Desalination of sea water or brackish water to fresh water comprises use of microporous hydrophobic membrane

摘要

In a process to distil fresh water from sea water or brackish water, an incoming flow of water impinges on one side of a microporous hydrophobic membrane that surrenders water through the pores to a condensation passage (22). The vapour comes into contact with a condensation panel. A condensation wall drives an absolute pressure profile that is at all times below ambient pressure, preferably at or below the vapor boiling pressure on the other side of the membrane. The vapor passage is 3-5 mm wide. Vapor emerging from a passage (22) condenses at one point on the condensation wall surface (24), where the temperature is equal to or less than the vapour condensation temperature. An independent claim is included for an assembly for carrying out the above process.