Reverse osmosis systems come in a variety of shapes and sizes, so many homeowners may wonder which system works best for their home. The perfect RO system for your home provides crisp, clear drinking water for you and your family. In this article, we&#;ll share six key features to look for when shopping for a residential reverse osmosis system.
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6 important reverse osmosis features
The perfect reverse osmosis system is not the same for everyone. However, some features make some systems more desirable than others. When searching for a reverse osmosis system, ensure it meets the functionality, efficiency, ease of maintenance, form factor, remineralization, and upgradability standards you want in a system.
Learn more about reverse osmosis: What is a reverse osmosis system?
1. Functionality
A reverse osmosis system should contain all the necessary components to provide the water you want for your home. These components include the membrane size, prefilters, and postfilters you want for your water.
Membrane size
The membrane size of a reverse osmosis system determines how many gallons of water it can treat in a day. Most residential RO systems contain membrane sizes between 25 and 100 gallons per day (GPD). Homes with many occupants will need at least a 50 GPD membrane, while small families or single homeowners likely do not need a membrane greater than 25 GPD.
When choosing a membrane size, you must consider the volume of water your RO system must produce on the most demanding days. If you regularly entertain guests, for example, you will need to equip your system with a larger membrane than would be necessary for only your family. Likewise, if you hook up your RO system to your refrigerator or other sinks, you must ensure that it can supply enough water to meet these demands.
Prefilters
Reverse osmosis systems contain sediment and carbon prefilters that treat water before it passes through the RO membrane. These prevent certain particulates and chemicals from damaging the membrane over time. They also reduce some aesthetic impurities from water, such as chlorine, bad tastes, and foul odors.
If your water quality is particularly poor, you will need more robust prefiltration than standard sediment and carbon filtration. If your home uses well water, you will need to add UV disinfection to your well water treatment system to eliminate the threat of bacteria and microorganisms. If your home&#;s water is hard, you will want a water softener to be installed before the reverse osmosis system. While RO does soften water, water-hardening minerals can damage the RO membrane and reduce its efficiency over time.
Postfilters
A carbon postfilter on a reverse osmosis system removes any lingering foul tastes and odors caused by chlorine, chloramines, or other contaminants. A postfilter ensures the water you consume is crisp and refreshing. Some RO systems are equipped with a remineralization postfilter that adds beneficial minerals back to filtered water. Like the carbon postfilter, these are designed to enhance the aesthetic qualities of your drinking water.
2. Efficiency
One major gripe homeowners have with reverse osmosis is the amount of water it sends down the drain. However, certain RO system elements reduce the wastefulness of the system and can save hundreds of gallons of water each month. The most significant water-saving feature of an RO system is the permeate pump.
Permeate pumps push treated water, also called permeate, to the RO storage tank by using wastewater for energy. These pumps can save up to 80% of the water that flows to the drain. Not all RO systems are plumbed to support a permeate pump, so you will want to find a system that can equip a permeate pump if saving water is important to you.
Learn more: How a permeate pump works with a reverse osmosis system
3. Ease of maintenance
All reverse osmosis systems require filter replacements, cleaning, and other maintenance as needed. Some systems are designed to swap out cartridges or sanitize easier than others. Quick-change cartridges require only a quarter turn to remove and another quarter turn to lock in the new cartridge. To replace a cartridge in a traditional filter housing, you must take the housing apart, clean the inside of the housing, replace the cartridge, and put the housing back together. While this maintenance is still simple, it involves more steps than quick-change cartridges.
Also, consider how easily you can order replacement parts for your system. For systems with quick-change cartridges, pieces and parts on the system are more difficult to replace than those with isolated components. In some RO systems, replacing one piece of the assembly may require the entire assembly to be replaced altogether.
4. Form factor
Some reverse osmosis systems contain proprietary filters, while others use standard filters. Proprietary filters do not match standard sizing for RO cartridges. Rather, they have unique sizing that often give a sleek, eloquent look compared to traditional filters. Standard filters, on the other hand, contain standard dimensions, so there are more compatible cartridges available for each filter. The two primary differences between proprietary and standard filters are cost and availability.
Because proprietary filters are unique to a system, they are often only available from one vendor. Due to the lack of competition, this vendor can upcharge replacement filters, leaving you with only one expensive option. If the vendor discontinues replacement filters for your system, then you are stuck with no way to refresh your filters. In contrast, standard filters can be replaced with many different cartridges from various vendors. There is heavy competition in the world of standard filters, so you can always get the best deal on your replacement filters.
5. Remineralization
Reverse osmosis systems strip minerals from water as it passes through the RO membrane. Some of the minerals lost are beneficial both to the human body and to the taste of water. Remineralization postfilters add some beneficial minerals back into water before it is delivered to your storage tank. Not all RO systems are equipped with a remineralization postfilter, but many newer systems contain a built-in remineralization cartridge. If adding minerals back into water is important to you, ensure you choose a system with a remineralization cartridge.
