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Ultrapure water

Specially purified water without foreign substances

Ultrapure water refers to the chemical compound H2O that contains no additives or foreign substances such as minerals or organic matter. Ultrapure water is produced, for example, through desalination, ultrafiltration, and various degassing processes. Ultrapure water is used in various fields, such as in the production of medicines. ATN is here to support you with all questions regarding the generation of ultrapure water.

What exactly is meant by ultrapure water?

Ultrapure water is specially purified water that contains no minerals such as lime. Unlike conventional water found in nature, ultrapure water contains virtually no foreign substances. The liquid known as ultrapure water is easily identified by its electrical conductivity. Ultrapure water is produced only after drinking water has been purified in water treatment plants. Through ion exchange or reverse osmosis processes, the drinking water is further purified and freed from pathogens or pollutants.

What ultrapure water is used for

There are numerous areas where the use of ultrapure water is necessary. A very important field is the production of medicines or injection fluids. However, this high-quality water is also required in medical research, the production of computer chips, and the manufacturing of integrated circuits. Another important area of application is steam generation, for example in steam power plants as feedwater for boilers. Ultrapure water is also widely used in the semiconductor industry and the pharmaceutical sector. Expert procedures are required during production to meet the increasingly stringent requirements in the semiconductor industry as miniaturization progresses. When producing ultrapure water, it is essential that a balance of molecules is maintained according to specifications and that the electrical conductivity does not exceed a value of 0.054 µS/cm (microsiemens per centimeter) at a temperature of 25 degrees Celsius. This conductivity corresponds to a specific resistance value of 18.3 megaohms. Do you need ultrapure water for specific processes in your facility? We look forward to your inquiry. We will support you from the initial analysis and professional planning to commissioning and maintenance.

The production of ultrapure water in detail

One of the most common production methods for ultrapure water is reverse osmosis. In practice, however, production is often carried out in combination with other cleaning processes such as ion exchange, UV light irradiation, or ultrafiltration.

Reverse osmosis

In simple terms, reverse osmosis is the reversal of natural osmosis and is used to concentrate unwanted components in liquids. A semipermeable membrane is used for this process. This membrane allows only liquids to pass through, but not the substances dissolved in the liquid. During osmosis, the liquid with the lower concentration of unwanted components moves to the side of the liquid containing a higher concentration of these substances. This results in a concentration balance between the liquids. In reverse osmosis, this process is reversed. The liquid is pushed through the membrane in such a way that the water with a high concentration flows to the side with the lower concentration. The water flow is therefore exactly the opposite of that in osmosis. This ensures that on one side there is a liquid with a high concentration of foreign substances, while on the other side of the membrane, high-quality ultrapure water (permeate) is produced.

Ion exchange

To allow an ion exchange to take place, a so-called ion exchanger is required. This is filled with a special material through which the solution to be treated (usually water to be purified) flows. The ions in this liquid that are to be exchanged bind to the material in the ion exchanger, and an equivalent amount of charge is released into the liquid in return. Cation exchangers are used in many areas for this purpose. They serve to exchange the calcium cations contained in normal tap water for sodium cations located in the ion exchanger. The reactions during ion exchange are reversible, meaning they can be reversed. This fact is utilized by regenerating the ion exchangers.

Ultrafiltration

Ultrafiltration is a specialized process in which very small particles are filtered out of a liquid and concentrated. As with osmosis or reverse osmosis, semipermeable membranes are used that can retain high-molecular substances with extremely small particle sizes. Ultrafiltration takes place using relatively low pressure to push the liquids to be cleaned through the membrane. The type of membrane used depends on the water filtration requirements. Particles as small as 0.05 micrometers can be retained. Compared to other filter methods, ultrafiltration offers the advantage that the filtered liquids are sterile, as the membranes act as a barrier against bacteria and other microorganisms. Furthermore, these filtration processes can be fully automated.

Need ultrapure water for your operations? Here is what ATN can do for you!

There is a wide range of applications for ultrapure water, and ATN’s service portfolio in this area is equally diverse. We offer our industrial clients a wide range of services related to the production of ultrapure water, including consulting and planning, system construction, research and development, and system service and maintenance. All systems are conceptually tailored to the customer’s needs, laying the foundation for their long-term success.

With extensive experience in processes such as reverse osmosis, the filtration of purified and partially purified water, and ion exchange, our systems meet all technical requirements for ultrapure water cleaning processes. ATN’s water treatment solutions are always tailored to specific fields of application, supporting you and your cleaning processes with the company’s many years of expertise. We look forward to your inquiries and are available for a personal consultation.