Today, let's explore a cutting-edge technology that transforms tap water into "mineral water" - hollow fiber nanofiltration. This innovation is quietly revolutionizing how households access drinking water.
Traditional tap water treatment processes have limited ability to remove a growing number of "invisible threats," such as antibiotic residues, pesticides, heavy metal ions, microplastics, and even some pathogens. Additionally, they are inadequate in responding to emergency contamination events. Let’s take a look at common direct drinking water solutions:
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The softening process relies on ion exchange. When the raw water has high levels of calcium and magnesium ions, the softened water will contain excessive sodium ions, resulting in a noticeable salty taste.
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Moreover, ultrafiltration is essentially ineffective at removing small-molecule organic substances like antibiotics and geosmin, failing to truly ensure the quality of end-point direct drinking water.
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While RO produces pure water, it also removes all essential minerals. Long-term consumption may affect mineral intake, and the water also has a poor taste.
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Additionally, RO systems consume high energy and generate a high ratio of wastewater.
What we truly need is a glass of water that is safe, rich in natural minerals, and has a sweet, refreshing taste! So, why does hollow fiber nanofiltration stand out as the "gold standard" for healthy direct drinking water? The core lies in its "selective filtration" capability!
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Its pore size is at the nanoscale (1-2 nanometers), making it more precise than ultrafiltration membranes.
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No escape for harmful substances: Bacteria, viruses, colloids, small-molecule organics (e.g., geosmin that causes off-odors and discoloration), pesticide residues, antibiotics, and even microplastic particles are completely intercepted.
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Partial desalination: More importantly, it can effectively remove dissolved divalent ions (such as sulfate and magnesium ions) and heavy metal ions (such as lead and cadmium) from water.
Table 1: Heavy Metal Removal Efficiency
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It allows monovalent mineral ions (such as potassium K⁺ and sodium Na⁺) and some beneficial calcium ions (Ca²⁺) to pass through, and barely retains metasilicic acid.
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Taste improvement: The produced water retains natural mineral elements essential for the human body, making its quality comparable to high-quality natural mineral water. Unlike the "bland" taste of RO pure water, it is crisp, smooth, and slightly sweet! It is especially suitable for making tea, preparing milk powder, and daily drinking, providing a more comfortable experience for the body.
Figure 1: Taste Index Formula
Table 2: Taste Index Improvement
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The hollow fiber structure has an extremely high packing density, meaning a large filtration area can be achieved in a small space, resulting in high water flux and fast water output.
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The operating pressure is much lower than that of RO systems (saving 30%-50% energy), and it has low water pressure requirements, which can be easily driven by the average household water pressure.
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The wastewater ratio is significantly reduced (usually 1:0.3~0.5), saving several times more water than RO systems (which typically have a ratio of 1:3 or higher), making it both environmentally friendly and cost-effective!
Direct drinking water treated by hollow fiber nanofiltration technology delivers an all-round quality upgrade:
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✔ Effectively removes pollutants, allowing direct drinking from the tap - safe and convenient.
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✔ Retains natural beneficial minerals such as calcium, metasilicic acid, and potassium, turning drinking water into a way to supplement trace elements.
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✔ Effectively removes residual chlorine, off-odors, and discoloration (e.g., earthy-musty taste), resulting in water that is sweet, mellow, and smooth. It enhances the aroma of tea, enriches the flavor of coffee, and even makes plain water more enjoyable!
Currently, Ochemate® NÜF hollow fiber nanofiltration membranes developed by Ochemate have been widely used in household and commercial direct drinking water fields, providing healthy and high-quality direct drinking water for numerous customers. Meanwhile, as a pioneer in hollow fiber nanofiltration technology, Oumei New Materials continues to pursue technological innovation: developing smarter filtration systems, membranes with longer service life, higher flux, and lower energy consumption, and actively exploring ways to provide healthier drinking water.
