.1~0.055uS/cm, resistivity (25°C) > 10x106Ω/cm, and salt content < 0.1mg/L. The ideal pure water (theoretically) is 0.055 uS/cm, and the resistivity (25°C) is 18.3x106Ω/cm.
Working principle of laboratory water purification system
Laboratory water purification systems generally use advanced reverse osmosis technology to produce pure water. The working principle of a laboratory pure water system can be divided into several steps, including water pretreatment, ion exchange, activated carbon filtration, ultraviolet(UV) disinfection, and reverse osmosis.
- The first is water pretreatment. Tap water may contain sediment and impurities that can affect the experiment, so pretreatment is required. This step generally filters out large particles of impurities through sedimentation tanks and screens.
- The second is ion exchange. Ion exchange is the core process of a laboratory pure water system, which can effectively remove ions and impurities in water. In ion exchange, water passes through a layer of resin beds, and the ion exchange resin adsorbs the ions in the water and then releases an equal number of hydrogen ions or hydroxide ions. Ion exchange resins usually use anion or cation exchange resins, which are used to remove anions or cations from water respectively.
- Next is activated carbon filtration. Activated carbon filtration can effectively remove chlorine and organic substances from water. In this step, the water passes through a layer of activated carbon, which removes chlorine and organic matter from the water through adsorption and catalytic oxidation.
- Then comes ultraviolet(UV) disinfection. UV disinfection is an important step used to kill bacteria and viruses in water. In UV disinfection, water passes through a layer of UV sterilizer, which disinfects water by killing bacteria and viruses.
- Lastly is reverse osmosis. Reverse osmosis membrane can effectively remove macromolecular organic matter, heavy metals, and ions in water. In this step, water is pushed against a reverse osmosis membrane, which only allows water molecules to pass through while filtering out impurities such as macromolecular organics, heavy metals, and ions.
The workflow of the whole laboratory pure water system is relatively complicated, and different systems may adopt different technological processes, but the general principle is similar. Through these steps, the laboratory water purification system is able to remove impurities and contaminants from the water, producing high-quality, sterile, high-purity water that provides a reliable source of water for research in the laboratory.
Advantages of laboratory water purification system
- High purity: The laboratory water purification system can remove impurities, microorganisms, organic matter, etc. in the water to obtain high-purity water quality, thereby ensuring the accuracy of experimental results.
- Economical and practical: Compared with purchasing bottled pure water, the laboratory water purification system has a lower cost of use, and does not need to store or treat wastewater, reducing the cost of waste treatment and environmental pollution.
- Convenient and practical: the laboratory water purification system adopts automatic control, which can automatically detect water quality, clean and disinfect equipment, and has a variety of alarm and protection functions, which is convenient and safe to use.
Troubleshooting
The optimal working temperature of laboratory pure water equipment is 25°C, and the available working temperature is around 5°C-45°C. If the temperature is lower or higher than this range, the machine should be turned off in time or the temperature should be adjusted before use.
In the cold winter, if the water machine runs at a low temperature for a long time, the water outlet may be blocked, and the internal consumables may be cracked and deformed by the frozen ice, which may cause equipment malfunction.
Common equipment malfunctions in winter
When a water machine is used in winter, the water production of the water machine usually decreases, and in some cases, it may only be 50% of the summer water production, because the reverse osmosis membrane has a low water temperature in winter. When the water temperature of the osmotic membrane is 25°C, the water production rate is rated. Every time the water temperature drops by 1°C, the water production rate of the reverse osmosis membrane will drop by 3%. When the water temperature is lower than 5°C, the reverse osmosis membrane will stop producing water.
In addition, due to the decrease in water production, the flow rate of wastewater will increase accordingly, the wastewater ratio will increase, and after the temperature rises, the wastewater will be reduced and the amount of water produced will increase.
Common maintenance measures for water machines in winter
1. Decreased or stopped water production: If the water output of the water machine in winter cannot meet the water demand, the ambient temperature of the water machine can be improved as much as possible, such as by raising the room temperature or wrapping the body with thermal insulation materials.
