Seawater distillation using vacuum pumps and ultraviolet lights to improve desalination process and freshwater quality

Abstract

Lack of clean water supply quantitatively because of 97% water in earth is seawater with 35% salinity. One effort that can be done to overcome the clean water crisis is through desalination of seawater to produce water with low salinity. Some of the desalination methods that ever existed were MSF (Multi Stage Flash Distillation) and Reverse Osmosis. However, both of these methods have high investment cost. Therefore, a cheaper and easier method to apply such as distillation is required. In this research, distillation system is made of stainless steel and aluminium combined with vacuum pumps and ultraviolet lights. The use vacuum pump can speed up the evaporation process of seawater. Ultraviolet lights function to degrade heavy metal pollutants and eliminate harmful bacteria. Tests carried out include evaporation rate and water quality. This technology can increase water productivity up to 2 times and water quality shows a decrease in some pollutant parameters including 99.7% TDS, 99.93% salinity, 100% total coliform, and heavy metals Fe of 96,1%, Cr of 90.33% and Zn of 98,9%, and pH of seawater being neutral from 7.5 to 6.9. The technology has the potential to be applied to the community.