Ranging from 1 litre bottles to 1000 litres containers, at ReAgent you can find distilled water, for whichever application you may need it. This is a type of water where all organic and inorganic impurities have been removed during the distillation process, leaving a clear and colourless product.
The distilled water you can buy from ReAgent is completely free from visible impurities and maintains its neutral pH. In most cases, demineralised water can be used, especially in large scale uses, but there are certain applications that need specifically distilled water.
In this post:
Uses of Distilled Water at Home
Perhaps the most well-known application is in steam irons, to prolong the life of this household appliance. Recent models may not necessarily need pure water, but certainly older versions operate better with distilled water, improving long-term efficiency. You can read more about the use of Distilled Water in Steam Irons here.
With regards to a car’s cooling system, distilled water is also better than tap water. Similarly to what happens in batteries, any minerals present in tap water become sources of corrosion for the engine, rapidly depleting the anti-corrosion mix present in the antifreeze.
Another common use is in cigar humidors; as use of tap water over time significantly reduces the device’s efficacy.
Distilled Water in The Workplace
Use of distilled water is also very popular amongst fish keepers, who prefer to avoid the presence of any dangerous chemicals in the water they use in the aquarium. In that case, it’s important not to forget to add certain additives to the water, as pure water completely deprived of all minerals would not sustain fish life for long.
Due to the need for absolutely pure water to conduct experiments, most laboratory applications require distilled or double distilled water. This is particularly relevant in assays that need minute amounts of water, where any impurities would affect the results.
An interesting medical use involves constant positive airway pressure (CPAP) systems, which are used by sleep apnoea patients. In essence, the device humidifies the air around the person’s mouth to assist breathing while sleeping.
Distilled Water on a Manufacturing Level
Commonly, distilled water is also used to top up lead acid batteries. It’s essential that no minerals are added, as these can be corrosive and decrease the batteries’ lifespan.
Although no longer commonplace, early models of Boeing 707 needed distilled water to increase air density, facilitating take off in difficult atmospheric conditions.
Finally, moving to submarines, distilled water is used as a coolant liquid in the nuclear reactor. It also allows the submarine to stay at sea for longer, as having a distiller on board provides fresh water for the crew to consume.
