Reverse Osmosis

INTERSTATE WATER SYSTEMS

4475 E. 32ND STREET

YUMA, ARIZONA 85365

866-622-2755

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What is Reverse Osmosis?

Reverse Osmosis is a very common process used for modern water purification systems in industries as diverse as semiconductors, food processing, biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, and municipal drinking water.

The concept of Reverse Osmosis came from nature’s biological process of osmosis, when scientists realized that if this natural process could be reversed, dissolved solids could be separated from water. Scientists found that nature’s process could be altered by applying enough pressure to water to reverse the flow through a semi-permeable membrane. Dissolved solids that remain behind are more concentrated, while the water is purified by passage through the membrane barrier. Reverse Osmosis is a continuous, pressure driven process for separating water containing dissolved materials into two streams. Tap water comes into contact with one side of a semi-permeable membrane. When a sufficient level of pressure is applied, water molecules are forced through the membrane. Since the dissolved solids do not pass through the membrane, they are separated from the water.

In Reverse Osmosis, when water molecules reach the membrane surface, they actually dissolve into the synthetic membrane material and then diffuse through it. Dissolved solids diffuse through a Reverse Osmosis membrane at slower rates and are less soluble in membrane materials because of their physical and chemical properties.

Over the years, the search for suitable membrane materials has led to synthetic membranes that are highly permeable to water as well as being an effective barrier to dissolved solids, bacteria, and viruses.

The two most common residential Reverse Osmosis membranes are: Cellulose Triacetate (CTA) and Thin Film Composite (TFC) membranes.

CTA membranes require some chlorine to function properly.

CTA membranes are less effective in rejection of dissolved solids in water.

CTA membranes are not readily available in higher capacities.

CTA membranes are not suitable for non chlorinated water supplies.

TFC membranes are chlorine intolerant and require carbon pre filtration.

TFC membranes are more effective in removing dissolved solids from water .

TFC membranes are suitable for well water that has not been chlorinated.

TFC membranes are readily available in capacities up to 150 gallons per day (gpd).

At Interstate Water Systems we only use high quality TFC membranes in all of our Reverse Osmosis systems. We do carry CTA membranes for our customers who still have this type of system.

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Webmaster: bob@interstatewater.com

This site was last updated 06/17/08