Steam Distillation VS RO/DI

[Farquhar55]

Is Steam distillation a more efficient method of De-ionizing than an RO/DI system?

 

[Farquhar55]

I just found this same question by another author, so nevermind.

 

[wade1]

In case anyone else wants to know, the simple answer is no (but depends on the water source).

It costs a great deal more to create steam than to force water through passive filters.

Also, heating the water will cause all volatile compounds (many organics, but very few salts) up into your collection vessel, many prior to the water itself. So, you remove much of the ionic burden of the water, but leave or concentrate much of the polluting organics.

 

[Apophis924]

In case anyone else wants to know, the simple answer is no (but depends on the water source).

It costs a great deal more to create steam than to force water through passive filters.

Also, heating the water will cause all volatile compounds (many organics, but very few salts) up into your collection vessel, many prior to the water itself. So, you remove much of the ionic burden of the water, but leave or concentrate much of the polluting organics.

Not so steam distilling of water is based on boiling point. as your water heats up you move across a continuim of temps. as you approcach your waters boiling point all of your volatile compounds have long sinced vaporized and if your set up is correct those will be vented long before they reach the water's condensations coils. Since water has such a high capaicty for storing of heat, ALL of your volatile compunds will be removed, They are volitle by definition because of there low boiling points. Those with a boiling point higher than water will remain as liquids. That is why temp AND pressure are critical to true steam distilling it is more than just boiling water and condensing the steam again. It cost more but you get a very pure product when done correctly.

 

[wade1]

Have you ever seen a still? There is no venting. Early stills were designed to catch the alcohol and leave most of the liquid behind. For water, it heats to boiling and is left in a contained system. There is zero compensation for more volatile compounds (there aren't hardly any in water to begin with)....

If you are talking about purification systems in chemical plants, then yes, they probably are. However, anything you can buy or make yourself has no such avenue of volatile release (unfortunate as that is).

 

[wstellwagen]

on top of that --assume it works just right and the water boils after everything else has vented but your condensation coils are copper

Walt

 

[wade1]

Coils are almost always glass. Copper was the old stills used in the Appalachina mountains.