Q. What is the AquaCaffé® water treatment system?
The AquaCaffé® water treatment system is a scientifically controlled Reverse Osmosis instrument designed to separate very high percentages of dissolved minerals and salts that are either naturally occurring elements or introduced contaminants within water.
The system has been specifically engineered to produce the best quality feed water suitable for espresso machines and other commercial kitchen equipment where dissolved minerals and salts cause consistent maintenance challenges.
Q. What makes the AquaCaffé® system different from every standard Reverse Osmosis system?
From inlet water treatment to the outlet every stage has been meticulously engineered to ensure a consistent quality of feed water suitable for the use in kitchen and café equipment. The four carbon cartridges used all have different specifications targeting specific aspects for changing the chemical analysis of the water in preparation for the following task.
The patented manual flushing feature provides the customer with the capacity to clear the membrane of suspended solids at any time. This ability is especially beneficial after installation and the change of cartridges to optimise the performance of the membrane.
The plumbing flow of a conventional RO system has been amended to provide a comprehensive polishing process within the AquaCafé® system.
The incorporation of a low voltage diaphragm pump provides a constant pressure against the membrane which is critical as water pressure can have extremely wide fluctuations over a 24 hour period on the one site.
The selection of the abrasive resistant membrane is unique. The membrane is regarded as the best in the world as it provides maximum production rates and optimises the rejection results.
The AquaCaffé® system has as an optional extra, a TDS meter which can give the customer a constant measure of performance. Any abnormally high readings from the membrane, in comparison with the chemical analysis of the feed water will ring alarm bells for urgent service.
Q. How does the AquaClave® system differ from the distillation process?
The AquaClave® system uses water pressure against a semipermeable membrane to achieve molecular separation whereas distillation uses heat to produce purified water through evaporation and condensation.
Q. How does Reverse Osmosis differ from standard water filtration equipment?
Ordinary water filters rely heavily on screen or mechanical separation of suspended solids such as dirt and rust from water. Carbon technology uses adsorption technology effective in only reducing not eliminating chlorine, chlorides and organic elements. Reverse Osmosis employs a semipermeable membrane that not only rejects suspended particles but also removes a high percentage of dissolved minerals and salts - molecule by molecule from the feed water.
Q. What is the membrane and how does it work?
The membrane consists of many thin layers or sheets of film that are bonded together and rolled in a spiral configuration around a plastic tube. This is what is known as a thin film composite or TFC membrane. The material of the membrane is semipermeable because it allows water molecules to pass through while acting as a barrier to dissolved solids. When the feed water passes across the surface of the membrane, the pure molecules penetrate the membrane surface, work their way around the spiral film and collect in the centre tube. The remaining concentration of unwanted contaminants are collected and washed from the surface of the membrane down the drain.
Q. Can you explain osmosis?
Assume a membrane is semipermeable allowing water to pass through while being closed to dissolved salts. Place a membrane between two compartments in a container. Then place a salt solution in one half of the container and pure water in the other half. Now a fundamental scientific principle comes into play. The two different concentrations of liquids will try to reach equilibrium on both sides of the membrane. The only way for this to occur is for the pure water to pass through the membrane to the salt-water side in an attempt to gain equilibrium. This is called osmosis.
Q. What is Reverse Osmosis?
Reverse Osmosis is the reversal of the natural flow of osmosis. It is a technology where the goal is not to dilute the salt solution but separate the pure water from the salt and other unwanted contaminants. When the natural osmotic flow is reversed, water from the salt solution is forced through the membrane in the opposite direction by application of pressure and consequently the term REVERSE OSMOSIS has been created.
Q. What are the actual processes of the AquaClave® system?
The feed water initially passes through a two stage pre-treatment system. The cartridges are specifically selected for the quality of the granular activated carbon to reduce the highest level of chlorine as well as suspended solids from the water. The cartridges are similar but not the same specification. The technology of the pre-treatment system is critical to the effective life and performance of the membrane and also the espresso and food processing equipment.
The third stage of the system involves the carefully engineered and selected high rejection membrane. This stage is the engine of the system and is regulated or controlled on the AquaCaffe model with the incorporation of an efficient diaphragm pump that guarantees a constant water pressure against the membrane.
The fourth stage once again involves the use of granular activated carbon but in this stage the carbon has been selected for its capacity to remove residue organics.
The final or fifth stage is another polishing process with the objective of increasing the conductivity of the water to guarantee that electrical readings are achieved by the equipment and that the pure water quality will not adversely impact on the equipment.
Q. Will the AquaCaffé® system remove parasites such as Giardia & Cryptosporidium?
Yes. However the system is not a sanitation process and should not be used on untreated water supplies. It should be remembered that the system has been designed to produce feed water suitable for food and beverage equipment from sanitised metropolitan water supplies. Use of the system from untreated water supplies is not recommended by Aqualife Products (Australia) Pty Ltd without consultation.
Q. Where can the AquaCaffé® system be installed?
The system is compact enough to fit under most benches or within most cupboard facilities. It can be wall mounted but if mounted externally it is desirable to enclose the unit from direct sunlight. It is important to install the system in a location which provides easy access for servicing.
Q. Can the AquaCaffé® water supply be turned off?
Yes. The pump is protected by a low pressure switch which prevents the pump from failure when a disruption occurs to the water supply. Conversely, the pump is also protected with a high pressure switch so that when the tank is full the pump will stop working.
Q. What factors affect the quantity and the quality of the water produced?
There are four major variables to consider.
Total dissolved solids (TDS) will impact on the performance of the membrane because the higher the level of dissolved contaminants in the feed water the lower the production of product water. A high TDS can be controlled through an increase in water pressure.
The greater the water pressure the better the quality of water produced. A pressure of approximately 400 kPa is ideal.
The production of RO water is affected by the temperature of the feed supply. A water temperature of 28ºC is ideal whereas at a water temperature of 10°C the production will be reduced by approximately 50%
Ultimately the quality and quantity of the water produced is heavily influenced by the technical specification of the membrane. Membranes are manufactured with many characteristics. Some have higher production capacity than others, while some will achieve higher rejection of contaminants and others offer greater resistance to chemical abrasion giving longer life. The in-house technical resources of Aqualife have enabled the company to specify the most appropriate specification to achieve the required stringent chemical analysis of water.
Q. What have we not answered?
Please give us a call. Aqualife aims to be leaders in both water technology and customer service so do not hesitate to use the 1800 623 887 telephone number or email us at aqualife@bigpond .com