What is the difference between a reverse osmosis (RO) system and an ultrafiltration (UF) system?What is the application scenario for each?

Reverse osmosis systems have an extremely high filtration accuracy and are capable of removing ionic-level contaminants from water, including heavy metals, viruses, bacteria, and dissolved salts.Ultrafiltration systems, on the other hand, mainly intercept large molecules such as bacteria, colloids, suspended matter and some viruses, but are unable to remove dissolved heavy metals or reduce the dissolved solids content of the water.

Reverse osmosis systems rely on high pressure to pass water through a semi-permeable membrane, utilising the principle of reverse osmosis to intercept dissolved contaminants.Ultrafiltration systems, on the other hand, use physical screening, relying on membrane pores to directly block particulate matter and microorganisms, and the entire process does not require high pressure drive.

Reverse osmosis systems can efficiently remove heavy metals, viruses, bacteria, scale and reduce the content of dissolved solids, and are suitable for treating more heavily polluted water sources.Ultrafiltration system mainly removes bacteria, colloids, suspended solids and large organic molecules, but has limited filtering effect on dissolved salts and small molecule viruses.Reverse osmosis systems remove almost all the minerals in the water, which may lead to "soft" water taste.Ultra-filtration system retains calcium, magnesium and other minerals beneficial to the human body, more suitable for the pursuit of natural mineral water users.

Reverse osmosis systems require electrical power and produce a certain percentage of wastewater.Ultra-filtration system relies entirely on water pressure operation, no power consumption and basically no wastewater discharge, more energy-saving and environmentally friendly.Reverse osmosis systems typically require higher feed water pressure and may require additional equipment in areas with low water pressure.Ultrafiltration systems require less water pressure and are more adaptable.The core cartridge of a reverse osmosis system needs to be replaced regularly, and the pre-filter cartridge is replaced more frequently.Ultrafiltration systems have a longer cartridge life and lower overall maintenance costs.

Reverse osmosis systems are suitable for highly polluted water quality areas, such as the presence of heavy metal contamination, industrial wastewater contamination or high dissolved solids content of the water source.It is also very suitable for scenarios with very high water quality requirements, such as baby water, medical water, and laboratory pure water preparation.It can effectively reduce salinity in coastal areas, and is also suitable for users who pursue the ultimate taste.

Ultra-filtration system is more suitable for municipal tap water purification, can effectively remove common pollutants while retaining minerals.It is suitable for areas with good water quality and meets the daily needs of families.In commercial scenarios, it is a cost-effective solution because it requires no electricity and has a high volume of water supply.

Factors such as water quality condition, usage purpose and budget need to be considered.If the water quality is poor or there are special needs, it is recommended to choose reverse osmosis system; if the water quality is good and pursuing economy, ultrafiltration system is more suitable.Both can also be used in combination to achieve better filtration effect.