Infinity Turbine has developed a new system that uses the electricity stored in a saltwater redox flow battery to produce clean drinking water from seawater. It said the technology can be used by cruise ships and cargo ships.
US-based Infinity Turbine announced it developed a new water desalination system that deploys a saltwater redox flow battery from its subsidiary Salgenx.
“The desalination system operates by using a saltwater flow battery cycle, which involves the movement of ions between two electrodes to store or discharge electricity without a membrane, which is typical with Vanadium or Bromine flow batteries,” Salgenx’s CEO Greg Giese told pv magazine. “In this case, the process is used to remove salt from brine or seawater. The system can use a renewable energy source, such as solar power or a large wind turbine, to charge the battery, making it both environmentally friendly and cost-effective.”
The new desalination system is currently being developed in a lab setting and will be trialed in a real-world environment for both stationary and marine vessel applications, according to Giese.
The technology can purportedly be used by cruise and cargo ships, as well as advanced base military operations, where desalination is a better response than transporting in freshwater, or using expensive reverse osmosis systems, according to Giese.