What is a water distiller and how does it work? If you intend to install a water distiller but don’t know much about it, this article will give you a big help!
Water distillers have become increasingly popular in modern life due to their health benefits. Still, some people are curious about the working process of this distiller, particularly why they can turn regular water into distilled one. Thus, our article comes to answer: What is a water distiller and how does it work?
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Contents
What Is A Water Distiller And How Does It work?
This part will solve the two most annoying questions for you about the amazing water distiller.
What Is A Water Distiller?
A water distiller is a machine installed to purify the entering water. To be specific, it converts water to vapor before condensing and returning it to a liquid form, producing contaminant-free water.
Impurities like microorganisms, arsenic, and heavy metals are removed during evaporation as they can not convert to steam. To be more detailed, those contaminants are left in the boiling chamber when the water changes from liquid to gaseous. Then, the distiller will cool the evaporated water and return it to liquid condition, creating mineral-free, extremely clean water.
So, what is the specific working process of the water distiller? Let us explain in the next section.
How Does A Water Distiller Work
The principle of a water distiller is based on evaporation and condensation. There is an electric element that boils water inside a stainless steel tank. The steam then exits the tank and passes through a stainless steel cooling coil. This steam condenses in the cooling coil, and forms distilled water.
In fact, this water treatment method relies on the principle that our Earth purifies water. The sun’s heat evaporates water from the ocean and other water sources (such as lakes and ponds), resulting in water vapor. The water vapor then rises into the atmosphere and gets cool. Those cool vapors condense and form clouds and precipitation, such as rain, snow, or hail.
The Evaporation Process
The boiling tank (placed under the condensing area) is basically a kettle that contains a heating element. Due to the action of the element, water is boiled and then turned to steam. When the steam rises, the vents will lead it to the condensing area.
Most importantly, only water can convert to gas. All contaminants left in the water stay in the boiling chamber.
Therefore, there is no water left in the boiling tank, and all of the steam is now in the condenser.
The Condensing Process
The condenser is a coiled stainless steel tube. There is a cooling fan located at the top of the condensing tank. The tube and fan work together to quickly cool the hot steam and return it to the water. Each droplet, when passing down the tubes, is filtered by activated carbon.
The carbon postfilter can capture any impurities that may be left during the distillation principle. It’s the last stage in the filtering process. After that, the droplets are captured in a glass or bottle, and we can drink them as distilled water.
On average, the entire process will take 4 to 6 hours to create purified water. Distillation produces only one pure drop at a time, making it a time-consuming process. However, it’s worth waiting, especially if you live in an area with hard water.
Types Of Water Distillers
Water distillers are currently available in three different types to meet a variety of needs.
Household Distiller
This type is currently the most popular one; the countertop type also belongs to this category. With these distillers, you only need to pour water into the machine and wait.
Plumbing Distiller
Compared to household distillers, the plumbing type is slightly more advanced. Water is connected directly to your house’s plumbing system, so you don’t have to pour water in.
Generally, these plumbing distillers are more costly, and installation fees will be higher as well. Nevertheless, they are more cost-effective in the long term since they deliver you the distilled water whenever you need it.
Commercial Distiller
As the name suggests, commercial distillers are used for large-scale distillation operations. They come equipped with higher-speed cooling fans and generate clean water in much larger amounts.
Specifically, they can produce millions of gallons of filtered water per day. These systems use many containers to boil and condense huge amounts of water simultaneously.
Pros & Cons Of Water Distiller
Let’s have a look at some benefits and drawbacks of a water distiller as below:
Pros
Highly Pure Water
Distillation is undoubtedly an efficient way to purify water for drinking. It removes the majority of viruses and germs from the input water. Whether dissolved solids, salts, or metals, a water distiller can get rid of them all!
Easy Installation
Different from other water purification systems, distillers do not require a professional installation. They are pre-installed and ready to use; all you have to do is plug it in and turn it on.
Economical Investment
When it comes to cost, the long-term return value is important to consider. If you want to reduce the amount of bottled water, a distiller is a good option. The initial investment is reasonable, and maintenance is almost free.
Cons
Flat Taste
Distillers remove all of the impurities from your water, including the minerals like magnesium and calcium. As a result, your water will probably taste quite flat.
Slow Production Speed
A distiller cleanses water drop by drop; thus, distillation is not a quick process. It can take up to four hours to produce one gallon of distilled water.
Installing an automated distillation system is an alternative option. This enables your water distiller to provide you with clean water throughout the day.
Electricity Cost
The power output to operate a distiller is something worth considering. Water distillers are not energy-efficient water purifying options since they require electricity to heat water for a few hours at a time.
How To Maintain A Water Distiller?
Like many other machines, you’ll need to regularly clean your water distiller to maintain its good operation for the long term, especially in the boiling tank.
Many of the contaminants removed during the distillation principle will remain in the boiling tank. Hardness minerals like magnesium and calcium can build up over time, causing damage to your water distiller and lowering its efficiency. Therefore, regular cleaning will help prevent the growth of germs and algae as well as the formation of mold.
You can apply this method to clean the boiling tank:
Step 1: Switch off your machine and take the lid off the boiling tank.
Step 2: Fill the boiling tank with a 1:1 ratio of water and white vinegar solution and leave the solution for about 12 hours. If the tank has a lot of scales, the vinegar solution may need to rest for longer.
Step 3: Once you have done the cleaning job, let the system dry out before putting it back into the power supply. Attach the lid to the distiller, and you’re ready to make your next batch of ultra-pure water.
In addition to the boiling chamber, you also need to clean the distilled water holding tank regularly. Generally, people keep distilled water in glass bottles in the refrigerator.
What Can I Use Instead Of A Water Distiller?
Though distilled water has the highest pollutant reduction claims of any water filtering technology, there are other ways to purify water as well.
Reverse Osmosis System
Reverse osmosis systems, unlike water distillers, pass through many filtration stages to filter the contaminants out of water. They can be set up beneath your sink and connected directly to your water supply to provide clean, filtered water. Nevertheless, the maintenance cost will be higher than a distiller since this system comes with multiple filters.
Ultrafiltration System
Similarly, ultrafiltration systems are multi-stage filters installed beneath the sink. They can remove a wide range of contaminants, including lead, viruses, and chemicals.
Water Distiller FAQs
Is Distillation The Most Effective Method To Purify Water?
Distillation is certainly one of the most effective methods for purifying water. Still, it has some disadvantages, including electricity costs and slow production speed.
What Are The Constituents Of A Water Distiller?
A water distiller consists of a preheater, a condenser, an evaporator, and an electric automatic control part.
How Does The Water Distiller Operation Cost?
It depends on the type of machine. On average, each small batch distiller of 4 to 5 liters (L) with a 1 Kilowatt element may generate approximately 1 liter of distilled water per hour.
Hence, the cost of electricity per kilowatt-hour is equal to the cost of electricity per liter of distilled water. If your power costs 8 cents per kilowatt-hour, distilling water will cost 8 cents per liter.
Some Last Words
This article has outlined: what is a water distiller and how does it work? Water distillers still have some drawbacks, but this machine is really worth the investment if you want to maintain a healthy life. We hope that the above information is useful to you!