Water Supply Problem

[infinitebrain]

Okay I have this really puzzling question. People say years from now that the water supply will get really low.But we have miles of ocean that can be used and purified. Suprisingly we can't get it from the ocean to the purification place. I have a solution though or atleast a hypothesis to solve the problem. Why don't we just use them like to phone cables in the ocean? They travel along the ocean to the purification! Please state your flaws with my idea, your own ideas, etc.

[Cap'n Refsmmat]

From what I understand, the problem isn't getting ocean water. It's that removing the salt from the water takes a lot of power, energy and equipment, which makes it too expensive a lot of the time.

[insane_alien]

is it just me or did that post make no sense at all?

 

use what like phone lines? do you mean pipes? we've had plumbing for a few millenia more than phones you know.

[infinitebrain]

@insane_ailen no, okay I'll explain again

Enviromentalists predict in the next 20 years the earth will really be affected by pollution because the ocean level will rise, energy for electricity, gas for cars, and water will start to get really short. But, Enviromentalists have different solutions for how to keep the water supply full. There is a few suggestions. I'm just suggestiing how to supply the water offshore with ocean water.

@Cap'n Refsmmat I see what you mean that does sound like it would cost billions and billions of dollars thanks.

[insane_alien]

I'm just suggestiing how to supply the water offshore with ocean water.

 

this makes it sound like you want to deliver ocean water to the ocean.

 

now, if that's the case, why would you want to deliver something that is already in abundance?

[iNow]

He likely wants to take ocean water inland for desalination and use/consumption by humans, but I'm just guessing here.

[CaptainPanic]

I'll use simple words to describe the one and only problem with using seawater for anything at all:

Seawater contains salt.

Removing salt from seawater requires a lot of energy.

 

All the rest is simple.

[iNow]

This machine from Dean Kamon looks promising:

 

 

http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2008/03/colbert-and-kam/

There has been much buzz about the water-purifying machine that Segway inventor Dean Kamen demonstrated on the Colbert Report last week (even taking on the bag of Spicy Sweet Chili Doritos that Colbert added). Everyone has been trying to find out more about his claim that "you stick a hose into anything that looks wet … and it comes out … as perfect distilled clean water."

 

So far as I can tell however, it’s true. (Note: I still haven’t worked out if it can handle volatile organics like gasoline and benzene.)

 

So what follows are the numbers behind the hype.

 

<...>

 

• It is designed to supply a village with 1,000 liters/day of clean water. (Colbert Report)
  
  
• You can use any water source — ocean, puddle, chemical waste site, hexavalent chrome, arsenic, poison, 50 gallon drum of urine. (Colbert Report)
  
  
• Vapor compression distillation is not new. Doing it in such an incredibly efficient way such that it takes only 2 percent of the power of convention distillers is new. (R&D World and Gizmodo commenter)
  
  
• The are no filters to replace, no charcoal, no anything disposable (just distillation). (Colbert Report)
  
  
• The Slingshot (as its called) can use half the waste heat (450 watts) from a sterling engine electrical generator (prototype also being designed by Kamen’s company) to boil its water. (TED)
  
  
• The heat put into the water is recovered with a "counter-flow heat exchanger" and recycled to heat the next batch of water (that is part of the novel bit). (TED and Gizmodo commenter)
  
  
• Slingshot will be less then 60 lbs. (TED)
  
  
• The prototype slingshot was hand-built for $100K. The goal is to get production units down to $1,000 to $2,000. (CNN)
  
  
• The sterling engine, used as an electrical generator, can produce about 200 watts of power (it will never be more then 20 percent efficient) and 800 watts of waste heat (the waste heat that slingshot uses). TED
  
  
• Later sources say the sterling engine can generate 1 kilowatt or enough power for 70 high-efficiency light bulbs. (CNN)
  
  
• The sterling engine can run on anything that burns, propane or even cow dung. (CNN)
  
  
• The slingshot is a David and Goliath reference aimed at putting water and power back in the hands of the individuals. (AP)
  
  

 

 

Eqg1Hu0PMG0

<double click to open in a new window if video embedding is disabled>

[infinitebrain]

This machine from Dean Kamon looks promising:

 

 

http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2008/03/colbert-and-kam/

There has been much buzz about the water-purifying machine that Segway inventor Dean Kamen demonstrated on the Colbert Report last week (even taking on the bag of Spicy Sweet Chili Doritos that Colbert added). Everyone has been trying to find out more about his claim that "you stick a hose into anything that looks wet … and it comes out … as perfect distilled clean water."

 

So far as I can tell however, it’s true. (Note: I still haven’t worked out if it can handle volatile organics like gasoline and benzene.)

 

So what follows are the numbers behind the hype.

 

<...>

 

• It is designed to supply a village with 1,000 liters/day of clean water. (Colbert Report)
  
  
• You can use any water source — ocean, puddle, chemical waste site, hexavalent chrome, arsenic, poison, 50 gallon drum of urine. (Colbert Report)
  
  
• Vapor compression distillation is not new. Doing it in such an incredibly efficient way such that it takes only 2 percent of the power of convention distillers is new. (R&D World and Gizmodo commenter)
  
  
• The are no filters to replace, no charcoal, no anything disposable (just distillation). (Colbert Report)
  
  
• The Slingshot (as its called) can use half the waste heat (450 watts) from a sterling engine electrical generator (prototype also being designed by Kamen’s company) to boil its water. (TED)
  
  
• The heat put into the water is recovered with a "counter-flow heat exchanger" and recycled to heat the next batch of water (that is part of the novel bit). (TED and Gizmodo commenter)
  
  
• Slingshot will be less then 60 lbs. (TED)
  
  
• The prototype slingshot was hand-built for $100K. The goal is to get production units down to $1,000 to $2,000. (CNN)
  
  
• The sterling engine, used as an electrical generator, can produce about 200 watts of power (it will never be more then 20 percent efficient) and 800 watts of waste heat (the waste heat that slingshot uses). TED
  
  
• Later sources say the sterling engine can generate 1 kilowatt or enough power for 70 high-efficiency light bulbs. (CNN)
  
  
• The sterling engine can run on anything that burns, propane or even cow dung. (CNN)
  
  
• The slingshot is a David and Goliath reference aimed at putting water and power back in the hands of the individuals. (AP)
  
  

 

 

Eqg1Hu0PMG0

<double click to open in a new window if video embedding is disabled>

 

Wow iNow you really do your research! I bet every report you have done you make a A or 100 on it!

I guess everyone we can agree that the water supply takes $ to build and supply as if it wasn't enough you need power maybe I just be a little more optimistic about it but for now atleast we have water supply. thanks for your time everyone.