Desalination is the removing of salt and minerals from sea water to make it suitable for human consumption & industrial use. This is mostly by employing reverse osmosis to force salt water through membranes that allow water molecules to pass but blocks the molecules of salt & minerals.
In other terms, desalination changes sea water into drinkable water taking out the salt, bacteria and pollution. This process is now being used all around the world, mostly the middle east countries, which uses about 70% of worldwide capacity; and in North Africa, which uses about 6% of worldwide capacity.
Also the United States is one of the most important users of desalinated water (6.5%), especially in California and Florida (either for industrial use or to supply fresh water).
* Industrial & commercial seawater RO systems applications:
- Oil Tankers
- Coastal Developments
- Work Boats
- Island-Based Businesses
- Hotels & Resorts
- Fish Processing Plants
- Villages & Cities
- Seaside Work Sites
- Seaside Villas
- Cargo Ships
* Other methods used to remove salt from seawater and convert it to drinkable water are:
- Multi-Stage Flash Distillation
- Multiple Effect Distillation
- Vapor Compression Distillation
- Freezing
- Solar Evaporation
- Electrodialysis/Electrodialysis Reversal