Comparison of different water treatment technologies
Water treatment technologies vary and we explained in a previous article the disadvantages of using the wrong technology for water treatment. Today we will explain each technology’s benefits, making it easier to compare different water treatment technologies and choose the most appropriate technology.
Water treatment technology using ion exchange
Effective salt removal
Ion exchange water treatment plants are characterized by their ability to remove salts (cations and anions) to produce demineralized water from groundwater, boiler feed water, industrial wastewater, or reverse osmosis water.
Effective metal removal
Ion exchange is also characterized by its ability to remove dissolved metals from water such as cadmium, zinc, lead and nickel, which can be toxic.
Water treatment with activated carbon technology
Activated carbon absorbs pollutants in the internal structure of the carbon. Pollutant removal is effective but the process must be stopped regularly and the carbon must be regenerated or replaced. Wastewater treatment is not possible once the carbon media is “exhausted”. At this stage it is sent to incineration or landfill, leading to harmful environmental consequences. Despite these issues, the process is a popular water technology and is often used in industrial water treatment.
Advantages of Activated Carbon:
No Chemical Dosing Required
No chemical dosing is required when using activated carbon and the media itself is often made from natural materials, such as wood or coconut shells.
Water Odor Removal
Activated carbon is often used to improve the taste and odor of drinking water because it removes organics such as geosmin and MIB, which cause these problems in municipal drinking water supplies.
Water Treatment with Ozone:
Effective Disinfectant
Ozone water treatment is an effective disinfectant option that achieves higher levels of disinfection than chlorine or UV. There is also no potential for microorganisms to regrow.
Removes Organic and Inorganic Contaminants
Ozone wastewater treatment oxidizes organic and inorganic contaminants using both ozone and hydroxyl radicals when combined with hydrogen peroxide.
Water Treatment Using Filtration:
Removing suspended particles
Water filtration is good for removing suspended particles in waste and pre-treating the water for further treatment using ozonation or disinfection. Contaminants are captured by the filters which may prevent further treatment steps downstream.
Filters are simple and cheap
Filters are very easy to use and cost-effective as natural options such as sand or gravel are very cheap.
Benefits of UV Water Treatment
No Sludge
UV technology can convert organic matter into stable organic compounds such as H2O and CO2 and does not produce secondary waste such as sludge.
Rapid Treatment
UV technology is an industrial wastewater treatment process that requires low retention times compared to conventional technologies due to the rapid reaction rates and high oxidation potential of the oxidants.
Water Treatment Using Reverse Osmosis Technology:
No Chemicals
Reverse osmosis water treatment can remove many contaminants from wastewater without adding chemicals.
Good for seawater treatment
One of the most important applications of reverse osmosis filtration is the separation of seawater or brackish water and salt to produce safe drinking water.
Water treatment using chemical disinfection technology:
Simple process
Water disinfection prevents the spread of waterborne infections by killing pathogens such as bacteria, viruses and parasites. It is a widely adopted method of residual disinfection and is relatively simple.
Controllable
Controlling chemical dosages takes time and continuous careful monitoring, but it is possible to get a very accurate picture of water quality. This meets public health requirements and is one of the reasons why this method is widely used.
The benefit of biological water treatment
The by-product provides a source of energy
Anaerobic biological wastewater is an oxygen-free process that produces biogas. This means that the operator can use the gas as a fuel or for heating purposes, such as cooking.
Inexpensive
In general, biological treatment is a fairly cheap process.