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US 4,512,886 AGranted
Wave-powered desalination of water
AssigneeUniversity of Delaware
InventorsDouglas C. Hicks, Charles M. Pleass
Life of this patent
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Abstract
There is taught a device for the reverse osmotic desalination of water wherein the required energy is derived from waves.
Claims4
A wave-powered desalination device comprising:
- (a) a wave powered pumping device useful under trade wind conditions for producing water pressures of about 800 psi, said device comprising:
- (i) a non-Archimedean wave follower connected in sequence with;
- (ii) a piston pump having a cylinder within which is mounted a reciprocatory piston;
- (iii) attachment means connecting one of the pair consisting of said cylinder and said reciprocatory piston with said wave follower and the other of said pair with mooring means, alone or in combination with a reaction unit;
- said pump being in pressurized water communication with;
- (b) a reverse osmosis desalination module, whereby to desalinate said water.
3 more elements
A wave-powered apparatus for water desalination according to claim incorporating means returning excess water discharged under pressure from said reverse osmosis unit in coordinated time sequence to the underside of said reciprocatory piston during the delivery stroke of said pump.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.