Desalination system could produce freshwater that is cheaper than tap water::A new solar desalination system takes in saltwater and heats it with natural sunlight. The system flushes out accumulated salt, so replacement parts aren’t needed often, meaning the system could potentially produce drinking water that is cheaper than tap water.

  • corship@feddit.de
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    1 year ago

    Nothing about this is "new".

    Evaporating water and catching it has been the way to produce fresh water since, like ever. But it's slow, and prone to bacteria.

      • Sundray@lemmy.sdf.org
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        1 year ago

        Apparently they solved the issue of how to keep the waste salt from clogging up the system.

        • corship@feddit.de
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          1 year ago

          No they didn't. It's never been an issue. Just don't evaporate all water and use a new batch of salt water before the previous one gets saturated. Availability of salt water usually isn't the issue.

  • gnygnygny@lemm.ee
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    1 year ago

    The question with desalination is always the same what will you do with the salt ?

    • scarabic@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      If it was just salt it wouldn’t be a problem. Salt is an essential nutrient and industrial product and we actually run seawater evaporators today specifically to farm the salt. We mine salt out of mountains and ship it around the world. Salt is our friend.

      The actual question is what to do with the concentrated salty sludge by products.

      • gnygnygny@lemm.ee
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        1 year ago

        French fries are already too salty. And then, people gonna need freshwater. Infinity loop.