It sounds complicated… What is It?
It really isn’t that difficult. With activated carbon filtration, you may remember, it works because the carbon has an immense surface area.
An amount that would just cover your thumbnail possesses the same surface area as a full-sized NHL hockey rink.
Carbon filtration relies on the fact that the water (and the impurities within) comes into contact with the carbon surface and the impurities get trapped like flies on flypaper.
KDF shower water filters use a completely different principle.
The KDF Shower Filter
Using high-purity copper and zinc alloys interspersed with brass granules creates a tiny little electric field. This results in a process known scientifically as redox, or oxidative reduction. It may sound complicated, but it’s not.
It is an effect that uses the impurities within the water itself to create a miniature electrical field.
Metals are excellent conductors, and when you put two different metals near each other, they create an electric potential. Water is a great insulator unless (and this is the important bit) it has impurities.
One metal particle becomes more positively charged, while the other metal particles become more negatively charged.
As a result, electrons flow, and they attach or detach from the impurities in the water to neutralize them by turning them into a harmless form. The added bonus to this is that this tiny little electric field of about 300 mv (millivolts) is sufficient to kill many microbes, making the water even safer.
Where it differs from the carbon filtration method is that it does not need to make direct contact with the water or the impurities. The electrons flow everywhere throughout the water.
In just microseconds, it neutralizes the chemicals and metal ions, such as chlorine, hydrogen sulfide, lead, mercury, iron, and more, into harmless substances. Chlorine, for example, becomes simple, non-toxic chloride.
Benefits of KDF 55 Shower Water Filters
One of the biggest benefits of the KDF 55 shower water filter is that it treats the water before it reaches the granulated activated carbon (GAC) filter.
Why is that important? KDF (kinetic degradation fluxion) filters inhibit the growth of algae, fungi, and mold. This is important because it significantly extends the life of the GAC.
The activated carbon filter removes organic chemicals (those with a carbon atom).
The KDF 55 shower water filter starts afresh with a new process that destroys the inorganic contaminants (those that are not carbon based), removing these remaining undesirable and toxic elements.
This synergy is the reason that our KDF (kinetic degradation fluxion) shower filters can safely process 10–12,000 liters of water before they need to be replaced. Each carefully selected component supports the others to give you the best value in shower filters.
History
The KDF (kinetic degradation fluxion) process was invented accidentally in the United States in 1984 by Don Heskett.
He was stirring a chemical solution containing chlorine that also contained a reagent (chemical indicator) that was red in the presence of chlorine. Suddenly, the color vanished. What had happened?
He had stirred the solution with a brass ballpoint pen. It didn’t take him long to realize that the chlorine had been converted into harmless chloride.
The simple observation led to his patented process and to the formation of the KDF fluid treatment business — and the rest is history.
These fully recyclable filtration elements of KDF shower filters have a lifespan of more than six years; they significantly outperform silver-impregnated carbons.
More importantly, they are relied upon by hospitals, municipal water treatment facilities, and millions of homes and restaurants all around the world. What better evidence could you have for the effectiveness of KDF filtration?
The Takeaway
When all three elements of our high-quality filters are brought together, the calcium sulfite neutralizes the chlorine, and the activated carbon eliminates the organic contaminants.
The KDF 55 shower filter also degrades the inorganic contaminants into harmless substances while permanently binding toxic components to its surface.
These features are perfectly configured to rebalance the pH levels of your water and to optimize the mineral level for softer water. That not only makes your soaps and shampoos feel more effective but also leaves your skin feeling cleaner than ever before.
