Published: Friday, January 16, 2004 at:11:21 PM




A Rocket Turtle Adventure
"Lets's Go Reverse Osmosis."


To see a larger version click on the illustration.

Lets's Go RO
At the Bitter End our main source of water is generated with desalination plants using the Reverse Osmosis process. Understanding what osmosis is will help in understanding how this is achieved.

What is Osmosis? It is the phenomenon of water flow through a semipermeable (porous) membrane that blocks the transport of salt or other solutes through it. Thus if salt water and fresh water are separated by a semipermeable membrane, the fresh water will flow to the saltwater side. This flow can be stopped or even reversed by applying pressure on the saltwater side. This phenomenon is called Reverse Osmosis.

1. This is where we begin - the sea suction. The intake pumps create suction and draw us in. A strainer prevents the fish from coming along for the ride.
   
   
2. In the filters we wash off the sand, seaweed and other sediments.
   
   
3. This is the high-pressure pump. Now the fun really starts. We get pumped up to 1000 pounds per square inch.
   
   
4. Now we go into the semipermeable membrane. The high pressure pushes us through the membrane and leaves the salt and impurities behind. We come out as completely clean fresh water. All the salt flows back to the sea. I feel like a new molecule!
   
   
5. In the holding tank we wait for our assignment. Some of us will go to the kitchen sink, some to the showers, some will water the plants and still others may go into the boats in the harbor and sail off to parts unknown.

Fun Fact: Bitter End can make up to 30,000 gallons of water per day.

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