Desalination Technology

Desalination Technology Latest News

The Defence Research & Development Organisation (DRDO) has developed an indigenous high-pressure nanoporous multilayered polymeric membrane for seawater desalination.

Purpose and Strategic Importance

• The project was executed by Defence Materials Stores Research & Development Establishment (DMSRDE), Kanpur, under the Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative.
• The membrane was designed to meet the operational needs of the Indian Coast Guard (ICG), particularly to withstand chloride ion-induced instability in saline water.
• The technology is intended for use in Offshore Patrol Vessels (OPVs) of the Coast Guard, providing self-reliant onboard freshwater capability.

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About Desalination Technology

• Desalination is the removal of dissolved salts and minerals from saline or brackish water to make it fit for human use.
• Two primary technologies used globally:
  • Reverse Osmosis (RO) – pressure-driven membrane-based filtration.
  • Thermal Desalination – evaporation-condensation method using heat.
• A desalination plant converts seawater into freshwater by removing salts to meet drinking or industrial quality standards.

Working of Reverse Osmosis (RO) Desalination

• Osmosis refers to the natural movement of water from an area of low solute concentration to high solute concentration through a semi-permeable membrane.
• In reverse osmosis, external pressure is applied to push water from a high-solute (saline) side to a low-solute (freshwater) side, against the natural osmotic gradient.
• Microscopic pores in the RO membrane allow water molecules to pass while blocking salts and other impurities.
• Seawater typically has a TDS (Total Dissolved Solids) of ~35,000 ppm, while RO brings it down to 200–500 ppm, making it potable.

Desalination Technology FAQs

Q1: What is desalination?
Ans: Desalination is the process of removing salts and minerals from seawater or brackish water to produce freshwater for drinking or agriculture.

Q2: What are the main desalination methods?
Ans: Common methods include Reverse Osmosis (RO), Multi-Stage Flash (MSF), and Electrodialysis. RO is the most widely used.

Source: PIB