A desalination unit that can be mounted on a small trailer and towed by a 4×4 vehicle is being marketed by UK company Water From Water Ltd.
The Hydro Voyager™, which includes filtering, reverse osmosis (RO) and ultraviolet (UV) disinfection to produce 5 m³/d of potable water from almost any source including seawater, was developed by David Jukes of Potable Water Solutions, drawing on his experience in installing desalination plants in countries including Saudi Arabia, Oman, Libya and the Caribbean.
“My aim was to make a system which was both portable and affordable,” he explained. “The main challenge was in sourcing parts which were sufficiently small to create a unit which would fit on a small trailer.”
The resulting unit, which runs off a small generator on the trailer has been developed for use in communities where fresh drinking water is currently unavailable, and also has applications for small-scale commercial ventures and in disaster relief.
A submersible pump draws the water from any available source, including brackish and saline sources. The water passes through filtration units and carbon polishing, which removes particulates to 1‑micron, RO membranes and UV disinfection.
Potable Water Solutions has employed a water consultancy to take samples and arrange analysis through a certified national laboratory. The results indicate successful eradication of bacteria including e coli, clostridium and legionella.
The plant is designed to run at 20ºC, with an operating range of 3‑40ºC. Performance correlates withincreasing temperature. Water flow is determined by the amount of contamination, which also determines the frequency of service and filter cleaning.
The system will supply around 5 m³/d off the small diesel generator, which can run for 12 h of continuous operation without refuelling. Alternatively it can run off mains power.