In exploring the infinite realm of technology, there is a seemingly simple but vital resource – water. In terms of water purity, we pursue the extreme, just like the dedication to precision craftsmanship.
Imagine a drop of ordinary tap water that undergoes a series of subtle transformations into ultrapure water that can be used in key steps in high-tech industries such as semiconductor manufacturing and laboratory analysis, a process comparable to the magic of an alchemist.
First, let's start with pre-processing. As with precious antiques, preliminary cleaning is indispensable. The raw water is first passed through a multi-media filter to remove suspended matter, sediment and larger particulate matter. Next, the activated carbon filter adsorbs organic matter and residual chlorine that can affect taste and color. At this point, there has been a noticeable improvement in water quality, but for ultrapure water, this is just the beginning.
This is followed by reverse osmosis, which acts as a master sifter to remove tiny bacteria, viruses, and dissolved ions and organics from the water. The high-pressure pump pushes water into the reverse osmosis membrane, where only the water molecules pass through, while other impurities are kept out. At the moment, the purity of water has reached a new level, but it is still some way from being "ultra-pure".
Then there's the ion exchange phase, which acts like the ultimate bodyguard to deal with those stubborn ions. With cation and anion exchange resins, the remaining ions in the water are effectively removed. At this time, the water is already crystal clear, close to the standard of ultrapure water.
However, the final terminal processing is the finishing touch. The ultraviolet sterilizer kills microorganisms that may be present and ensures the biological purity of the water. Precision filters are the last line of defense, capturing the tiny particles. After this fine polishing, ultrapure water is finally born.