Both water softeners and reverse osmosis systems have many benefits and are one of the most popular water treatment methods. The specific treatment method you choose depends on your needs. Below you will learn the difference between water softeners and reverse osmosis systems, which will help you choose the water treatment system that is more suitable for you.
What is softened water?
Softened water refers to the removal or conversion of hardness components in water, mainly calcium and magnesium ions, into other ions through certain treatment techniques, thereby reducing the hardness of water and making it soft water. Technically speaking, hard water is safe to drink, but it will form scale and clog pipes. If you use this water, it will not make soap foam, and may also precipitate a layer of scale on the clothes you wash. At the same time, after you use a kettle to boil water, you will also see a hard layer of white scale on the bottom.
Working principle of water softener
Water softener is a common water treatment equipment. Its main function is to remove hard substances in water, such as calcium and magnesium ions, to soften the water. Water softener usually consists of a container with a resin bed and a control system. The working principle of water softener is introduced in detail below:
Related: What Is a Water Softener and How Does It Work?
Ion exchange process
The core of the water softener is the resin bed, which is composed of a special resin ball. This resin ball has many functional groups with anion exchange sites, usually anionic resin. When hard water passes through the resin bed, the calcium and magnesium ions in it will undergo ion exchange reactions with the functional groups on the resin and be replaced by sodium ions on the resin.
Adsorption and regeneration process
Over time, the sodium ions on the resin bed will gradually be exhausted, and the water softener needs to be regenerated. The regeneration process includes two steps: adsorption and flushing. First, by passing high-concentration brine (brine tank) through the resin bed, the sodium ions on the resin will be replaced by the sodium ions in the brine. In this way, the resin bed is refilled with sodium ions and ion exchange can continue.
Control system
The water softener is usually equipped with an automatic control system to monitor and control the operation of the entire water softener. The control system usually includes a timer or flow meter to calculate the occasional flow rate of the water treatment process. When the sodium ions in the resin bed are exhausted, the control system automatically starts the regeneration process. In addition, the control system can also monitor parameters such as water flow rate, water pressure, and water quality to ensure the normal operation of the water softener.
Soft water effect
After the water is treated with a water softener, the hardness substances are almost completely removed, and the water becomes softer. Soft water has many advantages, such as reducing the formation of scale and extending the service life of faucets, water pipes, and water heaters. In addition, soft water can also improve washing results and reduce the amount of detergent used in washing machines and dishwashers.
What is reverse osmosis water?
Reverse osmosis water is water that has been treated by the RO system. Reverse osmosis is an advanced membrane separation technology that uses a semi-permeable membrane to remove heavy metals, bacteria, viruses, organic matter, and other harmful substances in water, so that clean drinking water is collected in a water storage tank, and pure water with higher purity will be obtained.
Generally speaking, reverse osmosis and bottled water are the same, because most bottled water is treated by a reverse osmosis system. Frequent purchases of bottled water will increase costs, and bottled water may produce microplastic particles. Therefore, reverse osmosis water will be an ideal choice.
How does reverse osmosis work?
Reverse osmosis is also known as reverse osmosis. When water passes through the PP cotton and activated carbon mixed filter, the PP cotton filter will filter out the sediment and dirt in the water, and the carbon filter will filter out the chlorine in the water, thereby improving the taste of the water. Finally, when the water reaches the reverse osmosis membrane, the reverse osmosis membrane can filter out 99% of the pollutants in the water, thereby collecting purer water. The ITEHIL portable reverse osmosis water filtration system is an ideal choice. Reverse osmosis water can be used for drinking, cooking, coffee, tea juice drinks, etc.
Related: How reverse osmosis system works
What pollutants can reverse osmosis remove?
According to the US CDC, the pore size of the reverse osmosis filter is about 0.0001 microns, which can filter out most of the pollutants in the water. The following are some common ones:
- Suspended matter
- Bacteria (Campylobacter, Salmonella, Shigella, Escherichia coli)
- Viruses (such as enterovirus, hepatitis A virus, norovirus, rotavirus)
- Sodium, chloride, copper, chromium, lead
- Arsenic, fluoride, radium, sulfate, calcium, magnesium, potassium, nitrate and phosphorus
Can reverse osmosis soften water?
The reverse osmosis system cannot filter magnesium and calcium ions in water like a water softener. The reverse osmosis system can filter hard water, but if you use reverse osmosis to filter hard water for a long time, it will cause mineral accumulation, which may reduce the life of the RO membrane and affect the water filtration effect. Therefore, if you want the water to contain minerals, it is recommended that you use a reverse osmosis remineralizing water filter. You can also use a water softener and a reverse osmosis system at the same time.
Related: Can RO systems soften water?
What is the difference between a water softener and reverse osmosis?
A water softener softens water. It can filter magnesium and calcium ions in water through ion exchange technology. Hard water not only affects the service life of household equipment and pipes but also affects daily cleaning, personal care, and quality of life. Therefore, many people choose to use a water softener to reduce the hardness of water. Here are five benefits of a soft water system:
- Reduce scale accumulation
- Improve cleaning results
- Protect skin and hair
- Extend the life of electrical appliances
- Better drinking water experience
Reverse osmosis is the process of filtering water. It filters pollutants and minerals from water through RO membranes. RO systems not only remove hardness ions but also effectively remove heavy metals, salts, chemical pollutants, bacteria and viruses, etc., thereby providing very pure water. Here are five benefits of RO systems:
- Efficient removal of impurities
- Improves the taste and odor of water
- Protecting home appliances
- Reducing the use of bottled water
- Easy to use
Do I need a water softener and a reverse osmosis system?
Whether you need it depends on your needs. Both reverse osmosis systems and water softeners have certain benefits. A water softener can help the reverse osmosis system share some of the filtration pressure, thereby extending the life of the RO membrane. If you only use a water softener to soften water, there may be a lot of other harmful impurities in the water. If you only use reverse osmosis to filter water, your hard water may not be improved. Therefore, you can combine a water softener with a reverse osmosis system. Not only does it extend the life of the reverse osmosis membrane, but it also improves the efficiency and water output of the entire water filtration system.
