When Dental Practices run out of deionised water for their sterilisers, everything stops….. Sterilisers, autoclaves, chairs and no more clean instruments.
So why rely on demineralised water suppliers doing the right thing when you can produce your own high quality demineralised water cost effectively right in your own practice?
This article will give you valuable insight into how popular demineralisers available today work and what to look for in a quality system.
1. Compact Ion-Exchange Demineraliser Systems
Compact Ion-Exchange Demineraliser systems are ideal for small practices who use low volumes of demineralised water.
The main advantage of these compact system is their ability to instantly produce high quality deionised water from your tap water supply. Connect these systems to a dispenser tap mounted on the sink or an instrument spray pistol for rinsing of instruments.
Another feature of these systems is direct connection to Autoclaves, Washers and Chairs for automatic filling of the storage tanks.
How it works:
Compact Demineralisers of this type utilise Ion-Exchange technology to remove all impurities from the water. Replaceable filter cartridges containing nuclear or laboratory grade of resin, commonly known as Mixed-Bed DI cartridges are housed inside the filter housings and water is directed through the Anion and Cation resin to strip impurities from the water.
This process is reliable and robust and offers a reliable method of producing quality suitable for Autoclaves and Washers in Australia.
Service & Maintenance
Compact Demineralisers will produce around 120 Litres of pure demineralised water form average Australian tap water. When the Exchange Capacity of the resin is reached, the water quality will deteriorate and conductivity will increase.
Service is easy and can be done by your own practice staff. Simply isolate the water to the system, release the pressure and replace the Cartridges. After a quick 2-minute flush of the system, you will be ready to produce another batch of high purity water.
2. Reverse Osmosis Demineraliser Systems
Possibly the most popular deionisers on the Australian market today utilise environmentally-friendly reverse osmosis technology to produce high quality pure water for dental practices.
The main advantage of these systems is their ability to produce large volumes of demineralised water with very low maintenance required.
These systems generally incorporate prefiltration cartridges prior to the reverse osmosis membrane filter and are followed by an Ion-Exchange mixed bed cartridge to polish the water to ultimate quality.
Pure water is stored in a sterile Undersink pressure tank for immediate use in the practice. Connected directly to a tap dispenser on the sink or plumbed to autoclaves, washers and chairs, these systems are versatile and user friendly.
How it works:
Water is drawn from the mains water supply and filtered to remove sediments and chemicals such as chlorine. From here, the reverse osmosis separates the water into two streams, one pure and the other concentrated with all the pollution in the water.
The pure water produced by Reverse Osmosis technology is generally of high quality with a Electrical Conductivity (EC) of 5-20 MicroSiemens/cm.
From here, the water is stored under pressure in the Undersink storage tank and when required is delivered to the steriliser or chair via the mixed bed polishing filter which strips any remaining contaminants from the water.
Service & Maintenance
Reverse Osmosis demineralisers require periodic servicing to replace filter cartridges and ensure trouble-free operation. In most cases it is recommended that the system is serviced every 3-6 months to replace filter cartridges and check the membranes.
Many providers offer competitive service and maintenance contracts for these systems and will often provide a free Filter Reminder Service to ensure your equipment is producing optimum water quality!
Quality Counts
No doubt you’ve heard the saying, “The bitterness of poor quality is remembered long after the sweetness of low price has faded from memory.”
If you take away just one point from this article, it's BUY QUALITY.
Some points to consider when investing in a demineraliser system:
- With Asian products flooding the Australian market it is often a difficult call to pay 50% more for quality made in USA or UK.
- Find a reputable Dental Water Specialist that offers supply, install and ongoing maintenance.
- Get pricing from your supplier on service costs and recommended service intervals.
- Always ensure your supplier installs a Pressure Limiting Valve to protect the system from pressure spikes
All the best with finding the best solution to your demineralised water equipment. Any questions, don’t hesitate to contact us for free advice.
