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Desalination system could produce freshwater that is cheaper than tap water (news.mit.edu)

submitted 1 year ago by [email protected] to c/technology

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Engineers at MIT and in China are aiming to turn seawater into drinking water with a completely passive device that is inspired by the ocean, and powered by the sun.

In a paper appearing today in the journal Joule, the team outlines the design for a new solar desalination system that takes in saltwater and heats it with natural sunlight.

The researchers estimate that if the system is scaled up to the size of a small suitcase, it could produce about 4 to 6 liters of drinking water per hour and last several years before requiring replacement parts. At this scale and performance, the system could produce drinking water at a rate and price that is cheaper than tap water.

https://www.cell.com/joule/fulltext/S2542-4351(23)00360-4

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[–] aulin 0 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Also, this would be distilled water? Or do they have some process to add the necessary minerals afterwards? I didn't see anything about that. Because drinking distilled water isn't exactly good for you.

[–] GodofGrunts 4 points 1 year ago (1 children)

There's nothing particularly wrong with drinking distilled water as long as you are getting enough minerals and electrolytes from the rest of your diet.

[–] aulin 1 points 1 year ago

True. However I would think that a system such as this would be used mostly in developing countries where getting all those minerals from your diet is not a given.