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Desalinization plants.

Discussion in 'Watermakers' started by Blue Ghost, Feb 5, 2015.

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  1. Blue Ghost

    Blue Ghost Member

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    So, on navy ships I know that desalinization plants are standard equipment, and I'm guessing on cruise ships too.

    So, I have "dumb question" here (I've been out of the loop for a few years); has the technology gotten small enough that smaller yachts can carry these things on board?
  2. AMG

    AMG YF Moderator

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    I am having it in a 30-foot design right now....
  3. Pascal

    Pascal Senior Member

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    Water makers as they are called in boats have been around for decades in a variety of size from manually operated emergency devices to highly automated systems capable of producing thousands of gallons a day.
  4. Capt J

    Capt J Senior Member

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    Yes, they're call watermakers. What size boat are you talking about putting one in? I like a system large enough to fill the water tank in 4-6 hours. If you have enough electricity to run it and space to mount it in,
  5. Blue Ghost

    Blue Ghost Member

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    Thanks for the replies. When I was growing up desalinization was "magic tech" and required monstrous support gear. Some weeks back I saw a doc on subs, and one of the ratings was a machinist mate whose job it was to tend to the de-sal unit. It looked like the size of an old fashioned 1970s IBM mainframe computer. I wasn't sure if that was the military version, or whether the tech had gotten better.

    I guess it's gotten better :)

    Thanks for the replies.

    Capt J; I was just curious.
  6. Capt Ralph

    Capt Ralph Senior Member

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    We have 2) 300 GPD systems on an old Bertram MY. RO membranes do all the work and our CAT high pressure pumps are remotely mounted. We only do one or two open water cruises a year and it's great not to worry about fresh potable water.
    Our units are of old design and the backup attitude has paid for itself. A newer single unit should probably out perform our stuff and prove more reliable.
    Look back and search RO systems on YF. Some (current) models do have issues (LCD displays). If I remember, Pascal & Skippy J may be of help here.
  7. Capt J

    Capt J Senior Member

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    Have you checked into tieing both membranes together? You might be able to run one system and tie together both systems membranes with a valve and get a lot more volume. Usually the only difference in some systems is an extra membrane.
  8. Capt Ralph

    Capt Ralph Senior Member

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    It's not been a pump or membrane issue. We have an old HRO and older Rich Systems. As simple as there logic designs are, the boards have had problems.
    BTW, the Rich brothers still did answer e-mails up a couple of years ago. Their original manual and their support was fantastic. I finally figured out the schematics provided and can gate chase and repair on my own now.
    The HRO unit has some weird chips and as much as I have tried, do not cross to available gates or regulator chips. Whole boards are available. I'll figure them out one day. BTW, Factory support sux from HRO, the kids at Beard (in Liquordale) have provided parts and some good support. I do like the product though it's 20 years old.
    The Rich system near 30 years old.

    I was given an old manual 12Vdc pump and mini membrane system. Since were usually on inverter (no gen-set) while moving, I thought of attaching it to the ship somehow and make water as we motor (offshore) around. Only 5 - 7 gph but after a long run, lots of water and micro hp consumption.

    Back to the O P; RO systems are here, compact, some affordable to us rednecks and not really high tech.
    If you're on a military sub, it is a big deal and would require a mate to monitor it. Lives (missions) could depend on it.
  9. leeky

    leeky Senior Member

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    The nuclear submarines I sailed in in the US Navy used the distillation process, as opposed to reverse osmosis (RO), to make fresh water. They had a 6000 gallon-per-day (gpd) still for the humans and a 2000 gpd still that made purer water for the power plant. That might be the reason for the size that you noted in the documentary you saw; comparable RO units would probably be smaller. Although, just about everything built for submarines will be overbuilt compared to their civilian counterparts -- submarine stuff is built to be sailor-proof.:D
  10. Blue Ghost

    Blue Ghost Member

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    Very cool. Thanks for the replies! :)
  11. milo12

    milo12 Member

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    Does anyone have info on small distillation equipment? I think many years ago some yachts used distillation, before the current method with filters existed.

    It seems the waste heat in the exhaust could be used for distillation.
  12. K1W1

    K1W1 Senior Member

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    Google Marine Evaporators, These things are designed to be used with a constant source of heat and electricity.

    For most of the vessels folks on here have boiling a pot on the stove and collecting the steam to condense it might be the cheapest way to get some fresh water out of sea water.
  13. Blue Ghost

    Blue Ghost Member

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    From my old sailing days I seem to recall something advertised in SAIL called a "Solar Still", but I can't remember for the life of me how it worked. As you might guess, it was solar powered, and gave fresh water, but I think it took all day or something (weather depending).