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May 13, 2018·9 min read
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Alkaline WaterCommercial Reverse Osmosis

Everything You Need To Know About A Desalination! – Ampac USA

Sammy FaragAMPAC USA — May 13, 2018

Everything You Need To Know About A Desalination! – Ampac USA

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Quick Answer: Desalination removes salt and dissolved solids from seawater or brackish water to produce fresh drinking water. The dominant technology is seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO), which forces water through semi-permeable membranes at 800-1200 PSI, rejecting 99.7%+ of salt. Modern plants produce water at 2.5-4 kWh per cubic meter — about 1/3 the energy of 1990s technology.

There have been a lot of whispers that turned into talks about desalinators, huge machines that make Seawater drinkable. The word is probably the word of 21st century considering it is the need of the hour. Water shortages are plaguing countries that never thought it possible. And diseases related to it are at an all-time high with 3.4 million children dying annually, according to a WHO report. In such times, what the world really needs is a solution to end their agony, a solution that allows them to look at the sea and think, “I don’t have to worry there’s plenty of water!” Desalinators have helped us achieve just that.

What are desalinators?
These are machines that in simple language turn water full of salt and impurities into a healthy and safe to drink. The systems are called desalinators as they desalinate the water which mostly comes from the seas. These systems use the scientific process of Reverse Osmosis to do the job at the most basic level. At higher levels like desalination plants, distillation, a traditional method of boiling water and condensing the resulting vapors, is still used. The process of RO is slowly and steadily gaining popularity due to its various advantages. Lesser hassle, efficient filtration and longer lifespan have led to making it a better choice than distillation.

Types of desalinators
On the basis of usage, there are roughly 4 types of desalinators

  1. For individual use
    Desalinators at this level are mostly based on RO and are used in purifiers and filters used in residences, cafe shops, small diners etc. Small systems like these are also portable and easy to use during boat rides and a trip into the sea. It helps to have a source of freshwater at your disposal when needed in a place where there can be none to drink. Most of the times these machines are used for coastal areas where the groundwater is too salty to consume
  2. For industrial use
    Industries have found their peace with desalinators as it provides them with results of quality and helps them maintain a certain level of health safety. Today almost every industry uses desalinators for various purposes that require water. Cleaning, drinking, and cooking, as a raw material and a lot more uses can be found. Some of the biggest industries that find solace in RO systems are aerospace, hospitality, food, dairy, chemical and more!
  3. For military use
    Desalinators have proven to be the biggest asset for the military ensuring the survival of our soldiers once they are off to secure the interests of their country. From systems that can produce thousands of gallons of water on ships to small water makers that can be carried around, RO systems have helped the military industry ensure the safety and health of the soldiers wherever and whenever they go.
  4. For mass desalination
    Today, to tackle the ever growing problem of water shortage, countries around the world are adapting to Seawater Desalination as a process for producing freshwater. Traditionally done using distillation, the industry saw benefits in using membrane system for filtration. This industry is more than 18000 plants strong and provides safe drinking water for millions of people each day. Desalinators play a very huge and crucial role in achieving that daily target.

Which one is the best for you?
If you are someone who is looking for a purifier to satisfy the needs of your family, it is important to first know the kind of water you get. Based on the quality, a local expert or an expert from Ampac can help you decide which system will work best for your needs. Ampac USA has a wide range of RO systems that tend to the residential, commercial and industrial needs. Get in touch with us to know your ideal match!

About Author:
Ampac USA is a manufacturer of water treatment systems used around the globe for quality drinking water. The company has an experience of over 40 years, uses the latest technology to provide a standard, reliable products and works with experts to give the best possible service.

How is alkaline water produced commercially?

Commercial alkaline water production combines RO purification (to remove all dissolved solids) with either electrolysis (water ionizers), mineral addition (calcium, magnesium, potassium), or CO2 removal. AMPAC USA designs turnkey alkaline water systems for bottling plants, retail water stores, and wellness facilities.

Is alkaline water safe for long-term consumption?

Moderate consumption of alkaline water (pH 8–9.5) is generally considered safe for healthy adults. Water with pH above 10 may interfere with natural stomach acidity. AMPAC USA's systems produce alkaline water within safe pH ranges and include quality controls to maintain consistency.

What equipment is needed for an alkaline water store?

A complete water store setup includes an RO purification system (typically 1,000–5,000 GPD), alkaline remineralization stage, UV sterilization, storage tanks, filling stations, and a point-of-sale system. AMPAC USA provides complete turnkey water store packages with installation and training.

