What machines are used to make distilled water?
Distilled water is widely used in laboratories, medical treatments, industrial production and other fields because it is pure and free of impurities. The process of making distilled water relies on specialized distillation devices, which heat water, evaporate it into water vapor, and then condense it into pure liquid water, removing impurities and dissolved minerals.
This article will take a deep look at the machines that make distilled water and their main components to help you better understand the distillation process.
What are the basic principles of distilled water?
The production of distilled water is based on the principles of evaporation and condensation of water. When water is heated to boiling point, it turns into water vapor, and impurities such as heavy metals, salts and microorganisms are left behind during the evaporation process. After the water vapor is cooled, it condenses back into liquid water, and this purified water is distilled water.
Due to its extremely high purity, distilled water is widely used in occasions that require high-quality water, such as laboratory experiments, pharmaceutical production, and car battery refills.
Machines for making distilled water - water distillation devices
Laboratory water distiller
Small water distiller commonly used in laboratories to meet the needs of daily experimental water. This type of equipment is compact and simple in design, and can produce high-purity distilled water in a short time.
The main components of a laboratory water distiller include:
● Heater: used to heat the water to boiling point. Laboratory water distiller is usually equipped with an electric heater that can accurately control the temperature of the water to ensure a continuous and stable evaporation process.
● Evaporator: This is the main part of the distiller that heats the water and evaporates it. The evaporator is usually a container made of stainless steel or glass, which is corrosion-resistant and can keep the water pure for a long time.
● Condenser: The water vapor condenses back into liquid water in the condenser. The condenser is usually a coil made of glass or stainless steel, and the water vapor is cooled and condensed when passing through these coils.
● Collector: used to collect the condensed distilled water. Laboratory water distiller is usually equipped with a collection bottle or container made of glass or plastic, which can easily take out the distilled water for experiments.
Industrial water distillation unit
Compared with small laboratory distiller, industrial water distillation units are larger in scale and more complex in design, suitable for large-scale production of distilled water. Industrial water distillation units are commonly used in industries such as pharmaceuticals, chemicals, and food processing, and need to be able to process large amounts of water and ensure extremely high purity.
The main components of industrial water distillation units include:
● Evaporator: Industrial evaporators usually adopt a multi-effect evaporator design, which achieves efficient water evaporation through multi-stage heaters and evaporator components. The advantage of a multi-effect evaporator is that it can maximize the use of steam thermal energy, improve distillation efficiency, and reduce energy consumption.
● Heater: The heater is the core part of the industrial water distillation unit. Common heating methods include electric heating, steam heating, and gas heating. The heater in the industrial distillation unit has high power and can quickly heat a large amount of water to boiling point to support large-scale distillation processes.
● Condenser: The condenser usually adopts a plate or tube design in industrial units to condense water vapor through cooling water or air. In order to improve efficiency, the condenser often uses countercurrent cooling technology. The cooling water and water vapor flow in opposite directions in the condenser to ensure that the water vapor is completely condensed into liquid water.
● Separator: The function of the separator is to separate the gas and liquid generated during the evaporation process to prevent unevaporated water or impurities from entering the condenser. The design of the separator is crucial because it directly affects the purity of the distilled water.
● Storage tank: The storage tank is used to store the distilled water to ensure that it is not contaminated before transportation or use. The storage tank is usually made of stainless steel and the interior is specially treated to avoid affecting the water quality.
● Control system: Industrial water distillation equipment is usually equipped with an automated control system that can monitor and adjust parameters such as heating temperature, evaporation rate, condensation effect, etc. to ensure the stability and efficiency of the entire distillation process. The control system is also equipped with fault alarm and automatic shutdown functions to ensure a safe and reliable production process.
Household water distiller
Household water distiller is small in size and simple in design, suitable for home use. They are usually used to prepare drinking water or for other household occasions where pure water is required.
The main components of a household water distiller include:
● Heating unit: Household water distiller is usually equipped with an electric heating unit, which can start the distillation process by simply plugging in. The heating unit is simple in design and easy to operate and maintain.
● Evaporation container: Household evaporation containers are usually made of high-temperature resistant plastic or stainless steel materials and can hold several liters of water to meet household needs.
● Cooling coil: The cooling coil in the household water distiller condenses water vapor through a fan or natural cooling, and the condensed water flows into the collection container.
● Collection container: A container for storing distilled water, usually with a sealed lid to prevent the water quality from being contaminated again.
● Filter or carbon filter: Some household water distiller will be equipped with a filter or carbon filter in front of the collector to further remove any odor or trace impurities that may remain.
What are the operating steps of the distilled water device?
1. Add water
First, pour the water to be treated into the evaporator. Different types of distillation devices have different requirements for water quality. It is recommended to use pre-treated water, such as water that has been initially filtered or softened, to improve distillation efficiency and extend the life of the equipment.
2. Heating
Start the heater and the water gradually heats up to boiling point in the evaporator. The heating process will produce a large amount of water vapor, and the impurities in the water will be left in the evaporator. At this time, it is necessary to ensure that the heater temperature is stable to prevent overheating or insufficient heating.
3. Evaporation and condensation
The water vapor enters the condenser through the connecting pipe, where it is cooled and recondensed into liquid water. This step is the core of the entire distillation process, and the condensation effect directly determines the purity and output of the distilled water.
4. Collecting distilled water
The condensed distilled water flows into the collector or storage tank, which needs to be cleaned and disinfected regularly to ensure the hygienic safety of the distilled water. For industrial applications, the stored distilled water is usually further monitored and treated to ensure that it meets the relevant standards.
5. Discharge residues
After the distillation is completed, a certain amount of impurities and unevaporated water will remain in the evaporator. These residues need to be discharged in time to avoid affecting the next distillation. Many distillation devices are equipped with an automatic sewage discharge function, which can regularly discharge residues to keep the evaporator clean.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of the distilled water device?
Advantages of the distilled water device
● High purity: The distilled water device can effectively remove impurities such as dissolved salts, heavy metals, and organic matter in the water, and the water quality produced is extremely pure, which is suitable for high-demand application scenarios.
● No chemical addition: No chemical agents need to be added during the distillation process. Impurities are removed purely through physical processes, avoiding the risk of chemical residues and secondary pollution.
● Simple operation: Especially for household and laboratory distiller, the operation process is simple. You only need to add water, heat, and collect to complete the distillation, which is easy to master.
Disadvantages of distilled water device
● High energy consumption: The distillation process requires continuous heating of water to boiling, which consumes a lot of energy, especially for industrial devices, and the long-term operating cost is high.
● Slow processing speed: Compared with other water treatment technologies, the distillation process is relatively slow, and the production efficiency is limited. It may not be ideal for large-scale water use.
● High equipment cost: High-efficiency industrial distillation devices and laboratory distiller are expensive and require large initial investment.