Desalinization for Drinking Water

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Desalinization for Drinking Water

• By Corinne Henneberg

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The Problem

• The United Nations estimates that 1.1 billion
  people across the globe dont have access to
  sustainable, clean drinking water, and that 1.6
  million children will die each year because of
  that lack. Given that Earth has limited fresh
  surface water and groundwater resources, what can
  be done to remedy that lack?

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• Desalinization - removing salt from sea water to
  create fresh water - is a practical way to meet
  that need.
• This is not a new process US Navy aircraft
  carriers have had to generate fresh water for
  large crews while at sea for six months and more.

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• However, large scale implementation of
  desalinization has been restricted by cost,
  environmental concerns, and its ability to reach
  those in need.
• Refitting ships as desalinization plants could
  address some of these needs.

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• These ships are actually ideal platforms for
  desalinization plants. Mothballed (meaning
  unused or in storage) ships are otherwise
  currently dry-docked or cluttering up working
  harbors, but ships that meet the end of their
  service life with the US Navy are often still
  serviceable. They can still be used for
  something useful.

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Voyaging Desalinization Plants Could

• help reach more people in need "they could
  outrun a hurricane and steam within days to an
  area of natural or man-made disaster
• harness wind, wave, and solar power to help
  sustain operations
• meet cost, center of gravity, and environmental
  concerns

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• The John F. Kennedy multipurpose aircraft carrier
  was decommissioned in August 2007, saving the
  Navy about 1.2 billion, but the vessel is still
  serviceable and could work as a good
  desalinization plant. This change in purpose
  would still save money in other ways - the
  aircraft carrier had a crew of 5,200, while a
  desalinization plant would not need as many.

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Pros and Cons

• Mobile, able to get to those who need it
• Energy efficient - wind and wave power can be
  harnessed, and more
• Operating costs are less in a mobile
  desalinization plant than an aircraft carrier

• Economic practicability
• Environmental concerns - pollutants, impact of
  brine release
• Engineering considerations
• Security concerns

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Sources

• From Mothballs to Mobilization Taking The Salt
  Out Of Sea Water
• http//www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/09/08093
  0135307.htm
• The Feasibility
• http//a-c-s.confex.com/crops/2008am/webprogram/Pa
  per47539.html