A HIGH-CAPACITY METHOD OF WATER PURIFICATION FOR FARM PRODUCTION

APOGEE CORPORATION IS ADDRESSING THE TOPIC OF THE PRESENT SOLICITATION DEALING WITH CONSERVING WATER RESOURCES AND RESTORING WATER QUALITY BY PROPOSING THE DEVELOPMENT OF AN INNOVATIVE, PROPRIETARY METHOD OF POTABLE WATER PRODUCTION ON A SCALE MUCH LARGER AND COST MUCH LOWER THAT HERETOFORE POSSIBLE. THE OBJECTIVE IS TO DEMONSTRATE FEASIBILITY OF DEVELOPING A METHOD OF WATER DEMINERALIZATON OF DESALINATION AT SUFFICIENTLY HIGH CAPACITY AND LOW COST TO BE SUITABLE FOR APPLICATION IN FARM PRODUCTION INCLUDING IRRIGATION OF CROPS, WATERING OF ANIMALS, AND AQUACULTURE. THE NEW METHOD, NAMED CED, IS BASED ON ELECTRODIALYSIS (ED). THE EFFORT CONSISTS OF IMPLEMENTING CERTAIN MAJOR MODIFICATIONS IN THE EXISTING METHOD. SPECIFICALLY, THE APPROACH WILL BE TO CONSTRUCT A CED TEST APPARTUS AND TO STUDY THE DEPENDENCE OF DESALINATION PERFORMANCE ON INDEPENDENT PROCESS PARAMETERS, ESPECIALLY ON ONE WHICH HAS BEEN OVERLOOKED IN THE PAST. IT IS EXPECTED THAT AT HIGH VALUES OF THIS KEY PARAMETER, SUBSTANTIAL GAINS IN THE WATER-SALT SEPARATION RATIO, THE RATE OF DESALINATION, THE VOLUME OF WATER PRODUCED AND POWER EFFICIENCY WILL BE REALZIED, AS WELL AS THE ELIMINATION OF EXPENDABLES - FILTERS AND MEMBRANES.