Outdoor unit: When the ambient temperature is lower than 5 °C, please turn off the pure water machine in time, and move the pure water machine to a place where the temperature is suitable before use; When the ambient temperature is lower than 0 °C, please do not use the pure water machine to avoid the expansion of the water during the solidification process. If the ultrapure water machine is used forcibly in the event of freezing, it may cause the pipeline and filter element of the ultrapure water machine to rupture, resulting in water leakage.
Indoor unit: When the ambient temperature is lower than 5°C, please turn on the indoor heating system such as heating or air conditioning in time, adjust the ambient temperature, and take antifreeze measures related to the ultrapure water machine.
2. Leakage of the water machine: If there is water leakage in the water machine, carefully check the water leakage place to see if the accessories are frozen, cracked, and deformed, and replace the corresponding accessories in time.
3. Icing occurs in the pure water machine: Place the pure water machine in an environment with a room temperature above 10 °C, and only after 48 hours of natural thawing can the machine be turned on for normal use, and after starting, fully check whether the pure water machine has water leakage, as well as the change of water quality and quantity.
4. Freezing and cracking of tap water supply pipes: At this time, the use of the water purifier needs to be suspended. After the temperature rises, first, turn on the tap water faucet to drain the sediment accumulated in the water supply pipeline to avoid too many impurities entering the water purifier, and then open the water inlet ball valve to activate the equipment.
5. Storage conditions of the water machine in winter: Cut off all water and power sources of the ultrapure water machine. Discharge all the existing ultra-pure water tanks and running water inside the machine. Store the machine in an environment where the temperature is not lower than 5°C. If the temperature is too low, please use foam cotton and other materials to pack and insulate the outside of the water purifier.
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Water Purification Systems
Water is perhaps the most utilized reagent in a laboratory and is often critical for an experiment. As instruments have become more sensitive and applications increasingly complex, the demand for high-purity water has also increased. A few years ago, parts per million (ppm) was a very small level of contamination, but now people are looking for parts-per-billion (ppb) or parts-per-trillion (ppt) levels of contamination, says Renaud Bardon, director for North American Sales Lab Water at Millipore Inc.
There are several types of contaminants in water, such as particulates, organics, inorganics, microorganisms and pyrogens. In the past, people were mainly concerned with ionic contaminants and measured ionic conductivity or resistivity as a way to determine water purity. Today people are more concerned with organic contaminants, particulates and microorganisms, such as bacteria and gases that are dissolved in water, says Bardon.
There are eight commonly used methods to purify water: distillation, deionization, reverse osmosis, activated carbon filtration, microporous filtration, ultrafiltration, ultraviolet oxidation and electrodialysis. The National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards (NCCLS) has specified three types of water: I, II and III, as well as special-purpose water, depending on their use. While Type I refers to water with minimal interference and maximum precision to be used for most analytical applications, type III water refers to that used for general washing. The special-purpose water refers to water that has been treated to remove specific contaminants.
When selecting the right system for purifying laboratory water, several factors need to be considered. However, according to Bob Applequist, product manager at Labconco, the most important one is to fit the product to the application. You have to differentiate between the need for pure and ultrapure water. In most cases, the pure water generated from tap water can be used for most applications, while ultrapure water generated from a point of- use system can be used for applications that have more specific and stringent purification needs. The first-step purification or the system that is used to convert tap water into pure water has to be very good and efficient, says Bardon. If you have that first step right, then converting that pure water into ultrapure water is going to be very easy and consistent.
When considering a water purification system, both the quality and the quantity of water have to be taken into account. You have to take into account instantaneous as well as daily water volume requirements, says Bardon. For labs that have variable demands on quality and quantity, flexibility and modularity become very important. The key then is to invest in a flexible system that will meet your needs today and can grow with the lab and change with the applications, says Matthew Hammond, global sales and marketing director for ELGA LabWater.
After choosing the right system, performing regular, preventative maintenance is equally important. The newer versions have built-in alarms and calibrators that warn customers if certain components are coming to the end of their life cycles. Sample the water routinely to make sure that it doesn't contain the impurities that will interfere with your analysis, says Hammond. The level of monitoring can be done daily, weekly or monthly, depending on the stringency of the application and the laboratory environment. Whatever system you buy, make sure its dynamic, so that the water can recirculate regularly, says Hammond. Water needs to be kept moving, as still water ends up building biofilms quicker. So look for a system that is easy to sanitize. If properly maintained and used, most water purification systems can last up to two decades.
