How do you desalinate the sea water using solar energy?

The salt water in the desalination unit is heated by the Sun, converting the liquid to water vapour (a gas). As it is heated, the water vapour rises to the top of the unit, collects on the inside lid, and condenses back to liquid as fresh water in a separate collection container.

Can solar energy be used for desalination?

Solar desalination is a technique used to remove salt from water via a specially designed still that uses solar energy to boil seawater and capture the resulting steam, which is in turn cooled and condensed into pristine freshwater. Salt and other impurities are left behind in the still.

What are the main steps in the desalination process?

Desalination

the salt water is heated or the water is allowed to evaporate.
the water vapour is collected rather than being lost.
the water vapour is condensed to form pure water/fresh water.
the salt is left behind and can be used for other purposes.

What are the energy requirements of desalination?

The high-pressure system used to desalinate salt water requires a high amount of energy to do. Billions of gallons of water are forced through the pressure treatments, consuming an average of 10-13 kilowatt hours (kwh) per every thousand gallons.

What are some disadvantages of desalination?

The Disadvantages of Desalination

Waste Disposal. As with any process, desalination has by-products that must be taken care of.
Brine Production. Brine is the side product of desalination.
Ocean Populations.
Health Concerns.
Energy Use.

What are the benefits of solar desalination?

Solar Desalination benefits include:

Improved energy efficiency.
Reduced GHG emissions.
Increased reuse of CSG water.
Decreased impacts on groundwater.

How much water can a solar still produce?

The solar still can be effectively used to obtain sufficient quantities of good water from salt water in regions where the insulation of solar energy is high. A square foot of still area can produce approximately 1/2 to 3/4 lb of distilled water per day. The only disadvantage is the large amount of space needed.

What are 2 main methods of desalination?

Two distillation technologies are used primarily around the world for desalination: thermal distillation and membrane distillation.

Why is desalination so hard?

The problem is that the desalination of water requires a lot of energy. Salt dissolves very easily in water, forming strong chemical bonds, and those bonds are difficult to break. Energy and the technology to desalinate water are both expensive, and this means that desalinating water can be pretty costly.

Is desalination expensive does the process require much energy?

But desalination is expensive. It’s also an energy hog: Desalination plants around the world consume more than 200 million kilowatt-hours each day, with energy costs an estimated 55 percent of plants’ total operation and maintenance costs.