can't we change ocean water into drinking water?

Answer 1

Yes,it is called distillation by evaporation.The U.S. Navy uses this method on board ships to furnish potable water and boiler feed water.There are some of these units in use now but it is not cost effective nor feasible for the general population.On board the Navy ships,these units are called evaporators.

Answer 2

We can although the process is very energy and greenhouse intensive. The process usually used is known as desalination. However, sometimes which desalination is processed by renewable energy sources it can be carbon neutral but still wastes money and energy that could otherwise be saved. The best way to save water is to improve efficiency and to get industry to use recycled water as it generally does not require fresh drinking water.

Answer 3

U use an osmosis pump. it is something which you will locate on any lifestyles boat. they have been used for a while and characteristic saved many lives. i don't think of they are high priced. human beings have additionally made crude gadgets the place u convey jointly the sea water in a bottle or another device with a tube popping out of it. because of the fact the water evporates it creates condensation and the drips of condensation accumulated are desalinated.

Answer 4

Yes and US companies like GE manufacture desalination equipment that can service large communities.

However, the process is expensive and resource intensive. What do you do with the extra salt? What do you do with all the extra filters?

Many Middle Eastern countries provide a majority of their water with this technology but the expense is still very significant.

Answer 5

i hope so... living in Australia (an island surrounded by ocean!) we are going through the worst drought ever and have very strict water restrictions. Something needs to be done soon so that we can drink ocean water safely.

Answer 6

there is two primary methods, Evaporation by the distillation process, and using the Reverse Osmosis process. Both are proven methods and are used in many places today.

Both are relatively costly processes. Distillation requires a lot of energy to boil the water and maintenance costs are high due to corrosion. Reverse Osmosis requires a lot of energy for pump power because RO units require high pressure to force salt water through the membranes which remove the salt. Maintenance costs in RO systems is also high because of corrosion and short life of expensive membranes.

Answer 7

I saw that there is a device, it looked almost like a straw, that is being used in Africa. They are able to drink from rivers through it. I don't know if it would be feasible for ocean water as well.

Answer 8

yes we can, it's called desalination. It's a price to pay and the environment suffers for it (again...) The process of turning salt water for human consumption has a high carbon emission. To solve the water crisis for our future survival, we really need to plant trees and keep the ones we have. So, watch the type of paper you use. Recycled is best.

Answer 9

having just gotten back to my office from servicing the water making plant here at work I can tell you yes we can and hundreds of millions of people get their water from this process each day.

It's called "Reverse Osmosis"......google that......and its use everywhere from my 5,000 gallon a day operation to the million gallon a day units the Saudis have to make water for their people who live in a giant desert.

Here in St Thomas it costs about 5 cents a gallon in electricity and filters to turn sea water into fresh.

Answer 10

Ya but its more expensive and time consuming though some coastal cities in the middle east are using desalinization.