How Does Reverse Osmosis Work? | The Ultimate Guide

如果你曾经喝过装有反渗透系统的人家的一杯水, you know how pure and refreshing it tastes.

Or, 也许你担心水质，想确保你的家人喝的是尽可能减少污染物的健康水.

Reverse osmosis (R.O.) drinking water truly is the purest choice for any home. It’s water the way nature intended us to drink it.

But how exactly do these systems work, and what do they do to your home’s water?

What is Reverse Osmosis?

Most homeowners have likely heard of reverse osmosis before, but unless they already have a system in their home, they might not know exactly what it is or how reverse osmosis works. Reverse osmosis is one of the most refined methods of water filtration, and it can improve water quality and taste, even when the water is already treated.

To understand reverse osmosis, let’s start with defining osmosis. According to Brittanica, 渗透是水或其他溶剂通过半透膜的过程，其中颗粒被膜阻挡. Normal osmosis naturally always travels from the highest concentration of water to the lowest concentration. When thinking about osmosis in action, 想想植物的根是如何从土壤中吸收水分和养分的——根系通过土壤吸收养分和水分的这个过程就是渗透作用.

At its base level, the reverse osmosis process is similar to osmosis, 包括分子通过半透膜来过滤水中污染物. However, 主要区别在于，反渗透需要外部压力来迫使水通过膜，因为它的作用与自然界中发现的相反. The unfiltered water has a lower concentration of pure H2O versus the higher concentration on the opposite side of the filtration membrane. 所以为了让水流过系统，它需要外力的推动. The reverse osmosis membrane blocks contaminants large and small, leaving the fresh, 未受污染的水在膜的一边，污染物在另一边.

When thinking about reverse osmosis with regard to the water in your home, 反渗透系统中的反渗透膜就像一种过滤器，因为它有极其微小的孔，可以通过过滤来帮助去除水中的微小污染物. In the case of reverse osmosis drinking water systems, 半透膜只允许水分子通过，而其他污染物被收集和冲走. The result is high quality filtered water to drink that is free from contaminants, fresh, and delicious!

Now that we know the basic definition of osmosis and reverse osmosis, let’s dig in and learn about reverse osmosis water filtration systems for home use, when it’s needed, how it works, and if it’s right for your home.

Why Do I Need a Reverse Osmosis System?

对于那些有软水器或其他过滤系统(如固定安装的碳系统)不能完全满足房主需求的人来说，反渗透是一个很好的选择. 有些人可能对硬水被软化后的结果非常满意, whereas others seek out a more crisp, filtered, bottled water type of taste.

此外，有些系统不能像反渗透系统那样过滤掉污染物. Reverse osmosis, also known by the shortened “RO” systems, are able to capture contaminants that other systems miss. 加拿大28走势图的反渗透饮用水系统经过测试和认证，可以减少:

• lead
• arsenic
• copper
• nitrates and nitrites
• chromium (hexavalent & trivalent)
• selenium
• fluoride
• radium
• barium
• cadmium
• cyst (cryptosporidium)
• total dissolved solids (TDS)

Soft water is excellent for cleaning, showering, and laundry. However, some people would rather not drink it. Depending on how hard your water is to start with, it could still have high total dissolved solids (TDS), which can negatively affect the taste. The reason is that the hard minerals are replaced by sodium, and there may be other contaminants in your water that a softener will not remove.

反渗透系统可以去除不需要的钠以及其他污染物和溶解的固体, 为什么软水器和反渗透系统是大多数家庭的理想组合.

How Does a Reverse Osmosis Filtration Work?

Although we previously simplified the definition of reverse osmosis, 当使用反渗透系统净化饮用水时，还有更多的过程.

Reverse osmosis systems have three cylindrical canisters on a manifold, where one is the reverse osmosis membrane and the other two are carbon filters. 让加拿大28走势图仔细看看这三个过滤阶段的目的，以及它们在反渗透系统中的作用.

Step 1: Pre-filtration

用反渗透饮用水系统净水的第一步是保护膜. It removes larger sediment, including some dissolved solids, and helps reduce chlorine that may be in your water. This first cartridge is referred to as the sediment filter or carbon block filter. It helps conserve the membrane, which can get clogged by excess sediment or damaged by exposure to too much chlorine, which you’ll find in municipal water.

Step 2: The Reverse Osmosis Membrane

Following the initial filtration comes the real magic of a reverse osmosis system. Your water is forced through the semipermeable membrane under pressure. 反渗透膜是一种允许水分子通过的合成塑料材料. However, sodium, chlorine, and calcium as well as larger molecules like glucose, urea, and cysts cannot pass.

Water-Right often uses thin film composite (TFC) membranes. 它们对细菌分解有抵抗力，平均排异率高达95%至97%. TFC membranes are not chlorine-resistant, which is why a carbon prefilter is used.

Steps 3 & 4:  Post Filtration and Final Polish

Before your home’s water is ready to drink, it goes through a second carbon filter (or post filter), 在不太可能的情况下，它们通过了系统的前两步，这种方法可以去除任何残留的污染物. Then the water fills up a storage tank where it waits until you’re ready to use it. Finally, there’s the in-line activated carbon filter, which gives your water one last polish as it comes out your faucet. 这是用来去除任何残留的气味或味道，可能来自系统软管或储罐，当你的水等待使用. 擦水是“以防万一”的步骤，以确保你喝的水味道非常新鲜!

How Much Space Do I Need For a Reverse Osmosis System?

Reverse Osmosis systems take up relatively little space in your home. Unlike larger systems like water softeners, reverse osmosis systems can take up very little space; however, it is dependent on the specific reverse osmosis system you choose. 反渗透饮用水系统通常安装在厨房水槽下面，或者可以安装在地下室水槽下面，这样你就不必牺牲你的橱柜空间. 全屋反渗透系统稍大一些，通常安装在水进入你家的附近, like a water softener or water heater do. Whole house systems are commonly installed in a basement or utility room. 请记住，牺牲一小部分空间会换来更好喝的水, cost savings, and more!

What Maintenance is Required With a Reverse Osmosis System?

Just like with any water filtration system for home or for an appliance in your home, it is important to properly maintain it. 正确维护的反渗透系统可以持续长达十年甚至更长时间!

When you have a reverse osmosis system installed in your home, 安装人员应检查设备的适当维护和维护计划. 您需要更换碳或膜盒的频率将取决于您需要收集多少污染物以及您将通过系统运行多少水.

预过滤器或沉淀物过滤器通常应该每年更换一次，因为这个过滤器可以保护你的反渗透膜, 但你当地的专业人士可能会建议每6个月对高使用率的房屋进行一次清理. 妥善保养这个过滤器意味着你的膜应该持续两到三年才需要更换. 碳过滤器应该根据你的水质每年更换一到两次.

Is Reverse Osmosis Drinking Water Right for Your Home?

When you install a reverse osmosis system, you’ll enjoy better-tasting coffee and tea, clearer ice cubes, and pure, healthy water right from your kitchen sink. If you’re still using bottled water for drinking, you’ll be able to make the switch to drinking from your tap. 反渗透系统是一项明智的投资，从长远来看可以节省你的钱，对环境更好. If desired, Water-Right also offers whole home reverse osmosis systems. You can even wash your car with reverse osmosis water for a spot-free finish!

想要了解更多关于反渗透饮用水系统的详细信息，请填写下面的表格，加拿大28技巧当地的水专家，为您提供免费的家庭咨询!