Can Seawater Be Made Drinkable?

Samuel Taylor Coleridge’s Rhyme of the Ancient Mariner has made this dilemma well known for centuries with a few words: “Water, water, every where, nor any drop to drink”—a line that refers to the non-drinkability of ocean water. With potable water becoming increasingly scarce all over the world, a lot of people are now looking to the oceans as sources. But the question is, can seawater be really made drinkable?

Pushing Water: How Reverse Osmosis Works

When you're considering an industrial reverse osmosis (RO) system for your company, you'll need to understand what sets it apart from other water purification systems on the market. First developed in the 1950s, reverse osmosis was initially used for water desalination. A lot of industries now use RO to ensure pure water for their facilities.

Reverse Osmosis and Sustainable Water Consumption

Water is an all-important resource when it comes to manufacturing a variety of everyday products such as paper, petroleum gasoline, and a variety of metals. In such applications, fresh and clean water is necessary to produce high-quality products—and there lies the problem.

Out of all the water on Earth, only 2.5 percent is freshwater. The problem is compounded further when you take into account that 68.7 percent of freshwater is found in glaciers and ice caps. Of course, the 2.5 percent of freshwater isn’t exclusive to the industrial sector, as the amount is also the source used in residences, businesses, etc.

Using Reverse Osmosis on Boiler Feed Water

Boilers are key machinery for any industrial power plant, and the quality of feed water greatly affects the performance and lifespan of these equipment. For an industrial plant to operate more efficiently, it is important for feed water to undergo pre-treatment. Thus, the owner must invest in an advanced water treatment system capable of purifying water in great volumes and at speeds capable of keeping up with boiler demand.

The Industrial Reverse Osmosis System

An industrial reverse osmosis system is a water treatment process that is highly effective for eliminating up to 99 percent of organics, dissolved mineral salts and other particles. It does this by forcing water through a semi-permeable membrane, through which dissolved solids are unable to pass through.