6. Upgradability
As your water needs increase, you need your reverse osmosis system to keep up. Many RO systems offer various membrane sizes within the same system, allowing for easy output upgrades as demand increases. Many proprietary RO systems do not offer different membrane sizes, so you are stuck with the same output as long as you have that particular system.
RO storage tank sizes are also upgradeable with any reverse osmosis system that utilizes a storage tank. Tankless RO systems do not provide the ability to upgrade storage because they do not offer storage tank compatibility. For now, tankless RO systems are simply not as effective as systems with a tank and do not provide the same value.
Learn more: What is a reverse osmosis tank and how does it work?
Top reverse osmosis systems by features
Neo-Pure PRO-4 Series RO System
The Neo-Pure PRO-4 Series RO System is an all-around system that provides an abundance of excellent features, including a permeate pump and remineralization postfilter.
Features
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Functionality &#; chlorine and sediment prefiltration; remineralization and carbon block postfilters
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Efficiency &#; built-in permeate pump provides high efficiency
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Ease of maintenance &#; standard housings must be disassembled, cleaned, and reassembled with each cartridge change
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Form factor &#; standard filters
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Remineralization - yes
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Upgradability &#; available with 25, 50, and 75 GPD membranes
Pentair Freshpoint 50 GPD RO System
The Pentair Freshpoint 50 GPD RO System produces high-quality reverse osmosis water with a sleek design. Its 3-stage filtration includes a prefilter and postfilter that eliminate chlorine, tastes, and odors. Its sleek design allows it to fit into tighter spaces than traditional RO systems.
Features
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Functionality &#; CTO (chlorine, taste, and odors) prefilter and postfilter
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Efficiency &#; high-performance GRO membrane; no permeate pump included
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Ease of maintenance &#; easy click-in filter changes
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Form factor &#; proprietary filters
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Remineralization - no
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Upgradability &#; only available with 50 GPD membrane
Pentair Freshpoint 75 GPD RO System
The Pentair Freshpoint 75 GPD RO System is a 4-stage, 75 GPD version of the 50 GPD system. Unlike the 50 GPD system, the 75 GPD version includes a fourth stage to filter out cysts and lead before water reaches the membrane.
Features
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Functionality &#; CTO (chlorine, taste, and odors) prefilter; cysts and lead prefilter; CTO postfilter
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Efficiency &#; high-performance GRO membrane; no permeate pump included
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Ease of maintenance &#; easy click-in filter changes
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Form factor &#; proprietary filters
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Remineralization - no
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Upgradability &#; only available with 75 GPD membrane
Neo-Pure PRO-4 Series
Pentair Freshpoint GRO-350B
Pentair Freshpoint GRO-475B
Functionality
Prefilters - sediment and carbon
Postfilters - carbon and remineralization
Prefilter-CTO
Postfilter-CTO
Prefilters - CTO; cysts and lead
Postfilter - CTO
Efficiency
Included permeate pump
For more glass steel filter tank quotesinformation, please contact us. We will provide professional answers.
GRO membrane
GRO membrane
Ease of maintenance
Standard filters
Click-in filters
Click-in filters
Form factor
Standard
Proprietary
Proprietary
Remineralization
Yes
No
No
Upgradability
25, 50, or 75 GPD
Only 50 GPD
Only 75 GPD
If you have any additional questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.
Glass-lined steel provides a tried and true, rugged design that has proven its value in countless applications across various industries that require a high level of corrosion resistance and durability in their process equipment. Nonetheless, people hear the term &#;glass&#; and often develop a negative perception of glass-lined steel, associating the material of construction with terms like &#;fragile&#;, &#;maintenance hassle&#;, and &#;costly&#;. But by familiarizing yourself with the unique properties and advantages of glass-lined steel you can dismiss these misconceptions. Additionally, by following the operating guidelines (specifically the temperature and pressure limitations) and performing routine vessel inspections and preventative maintenance services you can ensure your equipment will live a long, healthy life as well as optimize your process performance.
Even for the most meticulously run facility, there can come a time when minor to moderate glass-lining damage occurs - hopefully it&#;s not from a wrench falling out of your pocket as you entered the vessel (what were you thinking!). But fear not - there are several ways to get your equipment back up and running quickly. Once on the location and type of damage is assessed, the best repair material and method can then be selected. We&#;ve identified the most commonly used repair materials and outlined the various techniques used to restore the integrity of glass-lined equipment.
Repair Materials
Metals
Tantalum is the most common repair metal used in glass-lined equipment because its corrosion resistance is very similar to glass. When this level of corrosion resistance is not required (or inadequate in some instances) other metals are used, such as titanium, gold-platinum or even stainless steel. Some of these materials are less desirable because they are difficult to work with.
