How to choose a carbon filter for water

It's not a secret for anyone that nowadays most of the diseases that people suffer are connected with the use of poor quality and unrefined drinking water. After all, more than 85% of all metabolic processes in the body are carried out in the aquatic environment. And in order to ensure the compliance of tap water to the established world standards, various purification systems are used.

To date, there is a huge selection of carbon filters for water treatment, using a variety of operating principles. By the method of purification, mechanical, ion-exchange, reverse osmosis filters, biological, physicochemical and electrical filters are isolated. Each of them has advantages and disadvantages.

The main advantages of coal filters

Consider carbon filters for water, based on clarification, that is, a cleaning method, the essence of which is the mechanical purification of water from various impurities that limit the ability to use it for drinking or other purposes.

Carbon filter for water is used to remove :

• free chlorine;
• unpleasant aftertaste;
• unnatural color of water;
• of various organic substances in water up to the smallest suspended particles and even viruses;
• unpleasant odor.

The basic principle of the operation of carbon filters is absorption - the absorption of solid molecules( sorbent) of pollutant molecules. As the filter medium in the filter, activated carbon is used. It is made from coconut shells or specially processed stones, and due to this, it has a high resistance to abrasion.

The advantages of coal filters include:

• low costs for their operation;
• long service life;
• wide range of temperatures of purified water;
• does not require reagent washing;
• the material from which the filter is made has a light weight and this reduces the flow of water into the drain.

Types of carbon filters, their characteristics

Among the huge range of modern coal filters, it is very difficult to choose what is really suitable for obtaining high-quality and purified water. Consider the characteristics of different types of filters:

1. The simplest and, perhaps, the most common is a filter-pitcher. Its main advantages are:

• easy to use;
• high mobility.

This filter does not need to be connected to a water pipe, but simply pour the water and wait 5-10 minutes for it to be cleaned. It is convenient for the office to make tea or coffee, and also it is easy to take with them, for example, to the forest or to the sea. This filter has a cartridge that efficiently cleans water from most microorganisms.

The drawbacks of this filter include:

• slow water purification;
• small cartridge life, 150-250 l;
• with prolonged use of the filter on its surface, bacteria begin to multiply actively, so the cartridge needs to be changed at least once a month.

2. Another type of carbon filter is the filter nozzle, it is located directly on the tap and cleans the water flowing through it. This is the smallest and compact filter, very easy to use. The advantages include:

• simplicity in mounting;
• water purification rate, but at the same time the quality suffers;
• it is economical, as it allows you to get tasty and healthy water at a low price.

The main drawback is:

• rapid wear of the filter element. It is the same as the filter pitcher is designed for small amounts of water and therefore not suitable for permanent use.

3. Stationary filters are the most expensive. They are sufficiently productive, have from 3 to 7 degrees of cleaning, do not need care and are extremely economical in terms of replacement of consumable components. On the other hand, the water turns out to be distilled. It lacks salts and microelements useful for humans. Accordingly, the installation of this type of filter is very controversial.

Features of industrial filters

On the level with domestic, there are industrial carbon filters for water. Designed for cleaning from odors, off-flavors, chlorine, etc.

Applications of industrial filters:

• hotels, cottages;
• restaurants and cafes;
• equipment for water bottling;
• cleaning of fresh and sea water;
• water treatment at metallurgical plants;
• water treatment at TPP thermal power plants;
• treatment of river water;
• water treatment in the pulp and paper industry;
• water treatment in metallurgy and other industries.

Advantages and advantages of these filters:

• high performance;
• different degrees of filtration;
• low power consumption;
• is easy to operate.

Loading carbon filters can work in Duplex, Triplex, Quadplex systems, that is, two, three or even four filters operate in parallel.

In industrial filters, activated charcoal is used by the best world producers, which possesses a unique ability to remove the smallest microorganisms, large organic molecules such as humic acids, petroleum products and organochlorine compounds. This ability distinguishes industrial filters from non-industrial ones, based on the use of activated carbon based on the coconut shell.

As the production requires the purification of water from organic substances, industrial filters completely cope with the task, due to the fact that they are filled with activated coal based on coal.

A wide range of purification systems available allows water filtration from 0.5 to 100 m3 per hour. All coal industrial filters are equipped with special valves, which allow performing almost any function.

Which coal filter to choose

1. The market presents a variety of carbon filters for water purification. Let's start with the filter-pitcher. The most popular trademarks are:

• Aquafor, Russia;
• Barrier, Russia;
• Geyser, Russia;
• Our water, Ukraine;
• Britta, Germany.

When choosing a filter of this type, the material from which it is made is an important factor, it should be a quality plastic that prevents the multiplication of various microorganisms on the surface and is easy to operate and clean.

Also important is the volume of such filters, it ranges from two to six to seven liters. The color range is the most diverse, they can be: blue, red, yellow, pink, gray, silver and other colors.

The type of resource indicator is mechanical and electronic. The price depends on the volume, firm, type of indicator. On average, such filters cost from $ 8 to $ 50.Replacement cartridges have a total cost of $ 3 to $ 8.The cartridge should be changed once a month. In principle, the quality of the filter jugs in all brands is equally high.

2. The filter nozzle differs from the filter pitcher in that it cleans the running water that flows directly from the tap. At the same time they are the most compact, take up little space and do the best work. These filters come in different types, for example, some are screwed onto the tap, while others are simply connected using a tube with an adapter.

When choosing such a filter, it is worth paying attention to the strength and quality of the material from which it is made, since the device is constantly under pressure. Also it is necessary to take into account the efficiency of this filter, which is indicated in its technical characteristics.

Such filters have a very wide price range from 8 to 80 $.They differ in the design, functions, and quality of the treated water.

3. Domestic carbon filters for water, the prices for which are the highest - are stationary filters. They are installed under the sink or in the water distribution room. The service life is not limited, so you need to think about the place right away.

The transfer of equipment is a very complicated procedure. In addition, there must be free access to the cleaning cartridges. Their replacement occurs once a year. Note that if you do not replace the filter in time, it will begin to give up the accumulated deposits, and the water will become unsuitable for drinking.

The most popular type of stationary filters is a multistage filter. It consists of several filter modules, which gradually purify water. Each of these modules performs its function:

• first captures mechanical impurities;
• second disinfects;
• the third produces a deep cleaning.

The filters themselves are made of both plastic and metal. When selecting a filter, pay attention to:

• the number of degrees of purification;
• working pressure;
• installation features;
• work speed;
• amount of liquid to be processed.

In order to optimally select such a filter, it is necessary to send water samples to the laboratory for investigation, this will allow selecting the optimal set of cartridges. The price is from 60 to 500 $.

4. Industrial filters are used to prepare water in various enterprises, including communal ones, for its further use . These filters allow you to get water that will meet the requirements of the company on which it is installed. In the market are represented by such trade marks:

• Aqualine,
• Ecosoft,
• Jet,
• Blue.

Filters differ in power, performance, speed. The choice of a particular model depends on the particular enterprise for which it is intended. These filters are the most expensive of their price from $ 1,000.

Quality water is a source of health for the whole family. It normalizes the metabolism, moisturizes all the mucous membranes of the body, dilutes the blood, makes the skin supple and rejuvenates our body. Buy a coal filter for water - this means taking care of the health of your entire family.