Startup To Harvest Desalinated Drinking Water From Ocean Floor
The company states that it intends to combine desalination with off-shore energy technology, hoping to solve multiple challenges associated with traditional, land-based desalination - including high energy costs and salty byproducts that are dangerous to marine life, the Los Angeles Times reported. This process could produce 10 million gallons (37.8 million litres) of fresh water per day. OceanWell claims that its technology uses 40% less energy by harvesting the water placed at depths of 1,400 feet - where natural water pressure can facilitate filtration.Traditional, land-based facilities usually work on the principle of squeezing out as much freshwater as possible to help balance high-energy costs. Typical targets for those facilities are 50% freshwater and 50% brine for each galloon. OceanWell claims it gets rid of this by using the natural pressure of the ocean - operating at a recovery rate of 10% to 15% - producing a much less salty product that can dissolve within seconds.