Finally, ensure that the pure water obtained is being used in the right way. I know of customers who will invest a large amount of money buying an ultrapure water purification system and then dispense that water into a plastic container before they use it, says Hammond. Its an unfortunate truth, but for most people, water is just a utility. Its the most pure reagent that is available at a relatively low cost, and so it often doesn't get the respect it deserves."
Lab Manager has introduced our product finder to help compare all available Lab Water Purification Systems.
Aqua Solutions
Proprietary type I systems produce 2-3 liters/minute of 18+ Megohm-cm reagent grade water directly from tap water. Analytical, biological, and ultra-low TOC models are available with or without built-in reverse osmosis pretreatment. They accept 100-240 VAC at 50/60 Hz input power and operate internally on 12 VDC. Systems with built-in RO can operate on tap water containing up to 1,000 PPM of TDS. Systems are CSA-certified, have the CE mark and include a 2-year warranty.
www.aqua-sol.com
Elga
The PURELAB flex water purification system integrates in-hand monitoring and pure water dispensing in one product. The dispensers easy-to-read digital display shows both volume and water purity (either resistivity or conductivity and Total Organic Carbon). The dispense handset has precise fingertip control (like a pipetter) and can be easily programmed with pre-set volumes that can be repeated with the press of a button. The system is easily upgradeable to facilitate changes to laboratory layout and applications.
www.purelabflex.com
Labconco
The WaterPro RO stations large capacity filters and membrane produce reverse osmosis purified water that may be dispensed at a typical rate of 1 liter per minute (at inlet water at 25 C) or manually from a valve or optional gun. The timed dispense feature allows unattended operation. The system may also be used to produce laboratory grade feedwater for final purification by a polishing station and allow dispensing of both RO-purified and Type I water.
www.labconco.com
Millipore
The Milli-Q Integral lab water purification system features unique Points-of-Delivery (POD) dispenser systems that give users direct control over water quality throughout the entire purification process. Separate POD dispensers deliver either ultrapure water (from the Q-POD unit) or pure water (from the E-POD unit) at adjustable flow rates ranging from drop-bydrop to 2 L/min. POD dispensers can be adapted with contaminant-specific final polishers to remove pyrogens, nucleases, bacteria, particulates and organics.
www.millipore.com
Siemens Water Technologies
The Axius E-Plus RO/CEDI water purification systems with reverse osmosis and continuous electro-deionization deliver more consistent water quality. They combine the proven technologies of reverse osmosis (RO) and continuous electro-deionization (CEDI) to produce high quality ASTM type II water. With low initial upfront costs, simple maintenance and minimal consumable change-outs, the systems provide an economical and environmental choice for consistent high purity water up to liters per day, direct from tap.
www.water.siemens.com
Aries Filterworks
The Gemini-Mini Basin is a wall mounted, high flow, point-of-use polisher that can dispense ultra-pure water at a rate of 3.7-lpm; a flow rate over 3 times faster than traditional polishing systems. With PLC control, the Gemini-MB can be intuitively programmed to automatically fill and stop at precise volumes. Flexible dispensing features include: the ability to program four independent batch volumes; remote dispense gun with full recirculation; and submicron filter and direct feed of equipment downstream. Filtration technology includes: multi-pass UV sterilization of the flow path and dispensing port; TOC UV destruction unit to reduce the total organic carbon content of the product water; submicron filtration to remove bacteria and viruses; and ultra filtration for R-nase, D-nase-free water.
www.ariesfilterworks.com
Thermo Fisher Scientific
The Barnstead NANOpure® water purification system offers a combination of reliable, ultrapure water with easy operation and maintenance and low operating cost. Application-specific models utilize cartridge packs tailored for specific feed water types and uses. They provide the ideal water for the most sensitive requirements, including: IC, ICP/MS, HPLC, GC/MS, HPLC and TOC determinations. These advanced systems produce water that consistently achieves 18.2 megohm- cm resistivity and TOC values of < 1 ppb.
www.thermo.com/purewater
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