Distilled Water
Distilled water refers to water that has been completely purified of all its dissolved components like calcium, natural salt, etc. We use more than 85,000 chemicals in our day to day life. Everyday, we use shampoos, soaps, detergents and innumerable other chemicals on ourselves and then flush it down into the water sewage system. Imagine the amount of chemicals and elements that water now contains. Natural water usually contains a large amount of dissolved natural elements from soil along with other chemicals may contaminate the water. Natural elements like sodium, sugar, salt and iron are necessary for our body but the dangerous chemicals are not. The quickest way to remove these dissolved components is by boiling the water till it converts to steam. The steam is then collected in another flask. This water is now clear of all dissolved components and is referred to as distilled water. Ideally, distilled water is completely free of all dissolved elements and contains only hydrogen and oxygen molecules. Distilled water is also completely neutral at pH7 and has no dissolved gasses or mineral content.
How does the distillation process take place?
Large companies produce distilled water for a range of chemical and biological procedures where chemical-free pure water is required. A compression still is used to extract fresh water from sea water or contaminated water. The still heats water and converts it to steam. The steam is then funneled away from the main water container and collected as a condensate in another container. Solid particulates like calcium, iron, salt, and sodium which lend taste to water are left behind in the main water container as they do not convert to steam. Modern flash-compression evaporators now take half the time to produce distilled water from contaminated water by heating water at 70-80°C in a vacuum. To save energy costs, a few companies also use solar stills which work just as effectively to distill water. As distilled water is completely free of all dissolved elements, it has a relatively bland taste which makes it undesirable to most people.
Uses of distilled water
- Distilled water is used for a range of reason in the chemical and biological industry. In cases where extra pure water is required, double distilled water is used. Other common uses for distilled water include-
- Distilled water is used to top up lead acid batteries that are used in automobiles. It is also used in car cooling systems to run the internal AC.
- Distilled water is also used in steam engine boilers, model engines and steam irons as the water is completely free of particulates. If the water contained particulates, it would clog the machine destroying it in the long run.
- Distilled water is also used commonly in medical appliances to produce an antiseptic environment. It is commonly used to flush equipment lines and in CPAP machines. It is also used to dilute baby formula or in pediatric formulations to prevent contamination of the medications.
- Distilled water can also be used as a drinking water. As the water is free of any contaminants, it is bland in taste but it is considered healthier than normal water.
Buying distilled water
Distilled water is sold through grocery stores or even through hardware stores in large and small containers. However, buying distilled water can prove to be difficult and expensive. A far cheaper alternative is to make distilled water at home with a home distillation unit.
Making distilled water at home
Distilled water can be made at home quite easily. Home distillation kits can be ordered online through the internet. It takes about three hours to set up the unit but you can easily produce your drinking water requirement with a home distillation kit. Home distillation kits are also particularly useful if you stay in areas prone to natural disasters and bad weather. This could affect the water supply of your region resulting in undrinkable water. However, a home distillation kit can circumvent all that. The kit can easily produce water for an entire family even with collected rain water. The steam distillation process ensures that all bacteria and contaminants are removed and you get clean and pure drinking water. Most commercial machines now produce distilled water through a completely automatic process. They contain an inbuilt pump and temperature regulator to produce the steam for distilling the water.
