Salt Free Water Conditioner | 20 GPM | + Catalytic Carbon Media Tank with Manual Backwash Valve | 2 Systems

10" x 54" Mineral Tank (Black or Blue)Catalytic Carbon
In general, basic activated carbon itself has some catalytic activity due to the presence of a small number of chemical functionalities present on the corners of its graphitic basal plane. To enhance the catalytic activity of carbon, the surface is modified by a chemical process in which the electronic structure of the carbon is altered in such a manner that the resulting carbon offers enhanced catalytic capability.
As a result, the catalytic carbon produced by this method is not only rich in chemisorption, but also physisorption capacity.
Many water utilities across the U.S. are transitioning to chloramine for disinfection as an alternative to chlorine. This change is in response to stricter U.S. Environmental Protection Agency regulations on disinfection byproducts (DBPs), which are created when chlorine reacts with organics in water. Chloramine, a combination of chlorine and ammonia, is more stable and does not create DPBs.
Removing chloramine at the point of use, however, is more difficult than removing chlorine. Standard granular activated carbon (GAC) and carbon block products have limited capacity for chloramine reduction. Products known as “catalytic” or “surface-modified” activated carbon can provide a solution.
In general, the catalytic properties of carbon are measured by the rate at which carbon decomposes hydrogen peroxide. The resulting peroxide number, measured in minutes, estimates the carbon’s utility in any catalytic application, including chloramine reduction. Based on the comparative results obtained for different mesh size commercial carbons, the efficiency of chloramine reduction is discussed in the terms of peroxide decomposition capacity and further extended to the total life (volume) claims for corresponding GAC cartridge and carbon block.   

The two most important factors affecting the efficiency of activated carbon filtration are the amount of carbon in the unit and the amount of time the contaminant spends in contact with it. the more carbon the better. Similarly, the lower the flow rate of the water, the more time contaminants will be in contact with the carbon, and the more absorption that will take place. Particle size also affects removal rates. The most common carbon types used in water filtration are bituminous, wood, and coconut shell carbons. While coconut shell carbon typically costs 20% more than the others, it is generally regarded as the most effective of the three. All of our activated carbon filters use coconut shell carbon. 

manual Backwash Valve:

It  has very few moving parts and easy to use. When you need to backwash a filter, you put in into the backwash cycle for 10 minutes, followed by a rinse of 3 minutes, and then back into the service mode. That is all there is to it ! Once a week schedule for backwashing is generally sufficient. For a more economical product and ease of use, we recommend you get this rather then opting for unit that does not backwash.

Benefits and Importance of a Backwash Cycle.

As filter operates in service mode, it collects particles in the filter bed. Also, since water's nature is to follow the path of least resistance, after a time it begins to cut channels through the medium. As channels or holes in the media bed forms, water begins to flow around rather through the medium. This process is called "channeling" and it reduces the effectiveness of the filter considerably.

The backwash is accomplished by sending the water down the riser tube from which it enters the filter tank at the bottom. The force of the water is such that it actually lifts the media bed, swirling and tossing the granular medium. The water leaves the filter tank through the control valve, which routes it through the filter's drain line. Particles that were in the bed are washed to drain.

The backwash is an intense rinsing and tossing of the medium that lasts for several minutes. In a standard residential filter, a typical backwash lasts about ten minutes.

After the backwash, initiate a "rinse" of the bed during which water flows downward through the medium, up through the distribution tube and out the drain. The purpose of this rinse is to rinse and settle the bed and prepare it for return to service flow. A regular backwash schedule maintains the efficiency of the filter, as well as providing cleaner water.