One of the main problems of drinking water is the high content of iron in it. It is faced by private consumers and business owners. This applies to tap water and the one that is extracted from wells. As you know, iron is able to give the water a dull orange hue and a very unpleasant taste. Among other things, such elements are very harmful to human health. For this reason, water treatment is becoming a mandatory measure to prevent problems with equipment and health. About cleaning methods will be described below.
Iron in water
Iron removal from a well is not required when this substance contains not more than 0.3 mg / l. If the parameters increase to 5 mg / l, then special filters should be installed. Groundwater contains dissolved ferrous iron. After contact of the liquid with air, the substance passes into a trivalent form, which contributes to the appearance of rust familiar to everyone. If the above parameters increase more than 0.3 mg / l, then rusty spots will remain in the water. This adversely affects linen and plumbing washed in such water.
As practice shows, such water may well seem transparent and clean. If the iron content increases to 1 mg / l, then it will become cloudy, will turn yellow and will have a metallic aftertaste. Iron removal from the well is required because this substance quickly covers the inner surface of the pipes, leaving a residue. This spoils the enamel and destroys the technique. If you consume such water in food, then problems with the liver and kidneys may develop, as well as an allergy. Installing a filter is the only sure way to fight rust.
Water deferrization
Iron removal from a well can be done in several ways. The most modern technique reads reagent-free purification, which involves the saturation of water with oxygen. In this case, forced aeration and a compressor are used. Additional reagents are not required, which makes the system cheap to operate. Reagentless cleaning is effective when the concentration of iron is not more than 10 mg / l.
The use of oxidizing agents and coagulation
Iron removal of water, the price of which will be presented below, can also be carried out using oxidizing agents, which are used in filters. The main active ingredient in this case is sodium hypochlorite, ozone or potassium permanganate. Reagent deferrization is used in cases where the concentration of dissolved iron is more than 10 mg / l. Sometimes this technique is also applicable with a low Ph.
If you decide to use reagent filters, you should be prepared for the fact that they require regular care, and their maintenance is more expensive. Iron removal from the well is also implemented according to the coagulation principle. This method is reagent, and the water in it is treated with substances that cause particles of contaminants to stick together and form flakes. The latter are delayed filters.
Catalytic oxidation unit
This filtration system is most popular in private houses and cottages, as well as in small industrial enterprises. The catalytic oxidation unit has compact dimensions and is characterized by high productivity. Oxidation of iron occurs inside the tank using special granules that have catalytic characteristics.
There are a huge number of backfill materials that have a natural or synthetic origin. When a similar water deferrization station operates, the oxidized iron will settle on the surface of the filter, which is cleaned by periodic washing. In this case, the sediment is washed off into the sewage system. Wash filters are sensitive to low temperatures. If the thermometer mark drops below 0 °, then the equipment may fail. Therefore, such installations should only be used under appropriate conditions.
Reverse osmosis units
Methods of iron removal from a well may be different. Among them, reverse osmosis technology can be distinguished when the concentration of iron in water is quite moderate. At the same time, water flows under pressure through a membrane, which traps up to 99% of dissolved substances. This method relates to reagents and is often used in the device filters low performance.
If there is a need to purify large volumes of water, then reverse osmosis plants will be economically inexpedient. However, for small houses and apartments, such devices are ideally suited, since the cost of maintaining them is low, despite the fact that the membranes require periodic replacement and chemical washing.
For reference
The water deferrization station described above, which operates on the basis of the reverse osmosis method, is especially good when, in addition to iron, it is necessary to remove other specific contaminants, while reducing the mineralization of water. As a rule, it is used in large industries.
Devices using ion exchange resins
Iron can be removed using a granular ion-exchange resin, while the harmful substance is retained in the ion exchanger, and sodium ions are released into the solution instead. Salt, strontium, manganese, barium, and also radium are removed from the liquid. Thus, the ion exchange water deferrization system is universal, which should be considered a great advantage.
Bioremediation plants
Such filters use in their work the ability of microorganisms to purify water from impurities. Sometimes this method is the only possible one. This applies to cases where the concentration exceeds the figure of 40 mg / L. A biological treatment-based filter can also be used when the water contains a fairly high content of carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulfide. When a liquid passes through a biofilter, it undergoes sorption purification, during which the waste products of the bacteria are retained, and the substance undergoes UV disinfection.
Cartridges and filters for electrochemical aeration
If you need an iron filter, then you can pay attention to electromagnetic cartridges, which relate to installations using the new method. Its essence lies in the fact that at the first stage the liquid is processed by ultrasound, and then passes through the electromagnetic apparatus of a mechanical cartridge with quartz sand. An electromagnetic field is able to separate iron oxides, while a filter barrier delays them.
The most modern water deferrization unit is one that works on the basis of electrochemical aeration. In this case, the liquid is processed by air currents, and after the dissolved iron passes into the form of an oxidized substance, which turns into flakes and settles on the surface of the filter. Oxygen is formed during an electrochemical reaction from water molecules. There are no chemicals in the filter. As a result, it is possible to obtain oxygen-enriched water, which is free from unpleasant odors and impurities. Such a cartridge for iron removal from a well is suitable for a significant iron content, the volume of which per 1 liter is 30 mg. This technology is more profitable and energy efficient compared to all others. Aeration plants are small, able to work autonomously and do not require periodic maintenance.
Equipment and cost
A water deferrization system can be quite expensive equipment, but its use justifies the high cost. On sale, for example, you can find a set of equipment brand BPR UV SZHV R, which has a manual control unit. The cost of the device is 20,200 rubles. Productivity can vary from 0.3 to 2 m 3 / h.
Such devices can be used in the case when the initial content of soluble iron in water does not exceed an indicator of 1.5 mg / L. In this case, the Ph of water should not be more than 6.8. The use of this equipment when water contains a hydrogen sulfide compound requires the installation of a pressure-free storage device for aeration of water in front of the filter.
Description of the equipment set BPR UV SJ SF
If you need an iron filter, then you can purchase equipment that costs 14,500 rubles. Its performance may vary within the same limits as the installation described above. However, the starting compound of soluble iron in water should not be more than 1 mg / L. In this case, Ph may be greater than 7.2. The liquid should be free of petroleum products and hydrogen sulfide. The filter unit includes a housing, a manual control unit, a drainage distribution system, a filter load, and a sorbent.