If you are considering how the water in your building affects your local area and the people who work with you, it is likely that you have considered adding or improving the filtration system at your business. However, because each water treatment plan is based on a company’s unique circumstances, it can be difficult to figure out which type of filtration solutions would work best for you.
While an experienced water treatment technician is able to guide you in choosing a water filtration option, one of the most common choices is a mechanical filtration solution.
Characteristics Of Mechanical Filtration Solutions
Because all unfiltered water contains some contaminants, particulates, and sediment, any filtration option must be equipped to handle varying sizes of pollutants in order to be effective. Mechanical filtration solutions are robust systems that operate with multiple parts—such as surface and depth filters. A surface filter functions like a sieve or strainer, and water that passes through will deposit the largest particulates on the sieve, because they are too large to pass through the gaps.
However, smaller particles in the water may not have been captured by this first filter, and that is why mechanical filtration solutions use a series of filters in progressively smaller sizes. Some filters are uniform, like a mesh, and others are more irregular, like a bed of granules or a sponge. As the particles pass through this descending series of filters, smaller and smaller pieces of sediment and other contaminants become trapped, and cleaner water continues on.
Even the best filter will be unable to stop the very smallest materials from passing through its gaps. In order to ensure that the water is as clean as possible, the final stage in many mechanical filtration solutions will instead rely on a process called adsorption. The filter medium’s surface will attract any remaining particles and hold them there using a weak electric current, so pieces as small as molecules of contaminants will not pass through.
Removes Unwanted Particles From Water
When many people consider the particles that may be in their water, they most often think of dirt. However, water can contain a large variety of sediments and contaminants arising from a variety of causes. While dirt is certainly one option that may appear in water due to pipe cracks or leaks, business owners will also likely have to deal with chemical pollutants introduced to water through their business practices.
In addition, sediment like rust and other metallic contaminants can enter the water due to pipe corrosion over time, and when all these varying pollutants are considered together, choosing a filtration system that is able to tackle all them can be a challenge.
Surface & Deep Filtration
Mechanical filtration solutions typically rely on a comprehensive series of filters that cover both surface and deep filtration. Surface filtration is the first few sieves in the process, where large particles (those potentially even visible to the naked eye) are caught and removed from the water supply. Deep filtration, on the other hand, tackles the more challenging aspects of water filtration, when particulates become extraordinarily small and difficult to stop using a standard mesh or sponge. At a molecular level, contaminants can be drawn to cling to a filter thanks to a weak electrical current that “magnetizes” them to the filter and holds them there.
Because these filters perform their roles so well, it is also important to consider the system that you intend to use for cleaning the filters. In order to prevent clogging, reduced efficiency, and even long-term damage to a system, it is important to ensure that it remains clean and effective. A skilled water filtration expert can guide you through the process of determining how to implement a cleaning option for your mechanical filtration solution.
Work With The Cooling Tower Water Treatment Professionals
As you consider which type of water filtration solutions may be right for you and your business, a number of factors must come into play: how much water the filtration system must deal with, what sort of contact exists between people in the building and the water, what sort of water system you already have in place, and what your long-term goals are for the filtration solution, among many other questions. It can be difficult to ascertain exactly where you stand on these issues without the assistance of an experienced water filtration solutions professional.
Tower Water sets the standard in water treatment and would be happy to assist you in planning your water filtration strategy. Work with an expert to ensure that you choose the option that is best for you so that you will enjoy an efficient, long-lasting, and effective water filtration system that will keep you, the people you work with, and the environment safe and healthy for years to come. Give us a call at 888.539.1559 or schedule a consultation online.