*Desal WaterCraft Carrier originally conceived and posted November 1-16, 2005 on zulenet.com/electriceco/water_craft_carrier.html
Floating manouverable desalination powered by Renewable Energy Solar, Wind, Wave and Tidal Current with large-scale battery.

Oct 2007 update
Back in Nov 2005 I envisioned The Desal Watercraft Carrier as an alternative to a permanent desalination fixture... get a boat big enough to make it a portable desalination plant so it could move position to best serve the changing climate. The idea of making it portable as of 2007 seems somewhat less important as we, in Australia, prepare for permanent water restrictions.

The CSIRO forecasts less rain in Australia's future and having permanent land-based desalination plants to drought-proof our cities makes good sense. Switching on renewable energy sources like wind and solar to off-set CO2 produced is also sensible of course. Having said that, there are a number of value added reasons for Renewable Energy Power Desalination Watercrafts to flourish. It's still a good idea 2 years later, and the more one thinks about it, the more suitable the ocean is to mine a plurality of renewables, because only a ship on water can gather ocean renewables at the same time - because the desalination is ocurring at sea, the waves and ocean energy can be harnessed... and it's always NIMBY (not in my backyard)...

And definitely check out  SEADOV Sustainable Energy and Desalination on Vessel.

March 2007
Seadov puts it all together. Seadov announces March 27, 2007 "Eco-friendly desalination plant set to solve water woes."

In short: the idea of putting a large scale desalination plant on board a ship or vessel powered by renewables may turn out to be practical. So practical, that Australian company Seadov Pty Ltd "Sustainable Energy And Desalination On Vessel" is negotiating to deploy a real one, using solar, wind, wave and ocean currents capable of delivering potable water, large scale.

The placement of a large scale desalination plant in the middle of the ocean has distinct advantages over land based desalination - only at sea can we gather a plurality of renewable energy sources - like solar, wind, tide, current, OTEC [ocean thermal energy conversion] - and LTTD [low-temperature thermal desalination] - and this changes the playing field completely.

It's interesting to note, that none of the technology chosen to be deployed with Seadov is new or experimental, everything is tried and proven. What is new is the positioning. Some of us have heard the phrase "position position position" when refering to a successful formula for business - you wouldn't mill wheat in the middle of the ocean or open a bakery and sell bread - so why would you mill [desalinate] sea water on land? One very clear advantage is the waste sea water or brine is easily disposed at sea which is far more environmentally responsible and safe. SEADOV

And definitely check out WATER STANDARD

2008
WATER STANDARD is a global water treatment company integrating desalination technology and ocean-based vessels, and is committed to being a leader in innovative ways to help solve the global water shortages. This growing crisis affects virtually every continent and is projected to leave billions of people without access to improved water supplies in the coming years.

The SDV™ adapts proven reverse osmosis (RO) technology, which has been used on military and cruise ships for years and combines it with proprietary technologies to offer a reliable and environmentally responsible alternative.

Although desalination was once perceived as too expensive an option for producing water, membrane costs and energy usage have dropped dramatically. WATER STANDARD takes advantage of these reduced costs and energy efficiencies to provide competitive pricing. WATER STANDARD

April 2008
The Desal Watercraft has been included in "The Science of..." SURVIVAL YOUR PLANET NEEDS YOU exhibition at the Science Museum of London. Visit www.scienceof.com/survival

Desal Watercraft Carrier desalinates at sea or port.

Another closet idea by John Zulaikha
1-16 Nov 2005

The drought affecting lifestyle change is on the march. The solution is water and Sydney Water is under enormous pressure to deliver. The solution is a desalination plant at Kurnell. My idea is to make it portable as on a boat so it becomes a more valuable resource later. Any green benefits are a plus.

As Climate Change moves across the planet, the rain misses traditional catchment targets. The job requires a portable desalination plant. Suggesting a portable desalination plant requires a plan.

The Desal Watercraft Carrier is, but is not limited to, a large scale 3 or more tiered portable floating collector of wind wave tide and solar energies with battery and reverse osmosis desalination plant on-board. Gathering power, storing power and making water for cities.

One day it might be able to roam the seas searching for the best possible weather conditions gathering the full potential, but typically it would be moored off the coast exchanging eco energy for fresh water, re-charging, and pumping fresh water back to the coast through a pipe.

Sustainability at this stage costs a little extra but is considered cheaper in the long environmental run.

The management of waste in a renewable cycle is less - there is likely to be little waste because that's what renewable is, the fuel re-news itself. The sun is the best example, we can use it over again and again.

It is a direct saving not to have waste to clean up or fuel to find.

SYNERGY ENERGY RECOVERY
The massive energy and cost figures is not my expertise but the common thread of new "component parts" is efficiently utilising the waste energy at each stage. The breaking action in an electric car is stored in a battery and re-used to accelerate. The up and down action on the waves creates a vacuum in the air tight pressure piston pump.

Sourcing energy from all 4 directions at once, solar wind wave and tide - is a broader energy spectrum. Is manouverable and can seek best position much as any sailing ship turns to the wind. Only a sea worthy craft can experience all 4, tide wave wind and solar exposures. Managing waste energy by improving efficiency with clever ideas.

The efficiency of a floating desalination plant requires the other energy hungry components to compliment the 97% efficient PX Pressure Exchanger and the VRB Redox Flow Cell, an 80-90% re-chargeable scaleable non-toxic renewable battery. The Solar Sailor wings saves some 50% comparative fuel costs. These devices each save energy, they are tools of sustainability. A synergy focus of energy recovery will make it cost efficient.

The energy that is needed to sustain this comes at a higher cost, but the ongoing fuel costs are NIL since we're using renewables, and there is no clean up cost or waste removal or waste disposal and far less greenhouse gas.

Figuratively speaking, Desal can leave on the tide and return with a full re-charge and load of fresh water on the next - without actually leaving the mooring.

The futuristic ability to seek out the best spots is critical to returning with a full load, and like fishing there's a catch - but with computers and satelites we can follow in the un-maned footsteps of hurricanes. We could remote-control and literally catch enough storm to charge the energy systems on-board.

To save on costs todays would be stationary requiring a team of tug-boats to get around. After all, the job is a portable desalination plant.

• Charge the battery over night - first time only.
  
• Battery accounts for mobility and travel distance from home.
  
• Daily routine governed by the tide wave wind and sun direction.
• Able to desal at Port.
• Able to desal at Sea.
• Seeking and Tracking - locate and find optimum 24 hour day wind wave solar resource.
• Massive - able to withstand storms and/or relocate.
• Massive - able to charge all systems within storms and return home.
• Energy Collector - gather energy from multiple wave wind tide and solar sources.
• Battery Storage - save the energy in electrolytic and hydro tanks for later recovery.
• Sea Water Desalination - on-board desalination.
• Water Storage - on-board water storage.
• Electrolytic Storage - on-board battery storage.
• Return to Base - when all systems are charged.
  
• Discharge fresh water - energy hydro recovery.
• This hydro energy saved could pump fresh water into the city water system.
• Conversely the U-pressure equilibrium pump-tide-leveler could.
• Portable - can sail to next destination.
• It's not in my backyard.

Managing waste energy by improving efficiency with clever ideas.
A synergy focus of energy recovery will make it cost efficient.

Too expensive.

Too much trouble to go through just to make water... but I'll wait for the energy figures verses cost.

^ copyright 2005 © OTMAMTO