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Many methods for water purification and seawater desalinization have been used for a number of years starting in ancient times with good old fashion distillation (boil the water and catch the condensate leaving the bad stuff behind). The leading method now is membrane based...reverse osmosis. Expensive to build, expensive to operate and maintain.
Reverse Osmosis uses pressure to force water molecules through a special membrane with very small pores that trap salts and other dissolved solids (retentate) and results in up to 99% pure water (solute). In low pressure home use, RO usually results in 80% or more waste...5 gallons of waste water are produced for every gallon of useable water. In high pressure systems (1000 psi or more) used in saltwater desalinization, recovery rates can exceed 90%. High pressure systems require alot of energy to run however.
New studies are underway to improve membrane efficiencies (particularly in energy use) include forward osmosis which actually uses an ionic salt process and then removing the special salts from the solute..or good water side..of the membrane process.
Carbon nano-tubes built into membranes and electrically charged to repel salt ions before reaching the membrane, and biomimetic membranes utlizing aquaporins in a similar charged fashion hold some promise to improving the efficiency of RO systems but are still in the theory and development stage.
One new process that is actually in commercial development is Capacitive De-ionization which uses a flow-through capacitor designed to eliminate dissolved solids from water using a small electrical charge.
What else can I help you with?
Can ice be used for desalination?
Basically, desalination of water can be carried out by the following general methods: 1. Distillation 2. Electrodialysis 3. Demineralisation/Deionisation and 4. Reverse osmosis.
What is the hypothesis of desalination?
The hypothesis of desalination is that by applying various methods, such as reverse osmosis or distillation, saltwater can be transformed into freshwater suitable for drinking and irrigation purposes.
What is it called when you remove salt from saltwater?
Desalination, desalinization, or desalinisation refers to any of several processes that remove excess salt and other minerals from water. More generally, desalination may also refer to the removal of salts and minerals, as in soil desalination.
What is removed from water in the process of desalination?
In the process of desalination, salt and other minerals are removed from water to make it suitable for drinking or irrigation. This is achieved through methods such as reverse osmosis or distillation, which separate the salt from the water.
What temperature does it take to desalinate water?
For the desalination by distillation - the boiling point of water. For other methods the temperature is not so important.
Why is desalination bad?
Desalination has very high energy requirements and since most countries with desalination plants do not have nuclear power, it results in the burning of lots of more coal. Additionally, the methods by which salt is removed from water create a resulting "salt-slurry" which is ejected as waste in to the original saltwater body. This salt-slurry makes the area around the desalination plant poisonous for the local sea-life.However, in almost every case, the positives of desalination outweigh these negatives.
What is water desalination?
Water desalination is the process of removing salt and minerals from seawater to make it suitable for drinking or irrigation. This is typically done through methods such as reverse osmosis or distillation to separate the salt from the water, producing freshwater for consumption. Desalination is an important technology in areas where freshwater resources are limited.
What is the object called that makes salt water into drinking water?
The object is called a desalination plant or desalination unit. It uses various methods such as reverse osmosis or distillation to remove salt and impurities from salt water, making it safe for drinking.
How can fresh water be made from saltwater?
AnswerFreshwater can be made from seawater by a process called desalination.
What is the definition of desalination?
Desalination is the process of removing salt and other impurities from seawater or brackish water to produce fresh water that is suitable for human consumption or irrigation. This is typically done through methods such as reverse osmosis or distillation.
What removed from water in the process of desalination?
In the process of desalination, salt and other impurities are removed from water, leaving behind fresh, drinkable water. This is typically done through methods like reverse osmosis or distillation, which separate the salt and minerals from the water molecules.
Describe the process of desalination?
Desalination is the process of removing salt and other impurities from seawater to make it suitable for drinking or irrigation. This can be done through methods like reverse osmosis or distillation. These processes involve separating the salt from the water to produce fresh water for consumption.
