Why Water Needs To Be Treated: The Role Of A Demineralizer

By Antoine Paige


Water purification uses different types of devices in order to be able to treat water properly and transform it into a more potable state. One of the most common devices used in this process is the demineralizer which is a cylindrically shaped tank with connections at the top and bottom used as water inlets and outlets as well as resin addition. This device removed harmful minerals from the water which may cause diseases to humans if taken in.

Different water treatment methods are believed to have been used since the ancient times by different cultures across the world. Notably, ancient Greek and Sanskrit writings believed to have been made around 2000 BC proved the existence of these different methods of water purification. Boiling water is said to be the oldest form of water purification with it being used during the ancient Greek's time as a way to create better smelling and better tasting drinking water. In addition to boiling, different filtration and straining methods were also used in order to reduce the presence of visible particles and turbidity in the water.

From the simple boiling of water originally done to purify water, several other methods were discovered and employed in the recent years to improve the purification process. Different experiments were made in order to do these improvements which lead to the discovery of the principles of coagulation in 1500 BC by the Egyptians. There are also the invention of the Hippocratic sleeve in 500 BC by Hippocrates, the establishment of aqueducts by the Assyrians during the 7th Century BC, and Archimedes' invention of the water screw among other things which lead to the development of more advanced water purification methods. The demineralizer can be considered as one of the most up to date purification method which started in 1676 when Anton van Leeuwenhoek discovered the presence of organisms in water which lead to the increased knowledge on the different dangers posted by contaminated water.

As mentioned, water, in its natural state, contains minerals that are harmful for both humans and animals. These minerals include calcium, magnesium, sodium, alkalinity, chlorides, sulfates, nitrates, and silica. These minerals are not only harmful to living organisms, they can also harm industrial pipes by causing corrosion, scale building, precipitation in chemical products, and other related problems. Also, untreated water has poor taste and thirst-quenching characteristics due to its lack of certain minerals. Various studies have also shown that consumption of demineralized water results in the increased secretion of cortisol, reduced skeletal ossification in fetuses, higher risks of fractures in children, and neurodegenerative diseases.

It is for these reasons that water treatment procedures were invented. Today, the demineralization of water is one of the most practical and common methods used in the removal of dissolved contaminants in water. This process employs water softeners and demineralizers to remove harmful minerals in water. These devices work by allowing water to be purified to enter the top of the device at a set flow rate. Then, water flows down through the resin beads where the flow path causes a physical filter effect as well as chemical ion exchange that purifies water.

The invention of demineralizers in the purification process can be considered one of the most important things created in the recent years. With the importance of water to humans and other living things, it is of utmost importance that it be purified in order to avoid the harmful elements and microorganisms which can endanger human lives.




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