Methane To The Rescue! New Energy Efficient Graphene Desalination Membrane For The 99%
CleanTechnica April 3rd, 2015 by Tina Casey
The folks over at Oak Ridge National Laboratory are hot on the trail of a new graphene desalination membrane, which could free up vast amounts of the world’s water resources for human use. Currently, according to the lab, more than 99% of the world’s water is undrinkable, much of that being locked up in seawater...snip
The Desalination Conundrum
Conventional desalination involves a process called reverse osmosis, in which water is forced through a membrane.Reverse osmosis is a big step up from distillation in terms of energy consumption, and more efficient systems are in the pipeline (check out this four-in-one desalination process, for example).
Despite recent improvements, though, reverse osmosis still sucks up huge amounts of energy, and part of the problem is the membrane. Conventional membranes are based on polymers (plastics). They tend to get clogged up during the process, and they have to be cleaned regularly in order to keep operating at their personal best.
One emerging solution is solar-powered desalination. Renewable energy helps to reduce dependence on fossil fuels, but it doesn’t address the membrane issue. In an increasingly crowded world, energy efficiency is a critical factor, regardless of whether you’re using fossil fuels or renewables...snip
An Energy Efficient Graphene Desalination Membrane
a schematic look at graphene, showing its unique hexagonal structure (the two blue areas show the chemical bonds of impurities in the graphene sheet):
...That’s where the graphene comes in. And the methane, too. The new Oak Ridge graphene research is still in the proof of concept stage, but things look promising. The idea is to replace conventional polymer membranes with graphene....
Continue: http://cleantechnica.com/2015/04/03/methane-rescue-new-energy-efficient-graphene-desalination-membrane-99/
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Desalination
Existing facilities and facilities under construction
Estimates vary widely between 15,000–20,000 desalination plants producing more than 20,000 m3/day. Micro desalination plants are in operation nearly every where there is a natural gas or fracking facility in the United States.
Israel
Israel Desalination Enterprises' Sorek Desalination Plant in Palmachim provides up to 26,000 m³ of potable water per hour (2.300 m³ p.a.). At full capacity, it is the largest desalination plant of its kind in the world. Once unthinkable, given Israel's history of drought and lack of available fresh water resource, with desalination, Israel can now actually produce a surplus of fresh water.
The Hadera seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) desalination plant in Israel is the largest of its kind in the world.[111][112] The project was developed as a build–operate–transfer by a consortium of two Israeli companies: Shikun and Binui, and IDE Technologies.[113]
By 2014, Israel's desalination programs provided roughly 35% of Israel's drinking water and it is expected to supply 40% by 2015 and 70% by 2050.
Saudi Arabia
The Saline Water Conversion Corporation of Saudi Arabia provides 50% of the municipal water in the Kingdom, operates a number of desalination plants, and has contracted $1.892 billion to a Japanese-South Korean consortium to build a new facility capable of producing a billion liters per day, opening at the end of 2013. They currently operate 32 plants in the Kingdom;[127] one example at Shoaiba cost $1.06 billion and produces 450 million liters per day...
More countries that desalinate water:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desalination#Existing_facilities_and_facilities_under_construction
An Introduction to the Carlsbad CA Desalination Plant
Desalination = water security and jobs. Tech will make it cheaper and better.
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