Solar or Low Heat Driven Desalination

We are the Virgin Islands representatives for a German company, MAGE Water Management, that has commercialized a new desalination process known a Multi-Effect Humidification. The MAGE system is housed in a shipping container and we refer to it as "Mother Nature in a Box". It is much more energy efficient than Reverse Osmosis. There are 3 standard sizes (264, 1320 and 2650 gallons of fresh water per day). Larger systems can be custom designed as required. Considering the life cycle costs, fresh water can be made for as low as $0.025 per gallon. Basically this is how it works.

1. We need a source of salt water to serve as our supply. This can be a pipe directly into the sea OR a well can be drilled close to the shore line or where the water table is relatively shallow. The salt water will need to be pumped to the MAGE system.

2. The salt water is then heated to about 80 C degrees (176 F degrees) via solar collectors, biomass water heater, connection to the cooling circuit of the diesel / gas engine or propane heater, etc.

3. The MAGE system then converts the salt water into a) fresh water and b) a concentrated salt brine

4. The fresh water can then be pumped to any vessel suitable for water storage (water tank, cistern, etc.) or into an existing fresh water piping network. This fresh water will be room temperature and can then be used for drinking / cooking or heated via solar water heaters or other hot water tank for bathing / laundry.

5. The concentrated salt brine can be returned to the sea where it will get diluted OR it can be further concentrated and dried into sea salt.

NOTE, the system (in the Box) does not have any moving parts, but we do need a small pump to supply the salt water and another to move the fresh water to storage. These pumps can be powered by a standard electrical connection or by PV Solar Panels. Basically, the whole system can operate by the sun's power if desired and would be ideal for remote island homes or a resort.

See the MAGE web site at www.MAGE-WaterManagement.com or give me a call at 412.374.9442 and I can provide more information.

Best Regards