Portable Electric Capacitive Desalination

To address the Army need for a man portable desalinator, supporting the Individual Soldier On-The-Move Hydration system, and compatible with the currently employed modular lightweight load-bearing equipment pack (MOLLE), Physical Optics Corporation (POC) proposes to develop a new Portable Electric Capacitive Desalination (PECAD) system, based on the separation of salts from water by the alternating electric polarization of porous electrodes (capacitive deionization), producing drinkable water that exceeds the quality standards outlined in the U.S. Army guidelines. The system will weigh less than 2.5 lb, including a battery pack, with the batteries in a volume less than 100 in.^3. Its operation is automatic and self-recharging, using only natural sourced brackish water supplied at the device’s inlet. The simple design of the device and absence of any high-pressure components guarantees low manufacture cost and long lifetime. In Phase I, POC will build a benchtop prototype for evaluating the desalination efficiency of this approach. Experience gained from these tests will be utilized in constructing an optimized deployable prototype in Phase II.