AWG production process
Process
Our purification system is a process that uses the significant advantages of ozone to make the water the purest and healthiest on the planet. Our purification process begins with an anti-microbial air filter that removes air borne particle, ozonation and a final filtration process utilizing granulated activated carbon. We do not use Ultraviolet lamps or Reverse Osmosis membranes. We believe the ozone process is superior to RO and UV light purification.
- The Drinkable Air AWG first pulls air through an anti-microbial filter, removing air born particles.
- A condensation unit receives this clean humid airflow and condenses water vapor into liquid.
- As the machine collects the water, it drops into a collection tank where it is regularly ozonated to kill any bacterial contaminates.
- The water is pumped through a granulated activated carbon (GAC) filter and then through a final cartridge that adds minerals back to the water to increase the pH to an appropriate alkaline target level.
Water Production Process
Ozonation
The formation of oxygen into ozone (O3) occurs with the use of energy. This process is carried out by an electric discharge field as in the CD-type ozone generators (corona discharge simulation of lightning).
Ozone is a naturally occurring component of fresh air. It can be produced by the ultraviolet rays of the sun reacting with the Earth’s upper atmosphere (which creates a protective ozone layer), by lightning or it can be created artificially with an ozone generator.
The ozone molecule contains three oxygen atoms whereas the normal oxygen molecule contains only two. Ozone is a very reactive and unstable gas with a short half-life before it reverts back to oxygen. Ozone is the most powerful and rapid acting oxidizer man can produce, and will oxidize all bacteria, mold and yeast spores, organic material and viruses given sufficient exposure.
In the home, ozone is often combined with activated carbon filtration to achieve a more complete water treatment.
Advantages of using Ozone:
- Ozone is primarily a disinfectant that effectively kills all biological contaminants.
- Ozone also oxidizes and precipitates iron, sulfur, and manganese so they can be filtered out of solution.
- Ozone will oxidize and break down many organic chemicals including many that cause odor and taste problems.
- Ozonation produces no taste or odor in the water. Since ozone is made of oxygen and reverts to pure oxygen, it vanishes without a trace once it has been used.
- The system requires no replacement of the ozone engine. It is a fixed component in the Drinkable Air System
- The extra oxygen molecule that is created from the ozone process is highly unstable which means its active life is maybe 15 minutes once the water is dispensed. This highly oxygenated water is very beneficial
Granular Activated Carbon Filters (GAC):
Our final purification process as water is drawn is a Granulated Carbon Filter.
Activated carbon is particles of carbon that have been treated to increase their surface area and increase their ability to adsorb a wide range of contaminants – activated carbon is particularly good at adsorbing organic compounds.
Contaminant reduction in GAC filters takes place by two processes: physical removal of contaminant particles, blocking those that are too large to pass through the pores (obviously, filters with smaller pores are more effective). There is also a process called adsorption by which a variety of dissolved contaminants are attracted to and held (adsorbed) on the surface of the carbon particles. The characteristics of the carbon material (particle and pore size, surface area, surface chemistry, density, and hardness) influence the efficiency of adsorption.
The Importance of Alkaline Water
pH level measures the degree of acid and minerals in water. Water from air is pure with a neutral pH of 7.0. Less than that and the water is acidic, more and its alkaline.
The “alkaline” in alkaline water refers to its pH level. The pH level is a number that measures how acidic or alkaline a substance is on a scale of 0 to 14. For example, something with a pH of 1 would be very acidic, and something with a pH of 13 would be very alkaline.
Water in nature tends to be naturally alkaline; when water passes over rocks — like springs — and picks up minerals, which increase its alkaline level.
We mimic the natural process by passing the water through a cartridge that is rich in chlorides, sulphates, sodium and calcium. Our water generally has a pH from 7.4-7.6.
GAC is a highly porous material; therefore, it has an extremely high surface area for contaminant adsorption. One reference mentions “The equivalent surface area of 1 pound of GAC ranges from 60 to 150 acres (over 3 football fields).” Another article states, “Under a scanning electron microscope the activated carbon looks like a porous bath sponge. This high concentration of pores within a relatively small volume produces a material with a phenomenal surface area: one teaspoon of activated carbon would exhibit a surface area equivalent to that of a football field.
GAC is made of tiny clusters of carbon atoms stacked upon one another. The carbon source is a variety of materials, such as peanut shells, coconut husks, or coal. The raw carbon source is slowly heated in the absence of air to produce a high carbon material. The carbon is activated by passing oxidizing gases through the material at extremely high temperatures. The activation process produces the pores that result in such high adsorptive properties.