Fresh water is a precious resource that is often in short supply. Necessary for operations in a wide variety of industries, finding fresh water is as simple as looking to the sea where water is plentiful. The only problem is that salt water and industrial machinery do not make good companions. However, desalination can remove the sodium chloride, minerals, and impurities from the water and make it a viable resource that can be used to keep your operations flowing. There are many methods of desalination including distillation, ion exchange, and membrane removal. Using one of these methods will give you the advantages that desalination can bring.
Methods of desalination
There are multiple methods of desalination including distillation, ion exchange, and membrane removal.
Using distillation, the water is heated until it boils. As it boils, the water vapor rises until it reaches the top of the distillation container. There, the vapor condenses as it is cooled and collected into a vat or cooling pond. Since the salt is heavier than air, it remains within the distillation container.
Running salt water between an anode and a cathode separates the sodium chloride from the solution. Ion exchange is highly effective at removing other impurities and is among the oldest desalination methods still in use.
Membrane, nanofiltration and reverse osmosis desalination involves pumping salt water through a series of membranes encased in a fiberglass shell. As the water flows through these membranes under high pressure, the salt is trapped within the membrane.
Advantages of desalination
Ideal for use in areas where freshwater is in short supply, desalination facilities can provide large quantities of water to be used for everything from industry to agriculture. This advantage can prove especially helpful in regions where rainfall and snow accumulation are sporadic and unreliable. With few exceptions, the sea never dries up, which means that a ready supply of water is rarely far away. For example, in areas such as Sydney, Australia, up to 15% of the city’s daily water needs are satiated with desalinated water.
Desalination can also be used to provide a cost-effective alternative to unreasonable water prices. These prices usually occur in regions where water isn’t plentiful and drought conditions make setting up operations difficult.
Having the ability to desalinate large quantities of water gives industrial and agricultural operations the ability to pursue operations without being at the mercy of Mother Nature. It also allows for operational growth as desalination facilities can be enlarged to meet growing demand.
Additionally, desalinated water is often cleaner than many freshwater sources. This advantage is because the process used to filter the water removes not only sodium chloride, but many other impurities that can damage machinery and equipment. As a result, using desalinated water also helps protect vital machinery from mechanical breakdowns. This advantage can reduce operational maintenance costs and extend the lifespan of equipment. Over time, the money desalination saves has a positive impact on a business’ bottom line.
Desalination is not a new concept, and it has been used around the globe in varying degrees for thousands of years. Coupled with modern technology and knowledge of filtering techniques, desalination is highly viable throughout the world.
For more information on filter winding machines, contact Maverick Manufacturing & Filters. Located in Amarillo, Texas, we are a multinational company that uses the highest standards with USA-made products. We have been in the filter industry for over 25 years. Give us a call today at (806) 383-3833 or Contact Us via email. You can also stop by in person at 3998 Business Park Drive in Amarillo. Let us provide the machines to help clean up our world one filter at a time.
