Water Facts Ocean water is about 3X as salty as human blood brackish watersalt water.

Fresh Water, 3%

Salt Water, 97% Frozen at Poles, 75%

Available Fresh Water, 25%

Water Facts

Other Fresh water, 99%

Readily available:

rivers, steams groundwater,

1%

Fresh Water, 1000

Slightly Salty, 3000

Moderately Salty, 10000

Ocean Water, 35000

0

5000

10000

15000

20000

25000

30000

35000

Salt (ppm)

Ocean water is about 3X as salty as human blood

brackish water salt water

Why is the ocean salty?

Water is evaporated from the ocean surface but the salt is too heavy to be evaporated and remains in the sea.

water cycle, also known as the hydrologic cycle

Why can’t humans drink salt water?

• Too much salt sends your metabolism into crisis.

• From every cell, water molecules rush off like so many voluntary firemen to try to dilute and carry off the sudden intake of salt.

• Cells become dehydrated (short of the water they need to

carry out their normal functions

• May lead to seizures, unconsciousness, and brain damage).

• Overworked blood cells carry the salt to the kidneys, which eventually become overwhelmed and shut down.

• Without functioning kidneys you die.

• Over 13,000 desalination plants worldwide

• Producing more than 12 billion gallons of water a day.

• Only 0.2 percent of global water consumption

• Desalination market is expected to expand 9.5% CPGR next 10 years.

Source: http://globalwarmingisreal.com/2011/03/23/are-desalination-technologies-the-answer-to-the-world-water-crisis/

Worldwide Desalination

Popular Desalination Methods

Multi-Stage Distillation

Reverse Osmosis

Ion ConcentrationPolarization

Multi-Stage Multi-Stage Flash Flash DistillationDistillation

Vapor Vapor Compression Compression DistillationDistillation

Reverse Reverse OsmosisOsmosis

Ion Ion ConcentratiConcentration on PolarizationPolarization

ProcessProcess Seawater heated; Seawater heated; flows thru flows thru successively lower successively lower pressure containers; pressure containers; vapor condensed on vapor condensed on tubes of heat tubes of heat exchanges into fresh exchanges into fresh waterwater

Mechanical Mechanical compressor or a compressor or a steam jet steam jet compressor compressor generates heat generates heat for evaporation. for evaporation. Feed water Feed water added and added and partially partially evaporates; evaporates; vapor condenses vapor condenses into freshwaterinto freshwater

High High pressure pressure forces forces water water molecules molecules through a through a membrane membrane leaving leaving larger larger molecules molecules of salts and of salts and minerals minerals behindbehind

Ion Ion concentration concentration polarization polarization zone (ion zone (ion depletion zone) depletion zone) generated in a generated in a microfluidic microfluidic channel channel

AdvantagAdvantageses

Can use lower Can use lower quality feedwater quality feedwater than ROthan RO

Economies of Economies of scale in capital scale in capital costscosts

Simple, reliableSimple, reliable Ideal for small Ideal for small

operations such operations such as resortsas resorts

Higher Higher recovery recovery raterate Less Less energy energy intensiveintensive

Microchip Microchip size; 8 inch size; 8 inch size can size can produce 15 L produce 15 L water per water per hour hour

Light bulb Light bulb energyenergy

Dis-Dis-

advantagadvantageses

Extremely energy Extremely energy intensiveintensive

Extremely Extremely energy energy intensiveintensive

Not efficient Not efficient for larger scalefor larger scale

Greater Greater sensitivity sensitivity to poor to poor quality quality feedwaterfeedwater

New New technology technology not yet not yet commercializcommercializeded

Traditional Water, $0.90 -

$2.50

Brackish Water, $1.50 - $3.00

Sea Water, $3.00 - $8.00

Traditional Water Brackish Water Sea Water

Water Treatment per 1000 gal

Source: American Membrane Technology Association http://globalwarmingisreal.com/2011/03/23/are-desalination-technologies-the-answer-to-the-world-

water-crisis/

Desalination Costs

Environmental Concerns About Desalination

1)Ecological effects resulting from the disposal of brine from the desalination process;

2)Entrainment of aquatic species in and around the desalination facility intake; and

3)Enormous energy requirements