Development of Reverse Osmosis Desalination for Life Raft Emergency Drinking Water Supplies

摘要

Two hand-operated reverse osmosis desalinators being developed to provide emergency drinking water for life rafts were evaluated. Following some initial operating tests, the better performing unit, incorporating an energy recovery mechanism, was operated on a life raft in the open ocean by two Navy enlisted men for 7.5 hours. Each man alternately pumped the unit for up to 35 minutes each hour and produced better than 1 gallon-per-hour of drinking quality water. The tests demonstrated the feasibility of using such a device to provide emergency drinking water on a Navy life raft. (Author)