How does alkaline water compare to regular purified water?

Both are free of contaminants when produced by RO. Alkaline water adds minerals (calcium, magnesium) and raises pH, which some users prefer for taste and perceived health benefits. AMPAC USA produces both purified and alkaline water systems, allowing businesses to offer multiple product tiers.

Conclusion

This post reviewed the production methods, health considerations, and commercial opportunities associated with alkaline water systems. For businesses and organizations looking to offer premium alkaline water products, AMPAC USA provides turnkey purification and remineralization solutions. Contact our team at info@ampac1.com or (909) 548-4900 to discuss your alkaline water project.

Desalination: Technology, History, and Global Applications

Desalination — the removal of salt and dissolved minerals from seawater, brackish water, or wastewater to produce fresh water — has become one of the most strategically important water supply technologies in an era of growing water scarcity. The global installed desalination capacity has grown from essentially zero in 1960 to over 100 million cubic meters per day in 2024, serving over 300 million people worldwide. This remarkable growth has been driven by declining technology costs, improving energy efficiency, and the growing gap between water demand and natural freshwater availability in coastal and arid regions.

The technology landscape for desalination is dominated by membrane-based and thermal processes. Seawater reverse osmosis (SWRO) now accounts for approximately 60% of global capacity, having surpassed multi-stage flash (MSF) distillation in the 2000s due to superior energy efficiency. MSF, which remains prevalent in Gulf Cooperation Council countries with abundant natural gas for thermal energy, produces water by evaporation and condensation through multiple stages, each at progressively lower pressure. Multi-effect distillation (MED) is a more energy-efficient thermal alternative to MSF. All thermal processes have the advantage of treating any salinity without energy proportional to TDS, but the high energy consumption (8-20 kWh/m3 for MSF and MED versus 2.5-4 kWh/m3 for SWRO) makes them increasingly uncompetitive for new capacity.

SWRO economics have improved dramatically with three key advances: high-efficiency energy recovery devices (isobaric exchangers recovering 90-98% of concentrate hydraulic energy), improved membrane performance (higher flux, lower operating pressure requirements from advanced polymer chemistry), and economies of scale from the construction of increasingly large plants. The Sorek desalination plant in Israel (624,000 m3/day capacity) achieves water production costs below $0.50/m3 — competitive with alternative water supply options in Israel’s specific context. AMPAC USA SWRO systems apply these efficiency advances at all scales from individual resort units to municipal-augmentation facilities.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is the difference between SWRO and MSF desalination?

A: SWRO (seawater reverse osmosis) uses pressure to force water through membranes, consuming 2.5-4 kWh/m3. MSF (multi-stage flash) evaporates seawater through multiple heated chambers and condenses the steam, consuming 8-15 kWh/m3 (plus thermal energy). SWRO is more energy-efficient; MSF is more tolerant of high-turbidity or variable-quality feed water.

Q: Where does the brine concentrate from desalination go?

A: Coastal SWRO plants discharge concentrate (approximately 60,000-90,000 ppm TDS) to the ocean through diffuser systems designed to minimize local salinity impact. Inland and remote plants use evaporation ponds, deep-well injection, or zero-liquid discharge (ZLD) crystallizer systems to manage brine without ocean disposal.

Q: How large are the biggest desalination plants in the world?

A: The world's largest desalination plants produce hundreds of millions of liters per day. The Ras Al Khair plant in Saudi Arabia produces approximately 1 million m3/day. The Sorek B plant in Israel will produce 700,000 m3/day. SWRO plants are increasingly large, achieving greater economies of scale.

Q: Is desalinated water safe to drink?

A: Yes. SWRO permeate is physically excluded from virtually all contaminants in seawater and meets all WHO and EPA drinking water standards after post-treatment remineralization. Post-treatment adds calcium and bicarbonate to improve taste, prevent corrosion, and meet mineral content guidelines.

Q: Can desalination solve water scarcity globally?

A: Desalination is a powerful tool for coastal water scarcity but cannot alone address global water challenges. High energy requirements and concentrate disposal challenges limit large-scale deployment in landlocked or water-stressed arid interiors. It is most effective as part of a portfolio including conservation, water reuse, and demand management.

Q: What is the environmental impact of desalination?

A: The primary environmental concerns are energy consumption (and associated CO2 emissions), brine concentrate discharge (local salinity and temperature impact on marine life), open-ocean intake structures (impingement and entrainment of marine organisms), and chemical use in pre-treatment and cleaning. Each can be mitigated with proper engineering and operation.

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