Water Distiller

Purified water is water that comes from a source that physically processes it to remove impurities.  Distilled water (which comes from using a water distiller) and deionized water are two of the most common forms of purified water.

Distallation

Distilled water has virtually all of it's impurities removed through the distillation process.  The distallation process involves boiling the water and then condensing the steam into a clean cup.  This therefore leaves virtually all of the solid contaminates behind.  A water distiller produces very pure water, however it also leaves a leftover white or yellowish mineral scale that requires the water distiller to be frequently cleaned.

Double Distallation

Double distilled water is prepared by the process of double distillation of the water.  It has been historically used for the de facto standard for highly purified laboratory water to be used with biochemistry and trace analysis until combination methods of purification became widespread.

A water distiller is a great way to purify your household water and be sure it is safe to drink.  Water distillers are common place these days and are extremely cheap to purchase.  Depending on factors such as quality etc. a household water distiller can be purchased anywhere from $100 to over $1,000.  Although this may seem like a lot to outlay you would be surprised how cheap it will amount to per litre over a period of time compared to soft drink or other unhealthy drinking options.

Other Facts

Solar power has been experimented with in water distiller use.  This is because of the cost to heat the water.  Solar power is therefore thought to be a low cost & environmentally friendly way to distil water in comparison to traditional power. 

Water Consumption

There have been studies done that reveal more than 75% of Americans are dehydrated.  This leads to all sorts of problems.  A water distiller is a great way to ensure you are getting your correct amount of water every day and is in it's purest form.  However it has only really been successful with small amounts of liquid.  It also requires a much greater amount of time in comparison to using traditional power sources for water distillation.

How A Water Distiller Works

Steam distillers are one of the oldest and one of the most effective ways to purify drinking water. Steam distillation utilizes a very simple process that mimics the natural processes that purify the water on the Earth. On earth, this process is called the hydrologic cycle. The hydrologic cycle is a process of events where water moves through the on and through the Earth and atmosphere in its liquid and vapor forms. This process is powered exclusively by the energy of the sun.

The hydrologic cycle begins with the water that exists on the surface of the earth. This includes water in soil, rivers, lakes, streams, oceans and on every other surface you can imagine. Sunlight strikes the water and energizes some of the water molecules enough to turn them from liquid to vapor. This process is often referred to as evaporation. Since the water vapor is warmer than the water it came from, it rises and enters the atmosphere. In order to understand how this process purifies water, it s important to understand that only pure water is light enough to be vaporized. As water turns from liquid to vapor it releases it s impurities. The now pure water rises up higher into the atmosphere and in doing so becomes cooler and cooler. It combines with other vaporized water molecules to become microscopic droplets. Droplets combine to form what we know as clouds. The droplets continue to condense with other droplets and grow in mass until the droplets can no longer be suspended in the air. This is when it rains. It should be noted that rain is very pure when it first forms, but picks up contaminants as is falls through the Earth s atmosphere.

So, in nature it is the process is vaporization and condensation which leads to the formation of pure water. A steam distiller operates in virtually the same way. First, the reservoir of the distiller is filled with tap water. The water is then heated until it boils. Steam (aka water vapor) then rises out of the boiler and enters a condensation loop. Remember, as with the hydrologic cycle, when water vaporizes it leaves behind all of its contaminants. In the condensation loop there is a spiral of stainless steel that is cooled by air with a fan. As steam contacts the sides of the cooling loop it condenses and trickles down towards the spout.

It s at this point that a steam distiller varies slightly from the natural hydrological process. Some contaminants in water have the same boiling point and condensing properties as the water itself. That means that they are able to travel through the distiller with the water and could end up in the purified water. For this reason, most high quality steam distillers include a carbon filter cup that acts as a final purification stage, before the water is dispensed into the collection cup. The activated carbon filter cup removes any remaining contaminants leaving only pure, clean, healthy water.

When shopping for a steam distiller look for products that utilize high grade stainless steel in the boiler and condensing coil and of course, look for products that are supported by a manufacturer s warranty.

References:

"Purified water." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. 11 Jul 2008, 11:58 UTC. Wikimedia Foundation, Inc. 14 Jul 2008

http://www.historyofwaterfilters.com/distillation-process.html