Desalination of Sea Water

• Desalination is the process of removing salt from seawater by distillation - method of obtaining additional drinking water to meet demand.
• Desalination process (simplest method = distillation):

  1. Seawater solution is heated until water starts to boil, forming water vapour.
  2. Water vapour is collected, while the salt and other dissolved minerals are left behind.
  3. Water vapour is cooled, condenses back into liquid water.
• Desalination process:

  • Heat and boil saltwater solution until water evaporates.
  • Cool the water vapour, condensing back into a liquid.
  • Pure water collects in flask, salt is left behind.
• Other methods of desalination include use of membrane systems, which work using reverse osmosis.
• • Desalination is rarely used in countries with high rainfall as have easy access to fresh water - due to high energy cost, making it less environmentally friendly and more expensive than other water treatment methods.
• Desalination is a potentially viable source of drinking water for countries with low rainfall, but to make desalination a viable source. country must have:

  • Access to the sea
  • A source of cheap and ‘clean’ energy supplies
  • Large amount of money