Compact Desalination Unit for Ships & RVs

Ⅰ. Water Quality Pain Points in Mobile Scenarios Seawater and Brackish Water

 Water quality issues are particularly prominent in mobile scenarios for boats and RVs. The high salinity of seawater (3.5% salt on average) and the high mineral content of brackish water (TDS usually 500-30,000mg/L) can directly threaten human health, leading to dehydration, electrolyte disorders and other problems. Mobile environments exacerbate the instability of water quality, with salinity levels varying by up to 10% from sea to sea (e.g. 4.1% in the Red Sea vs. 0.8% in the Baltic Sea), and even more randomness in water sources during RV travel. Prolonged use of substandard water also accelerates equipment corrosion, with marine cases showing that untreated seawater reduces pipe life by 60-70%.

Ⅱ. Comparison of 5 technical parameters of portable devices

1. Treatment capacity: 15-30L/h is recommended for marine use (to satisfy 4-6 people) and 5-15L/h for RV use (2-4 people). For example, the 25L/h model of SeaWater Pro weighs 9.8kg and is suitable for medium-sized yachts.

2. Desalination rate: RO reverse osmosis membrane should reach more than 98% (test standard: 35,000ppm inlet and outlet <500ppm)

3. Energy efficiency: 12V DC system optimal, typical power consumption comparison: electric pump type 50-80W vs. manual type zero power consumption (but only 0.5L/min output).

4. Pre-treatment system: three-stage filtration standard (5μm sedimentary cartridge + activated carbon + 1μm fine filtration), such as automatic backwash design to extend the life of the cartridge 3 times.

5. Special materials: marine-grade 316L stainless steel shell (salt spray corrosion resistance) vs. RV aviation aluminum (weight reduction of 30%), membrane modules need to be anti-vibration design.

Ⅲ. Installation Considerations (Example of Anti-Vibration Design)

1. Marine installations must utilize dual vibration damping:

① rubber base (50-60 Shore A hardness) to absorb low frequency vibrations

② spring mounts to cushion high frequency impacts. A case study of a 58-foot sailboat showed that this combination reduced the equipment failure rate by 82%.

2. RV installation should be noted:

① close to the center of gravity (1:1.2 distance from the front and rear axles is the best) to reduce the impact of bumps

② the use of quick-plug piping to prevent the joints from loosening. All piping should retain 5-10cm of movement allowance, and check the torque of the membrane shell fastening bolts (usually 15-20N-m) every 200 hours.