Evaluation of a 35-GPH Portable Desalination Plant and Conceptual Design of a 220-GPH Containerized Plant.
Abstract:
A small 35-gph distillation type desalination plant, complete with an oil-fired boiler and controls for unattended operation, was procured for test and evaluation. The plant was operated for over 2,000 hours to determine its performance and durability. It was found to be reliable, easy to set-up and operate, and relatively insensitive to incorrect adjustments. The model tested, as well as Watermaker plants of other sizes, has an inherent disadvantage of a low product-to-fuel ratio 10-to-1 when an oil-fired boiler is used as a heat source. However, because of their simplicity and reliability, Watermaker plants are believed to have considerable merit for use in providing drinking water immediately after field forces establish a beachhead. Consequently, a conceptual design was prepared for a 220-gph plant that can be fully self-contained in a standard 8 x 8 x 20-foot container.