Carbon Water Filters have been an essential part of water filtration for quite some time now. Most of the commercial water filtration systems that purify water contain at least one stage of activated carbon filtration. The carbon water filter, in this regard, serves great importance to the overall filtration process. In this note, we discuss the importance of providing water free of impurities in detail.
What is Activated Carbon, And How Does It Work?
Activated carbon is a fine black powder made from coal bone, coconut shells, peat, petroleum coke, coal, olives, or sawdust. The coal is “activated” through a process at very high temperatures. It is the point where the internal structure changes, reducing the size of its pores and increasing its surface, generating a more porous carbon than regular. The porous texture of charcoal has a negative electrical charge, which attracts positively charged molecules, such as toxins and gases. It helps to trap toxins and chemicals. The activation of the coal produces an excellent filtration surface and allows it to have a high capacity to absorb water impurities.
Activated carbon removes chlorine, flavors, odors, and other organic chemicals from the water. The most common purifiers use single or two-stage filters, where activated carbon is introduced as a filter medium into a cartridge that can be of different sizes (depending on the device where it will be used).
How Activated Carbon Water Filters Work?
Water purification removes harmful contaminants from the water. The filter which physically blocks or chemically removes contaminants, is a different purification technique from reverse osmosis. Filtering is a relatively inexpensive and efficient way to purify water. Carbon filtration is one of the most effective of these methods.
Activated carbon filters are mainly used for the removal of chlorine and organic compounds in water. The operating system is the same as that of sand filters, with the retention of contaminants being carried out when the water passes through the filter’s bed composed of activated carbon. Water flows down through the filter medium until it reaches the outlet.
Activated Carbon has a slightly positive charge so it can attract impurities, carbon block has a higher pollutant removal rate than granular carbon filter. However, there are many factors that affect, including the amount of carbon in the unit, the flow of water, the amount of time that the contaminants were in contact and the particle size. The carbon can remove particles between 50 and 0.5 microns in size, one micron being one-thousandth of a millimeter, or rather 0.001 mm, something invisible to the human eye with the naked eye. Human hair is about 70 micron in size.
What Elements Does Activated Carbon Filter Remove?
Carbon water filters are very effective in removing various harmful chemicals. These include chlorine, benzene, radon, trihalomethane solvent compounds, volatile organic chemicals such as pesticides and herbicides, trace-pharmaceuticals and hundreds of other artificial chemicals that get in contact with tap water while it flows through the system. In addition, filters remove sediment, color, bad tastes and odors from the water.
How Long Does An Activated Carbon Filter Last?
Normally, the carbon water filter has to be replaced every 2 or 3 months (if we use it daily). Unlike the other filters, the Aqua Belle’s F40L filter has capacity of 2,500 gallons which lasts 2-3 years! If you do not remember precisely when you first used it, no need to worry. If you notice a change in the water’s taste, and or reduction in the flow of the water from the faucet – IT IS time to replace the filter. If you don’t change the filter the distinctive bad taste of tap water will get worse over time. Furthermore, in some cases some carbon filters will have a bacteria growing in them.
In addition to filtering water, charcoal has many more properties and uses, such as regulating humidity, reducing odors, inhibiting mold, and keeping food fresh, among other things. It is another reason why we love this media because you can use it for other purposes once they have dried completely. Many people use activated charcoal to detox their body.
Tips And Opinion On Commercial Water Filtration Systems
As an inexpensive and efficient filtration media, we are delighted with the use of commercial carbon water filtration systems.
- It is 100% biodegradable and compostable. Carbon filter prevents us from invading the planet of disposable plastic filters.
- It removes the bad taste from tap water, and that is vital for us because we need to drink water every day.
- It is an economical option whether we compare it with any other filter which exists in the market, and or buying water bottles.
- If you like, we invite you to calculate the cost per gallon of drinking water when you use a carbon filter vs. bottled water. The cost of a gallon of filtered water is less than $0.05! check your grocery store and see what is the cost of one gallon of bottled water.
In short, the activated carbon filter system is the most inexpensive, efficient, sustainable, ecological, and environmentally friendly way to filter tap water.
What is a Reverse Osmosis (RO) Water Filter System?
RO Water Filter System offers you the ultimate pure and clean drinking water. Thanks to its modern three to six-stage compact design, the system can be installed under your kitchen sink. It is equipped with one to three pre-filters, a membrane, and one or two post osmosis filtration stages. It fits under the sink in the kitchen. This filter provides constant access to clean water. The system allows daily extraction of up to 100 gallons a day, depending on the membrane’s capacity, with no effect on the water’s pH.
RO system should be use mostly when the quality of the local water supply is substandard, and or a member of the family is sensitive to a specific element in the water.
How Does Carbon Water Filtration Systems Work?
- First stage:
Prefilter – It removes mechanically impurities/ sediment of more than 10 microns in size. Sand, rust and other sediments are retained by micropores whose diameter decreases inwards. Large particles are captured near the surface, while small particles are captured in deeper layers.
- Second stage:
A 5 micron Activated Carbon removes chlorine and organic substances from water. Activated carbon (due to its porous structure) is an excellent filtration material. The chemicals are adsorbed in the pores.
- Third stage:
A 1 or 0.5 micron Carbon Filter the microorganisms and even ions are removed from the water.
- Fourth stage:
An RO membrane removes elements and molecules of dissolved chemicals in the water as small as 0.002micron
- Fifth stage:
The linear granular activated carbon cartridge improves the taste and smell of the water
- Sixth stage:
An Ultraviolet filter uses special light which eliminates any living organism in the water and or alters their DNA rendering it harmless.
At Aqua Belle, we are aware of the benefits of activated carbon. We use it in most of our purification systems to provide quality water and free of impurities. Talk to our experts today!