Cements
Furan, sodium silicate, and potassium silicate cements are often used in conjunction with other repair materials to fill in the spaces under the plugs, patches, or sleeves (these repair methods are discussed later in this article). They typically should not be used on their own, though in some instances sodium silicate cement can be used independently as a temporary repair. These cements all vary slightly in corrosion resistance and should be selected based on the credentials of the chemicals being used in the vessel. The cements consist of a two-part system that requires an accurate powder to liquid ratio, proper mixing, and precise working time to ensure it sets properly. It&#;s crucial when working with cement to carefully follow the curing times and temperatures to ensure an effective repair.
Epoxy Putty
Epoxy putties are comprised of various epoxy resins that contain nonmetallic or metallic fillers and are used similarly to cement repair materials. Additionally, epoxy putty is used to rebuild metal damage and help provide a level surface for gasket sealing. Epoxy putties are capable of withstanding this compressive stress and have proven to be useful internally for short-term repairs but are otherwise considered inferior to the resistance of furan and silicate type cements.
PTFE
PTFE gaskets are used to assist and support the metal repair. This material is also used in nozzle sleeves and as a sealing mechanism between the glass lining and the repair material. PTFE can withstand temperatures up to 500°F. In the rare instance that PTFE is not suitable for the process, PVDF or PFA can be substituted.
Repair Methods
Plugs
When a minor defect is found in a new vessel prior to factory shipment, or when there is a small area that was damaged by internal or external mechanical impact, a plug is most frequently used to repair it. The two types available are a one-piece plug which consists of a metal stud (usually tantalum) and a PTFE gasket and a three-piece plug (figure 1) that includes a tantalum disc and PTFE sealing gasket in addition to the former mentioned items. As mentioned before, cements are used in three-piece plug repairs to fill in the cavity of the damaged area and between the discs and the gaskets.
Figure 1
Patches
Patches become a necessary repair method when the size of the damaged area exceeds the coverage of plugs. Patches are most commonly made of tantalum and come in various shapes such as circles, squares or rectangles. Patches can be installed at the customer site in 1-2 days, minimizing downtime that is faced during more involved methods of repair like reglassing. Patches are comprised of a sheet of tantalum, tantalum studs and nuts, a sheet of PTFE, and repair cement (see figure 2).
Figure 2
Sleeves
Metal sleeves are most commonly used to repair damaged nozzles; the inaccessibility of this space due to the compact design of this vessel component usually prevents the use of a plug or patch in these small areas. There are three types of sleeves available &#; inside, outside and inside-outside. After evaluating the location of the damage and supplying the precise measurement, a vendor can supply you with the type of sleeve that will be the best fit. As with other repair methods, tantalum is the metal most frequently used in sleeve repairs. PTFE gaskets and cement are also used in conjunction with the metal sleeve.
Outside (figure 3) and inside-outside sleeves (figures 4a and 4b) constructed of PTFE can also be used to cover minor damage to the inside of nozzles. In the instance of inside-outside models, no cement, studs or nuts are required so installation can be achieved in only a few hours. However, it should be taken into account that the nozzle diameter will decrease by about one inch when this device is used.
Figure 3
Figure 4a (bottom outlet)
Figure 4b (top nozzle)
Repair Training
Glass-lined equipment repairs should only be performed by qualified personnel, usually the equipment manufacturer or an experienced contractor. Training programs are available to provide instruction and certification to enable in-house repair.
It is important to note that once a repair is made to the equipment it can never be considered permanent. Depending on service conditions, repair location, size, and quality of installation, the predicted life is variable. Best practices call for periodic inspection to monitor the condition of the repair to check for deterioration and loosening of the repair material.
Reglassing
Reglassing is the best solution when damage to the glass lining is moderate to severe and the addition of more plugs, patches or sleeves becomes uneconomical, or results in a repair of questionable integrity. Once your equipment is assessed to be a good candidate for reglassing based on the damage and condition of the steel substrate, it is shipped to the outsourced manufacturer and the reglassing process is performed at their glassing facility. At De Dietrich Process Systems production plant in Corpus Christi, Texas, we can reglass all major brands of glass-lined steel equipment. During reglassing, many companies opt to upgrade their vessel with additional nozzles, OptiMix baffles, and insulation rings. The result is a &#;like-new&#; piece of equipment that features some &#;bells and whistles&#; not found on their original vessel.
Through inspection, testing and preventative maintenance, you can help protect your glass-lined equipment and extend its life for many years. When repairs do need to be made, as long as the proper repair methods are practiced and the right materials are used, you can continue to have durable, long-lasting equipment. We recommend consulting our free Glass-Lined Equipment Inspection eGuide as well as our Maintenance and Repair of Glass-Lined Equipment White Paper for additional information on glass-lined equipment.
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