Seawater desalination system - Kish water supply scheme

摘要

The system consists of the construction of modular deep sea inlet units (1) into which are incorporated flat sheet semi-permeable membranes (2) that produce high quality desalted water using the reverse osmosis process. The modular devices are sunk into the ocean to the appropriate depth anywhere along the continental shelf. The desalted water is collected and brought by appropriately designed and constructed modular sleeved pipeline (4) with compressed air driven positive displacement pumps (3) to shore based service reservoirs (5) to supply consumers by means of conventional aqueducts. The modular construction of the scheme allows the pipeline (4), pumps (3) and inlet units (1), due to the attached buoyancy device, to be floated to the surface for maintenance and repair. The configuration of the membranes allows self-cleaning. This cleaning action and brine removal is further enhanced by forcing high pressure air and water to flow past the membranes. The high pressure seawater and the product desalted water are separated to prevent contamination. The whole system would be automatically monitored and controlled from operation stations on the shore or from seagoing crafts. Marker buoys on the surface indicate the location of the inlet units.