The words in itself have been used more times in the past 5 years than they were before. Seawater desalination industry has seen a tremendous growth in the past decade. And after further technological advances is on its way to becoming the best method for procuring drinking water. Even though the process faces a backlash from many who find the method to not be environmentally friendly, it is still majorly used in desalination plants and big industries at the same time. The industry is divided between two processes. One is a simple traditional distillation and the other is a much efficient reverse osmosis process. Here given are some examples of how the industry holds promise for the future.
- Ras Al Khair desalination plant is till date the largest desalination plant situated in Riyadh and provides 228 Imperial million gallons of water each day.
- The total number of desalination plants around the world was 18,426 by 2015.
- Morocco and Casablanca revealed they are going to get one desalination plant for themselves. Many such cities and countries have announced this so far.
- Distillation as a process for desalination is now used in very less number of desalination units. More of these plants operate on reverse osmosis.
- Bigger and better plants have the capacity of holding more than 50,000 membranes which are used for filtration of water.
- Not only coastal regions but inland areas and cities where the water quality is at dangerous brackish levels, the desalination plants are built for providing safe drinking water.
This means seawater desalination is not just limited to a type of water but can be used effectively for many other types of water impurities at a larger level. Research indicates that the process of seawater desalination which is now a bit harmful to the environment will be sustainable in the future. Major changes in the membrane material, thickness, production can lead to fewer energy requirements. In addition, efficient waste water treatment systems can ensure less polluted water goes back to the sea or the water source. These changes require time but after absolute certainty in the research analysis, these would be used in every desalination plant to make sure it remains our best option for access to fresh water.
AMPAC USA is a leader in manufacturing water treatment systems including Reverse Osmosis systems for desalination plants. With 30 years in the field, Ampac products are at par with international standards and technology.
