PORTABLE DESALINATION UNIT

Working

• The unit relies on a technique called ion concentration polarisation.
  
  
• Rather than filtering water, the process applies an electrical field that causes positively or negatively charged particles — including salt molecules, bacteria, viruses — to be repelled as they flow past.
  
  
• The charged particles are funnelled into a second stream of water that is eventually discharged. The process removes solids, allowing clean water to pass through the channel.
  
  

Benefits

• The suitcase-sized device requires less power to operate than a cell phone charger. It can also be driven by a small, portable solar panel, which can be purchased online for around $50.
  
  
• The device automatically generates drinking water that exceeds World Health Organization (WHO) quality standards. The device runs with the push of one button.
  
  
• Eliminating the need for replacement filters greatly reduces the long-term maintenance requirements.
  
  
• This could enable the unit to be deployed in remote and severely resource-limited areas. It could also be used to aid refugees fleeing natural disasters or by soldiers carrying out long-term military operations.