Selecting the right water purification system is crucial for maintaining the integrity of scientific research in laboratories. This guide outlines a step-by-step approach to help you choose a system that meets the specific needs of your laboratory applications.
Understanding the purity requirements of your laboratory applications is fundamental. Identify whether you need primary grade water for routine tasks or ultrapure water for sensitive analytical techniques.
Challenge: Highly sensitive research applications demand ultrapure water
Solution: Opt for a system capable of producing ASTM Type I water with precise specifications such as resistivity of 18.2 MΩ cm, low conductivity, and minimal levels of TOC, sodium, silica, and chloride. Ensure the system integrates RO (reverse osmosis), DI (deionisation), UV (ultra-violet), and UMF (ultra-microfilter) technologies to achieve and maintain high water quality.
Challenge: Poor quality feed water requires pretreatment for efficient purification.
Solution: Choose a supplier offering comprehensive pre- and post-treatment options including prefilters to remove particulates from municipal water, safeguarding the longevity and performance of your purification system.
Evaluate whether your system needs to supply water for single or multiple uses, the volume required per hour, and the speed at which water must be delivered to instruments.
Challenge: Meeting lab volume requirements without microbial contamination.
Solution: Install a system with a storage reservoir equipped with a composite vent filter (CVF) to protect stored water from airborne contaminants. Ensure the system supports multiple dispensing points and offers point-of-use filters to enhance water quality at dispense points, as well as water recirculation and UV lamp.
Evaluate the total cost of ownership over five years, including consumables replacement costs and operational expenses.
Challenge: Operating within a tight budget while aiming for low ownership costs.
Solution: Select a supplier that provides transparent cost assessments and offers solutions like using several dispensers (instead of buying several purifiers), and pre-treating the feed water to maximise consumables lifespan. This ensures long-term savings without compromising water quality.
Assess where the purification system will be located in your lab and the overall footprint of the system and its components.
Challenge: Limited lab space necessitates a compact system design.
Consider the system's reliability, warranty, and maintenance support to minimise downtime in your lab’s operations.
Challenge: Operating a lab 24/7 requires a reliable water purification system.
Solution: opt for systems with preventive maintenance features such as EDI to reduce downtime. Choose suppliers offering remote monitoring services for proactive maintenance and support.
Evaluate whether the system can be expanded to meet future demand increases and if it aligns with your lab’s sustainability goals.
Challenge: Future-proofing your lab with scalable and sustainable water purification solutions.
Solution: Select modular systems that allow for easy expansion without increasing the system’s footprint. Look for energy-efficient designs that minimise water and energy consumption, reduce plastic and chemical waste, and ensure compliance with environmental standards.
Choosing the right water purification system involves careful consideration of purity requirements, operational efficiency, budget constraints, and sustainability goals. Veolia’s range of advanced systems offers tailored solutions to meet the stringent demands of scientific research, ensuring accurate and reliable results across various laboratory applications.
Explore ELGA’s comprehensive range of water purification systems designed to enhance your laboratory’s research capabilities. Contact us to find the ideal solution that guarantees the purity and reliability essential for your scientific endeavours.