4 ms·

Don't RO systems need regular maintenance, and have consumable parts? It sounds like this was designed to work unmaintained for years. That could balance out t

Don't RO systems need regular maintenance, and have consumable parts? It sounds like this was designed to work unmaintained for years. That could balance out the efficiency.

jjk166 3y ago
Any system that has saltwater flowing through it is going to need regular maintenance to deal with buildup and corrosion.
- galangalalgol 3y ago
  I also think that seems likely, just reading their announcement though they claim eddies prevent buildup and the thing looks like a glass solar still, so the brine may not contact anything it can corrode. Even normal countertop distillers come out cheaper per gallon than an RO system depending on your electricity prices, though that is not with saltwater for either.
- xkcd-sucks 3y ago
  More that the important wear component in a RO system is a membrane that depends on access to sophisticated manufacturing, while plumbing is relatively easy to DIY in the field, and the big innovation in this system is 2.5mm perforated polyurethane which can also be remade with simple tools (and access to polyurethane of course but that's simpler to make or salvage than RO membranes). Kind of analogous to ICE vs electric cars; electric cars are simpler in principle but the most important components require access to advanced semiconductor and battery manufacturing, while all the components, in theory, of an ideal "ICE car" can be recreated with early 20th century machine shop technology
  - rootusrootus 3y ago
    A modern electric car is probably comparably difficult to a modern ICEV. If you want to draw a comparison with early 20th century machine shop technology, then compare with an EV of that era. They existed. Lead acid batteries are much simpler than lithiums.
  - yencabulator 3y ago
    I think it's worth remembering that many of the first cars were electric. I'd argue an EV is easier to build than ICE. Neither kind built with primitive tools is going to perform like the modern-day ones. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_electric_vehicle https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_electric_vehicl...

Don't RO systems need regular maintenance, and have consumable parts? It sounds like this was designed to work unmaintained for years. That could balance out the efficiency.

jjk166 3y ago

Any system that has saltwater flowing through it is going to need regular maintenance to deal with buildup and corrosion.

galangalalgol 3y ago
I also think that seems likely, just reading their announcement though they claim eddies prevent buildup and the thing looks like a glass solar still, so the brine may not contact anything it can corrode. Even normal countertop distillers come out cheaper per gallon than an RO system depending on your electricity prices, though that is not with saltwater for either.
xkcd-sucks 3y ago
More that the important wear component in a RO system is a membrane that depends on access to sophisticated manufacturing, while plumbing is relatively easy to DIY in the field, and the big innovation in this system is 2.5mm perforated polyurethane which can also be remade with simple tools (and access to polyurethane of course but that's simpler to make or salvage than RO membranes). Kind of analogous to ICE vs electric cars; electric cars are simpler in principle but the most important components require access to advanced semiconductor and battery manufacturing, while all the components, in theory, of an ideal "ICE car" can be recreated with early 20th century machine shop technology
- rootusrootus 3y ago
  A modern electric car is probably comparably difficult to a modern ICEV. If you want to draw a comparison with early 20th century machine shop technology, then compare with an EV of that era. They existed. Lead acid batteries are much simpler than lithiums.
- yencabulator 3y ago
  I think it's worth remembering that many of the first cars were electric. I'd argue an EV is easier to build than ICE. Neither kind built with primitive tools is going to perform like the modern-day ones. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_electric_vehicle https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_the_electric_vehicl...