Project Overview

Water is one of the most important raw materials in the cosmetics industry, accounting for 60%–90% of many products such as facial toners, lotions, creams, serums, shampoos, body washes, and skincare products. The quality of production water directly affects product stability, shelf life, safety, and consumer satisfaction. Even trace amounts of ions, microorganisms, or organic contaminants can compromise product quality and lead to batch inconsistencies.

To ensure high-quality cosmetic production, a leading cosmetics manufacturer in China partnered with Zhongnuo Water Treatment to install a 5T/H (5m³/h) Ultra Pure Water System. The system integrates advanced Reverse Osmosis (RO), EDI (Electrodeionization), UV Sterilization, and Polishing Mixed Bed technologies to provide a continuous supply of ultra pure water for cosmetic formulation, equipment cleaning, and laboratory applications.

Customer Background

Project Challenges

As the company expanded its production capacity and product portfolio, it required a more advanced ultra pure water system to meet increasingly stringent quality standards.

1. Strict Water Quality Requirements

Cosmetic products require extremely pure water to prevent contamination and ensure long-term product stability.

The customer required water with:

· Ultra-low conductivity

· High resistivity

· Low TOC (Total Organic Carbon)

· Minimal microorganisms

· Low particle content

· Stable water quality throughout production

This was essential to maintain consistent product quality and comply with cosmetic manufacturing standards.

2. Continuous Production Demand

The factory operates multiple production lines manufacturing various skincare and personal care products.

The system needed to provide:

· Stable 5 m³/h water production

· Continuous 24-hour operation

· Consistent pressure

· Reliable ultra pure water quality

to ensure uninterrupted production.

3. Hygiene and Contamination Control

The customer required a hygienic water treatment system that could effectively reduce microbial growth and prevent secondary contamination during water storage and distribution.

The system therefore needed to incorporate:

· UV sterilization

· Closed-loop circulation

· Precision filtration

· Hygienic stainless-steel piping

4. Intelligent Automation and Low Maintenance

To improve production efficiency, the customer expected a fully automatic system with:

· PLC intelligent control

· Online conductivity monitoring

· Automatic flushing

· Alarm protection

· Low maintenance requirements

Water Treatment Process Flow

Municipal Water  →  Raw Water Tank  →  Raw Water Pump  →  Multi-media Sand Filter  →  Activated Carbon Filter  →  Water Softener  →  Precision Cartridge Filter  →  Primary RO System  →  RO Water Tank  →  EDI Module  →  UV Sterilizer (185/254nm)  →  Mixed Bed Polisher  →  0.22μm Precision Filter  →  Ultra Pure Water Tank  →  Cosmetic Production Water Supply

Product Introduction

5T/H Ultra Pure Water System

The 5m³/h Ultra Pure Water System was specifically designed for cosmetic manufacturing facilities requiring high-quality production water. The integrated purification process ensures continuous delivery of ultra pure water while minimizing operating costs and maximizing production reliability.

Advanced Multi-Stage Purification

The system combines several advanced purification technologies, including:

· Multimedia filtration

· Activated carbon filtration

· Water softening

· Reverse osmosis (RO)

· Electrodeionization (EDI)

· UV sterilization

· Mixed bed polishing

· Precision membrane filtration

This comprehensive treatment effectively removes:

· Dissolved salts

· Heavy metals

· Organic contaminants

· Chlorine

· Microorganisms

· Fine particles

· Trace ions

ensuring consistent ultra pure water quality.

High-Quality Ultra Pure Water

The system can continuously produce water with:

· Resistivity up to 18.2 MΩ·cm 

· Conductivity ≤ 0.055 μS/cm 

· Ultra-low TOC

· Low microbial content

· Excellent water quality stability

The treated water fully satisfies the requirements of cosmetic manufacturing, laboratory testing, and equipment cleaning.

Intelligent PLC Control

The equipment features a PLC control system with a touchscreen interface, allowing operators to monitor:

· Conductivity

· Resistivity

· Flow rate

· Pressure

· Tank levels

· Pump status

· Automatic flushing

· Alarm notifications

The intelligent automation significantly reduces manual intervention while improving operational reliability.

Hygienic System Design

To meet cosmetic industry hygiene requirements, the system incorporates:

· SUS304/SUS316 stainless steel pipelines

· Hygienic valves

· Closed circulation system

· UV sterilization

· Precision terminal filtration

These features effectively minimize microbial growth and reduce contamination risks.

Energy-Efficient Operation

The system adopts:

· High-efficiency pumps

· Variable frequency drives (VFD)

· Optimized membrane recovery

· Intelligent energy management

helping reduce water consumption, electricity costs, and overall operating expenses.

Project Results

Following installation and commissioning, the ultra pure water system successfully met all customer requirements and has operated reliably since commissioning.

Project Achievements

✅ Stable ultra pure water production of 5 m³/h

✅ Continuous automatic operation

✅ Resistivity up to 18.2 MΩ·cm

✅ Stable water quality for cosmetic production

✅ Improved product consistency

✅ Reduced microbial contamination risk

✅ Lower maintenance costs

✅ Enhanced production efficiency and product quality

The customer reported improved manufacturing stability, reduced production risks, and greater confidence in meeting both domestic and international cosmetic quality standards.

Why Choose Zhongnuo Water Treatment?

With more than 20 years of experience in industrial water treatment, Zhongnuo Water Treatment provides customized ultra pure water solutions for cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, electronics, food processing, biotechnology, and other high-standard industries.

Our product portfolio includes:

· Cosmetic Ultra Pure Water Systems

· Pharmaceutical Water Treatment Systems

· RO Reverse Osmosis Systems

· EDI Water Purification Systems

· Ultrafiltration (UF) Systems

· Industrial Water Treatment Plants

· Containerized Water Treatment Systems

· EPC Water Treatment Projects

Every project is customized according to the customer's feed water quality, production requirements, factory layout, and future expansion plans.

Technical Specifications

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. Why is ultra pure water important in cosmetic manufacturing?

Ultra pure water is a key ingredient in most cosmetic formulations. It helps improve product stability, prevents microbial contamination, extends shelf life, and ensures consistent product quality.

2. What cosmetic products require ultra pure water?

Ultra pure water is widely used in the production of:

· Facial toners

· Serums

· Creams

· Lotions

· Shampoos

· Body washes

· Cleansers

· Facial masks

3. Can the system be customized?

Yes. Zhongnuo Water Treatment offers customized cosmetic ultra pure water systems ranging from 500 L/H to over 100 T/H, tailored to production capacity, feed water quality, and factory requirements.

4. Why combine RO and EDI technologies?

RO removes approximately 98–99% of dissolved salts, while EDI continuously removes residual ions without chemical regeneration, producing stable ultra pure water with lower operating costs and greater environmental sustainability.