Desalination on an offshore apparatus

An apparatus for desalinating seawater to yield desalinated water and a concentrate, the apparatus comprising:

• a floating structure located at a position on the surface of a body of seawater;
• a water desalination system installed on the floating structure, the desalination system capable of producing between 5,000 and 450,000 cubic meters of desalinated water per day;
• a water intake system installed on the floating structure and comprising a device for taking up seawater from the body of seawater into the water desalination system;
• means for transporting the desalinated water from the floating structure to a land-based water distribution system;
• and
• a concentrate discharge system installed on the floating structure and comprising a device for discharging the concentrate into the body of seawater,
• wherein the device for discharging the concentrate into the seawater comprises at least one means selected from the group consisting of (a) means for dispersing the concentrate during discharge from the concentrate discharge system and (b) means for diluting the concentrate with water from the body of seawater before entering the body of seawater, and
• wherein the device for discharging the concentrate into the body of seawater comprises a discharge member that can be lowered and retracted from the apparatus.

A method for desalinating seawater on a floating structure located on the surface of a body of seawater, the method comprising the steps of:

• intaking seawater from the body of seawater into a desalination system installed on the floating structure;
• removing salt from the seawater taken into the desalination system to yield a concentrate and at least 5,000 and 450,000 cubic meters of desalinated water per day;
• transporting the desalinated water from the floating structure to a land-based water distribution system;
• and
• discharging the concentrate from the floating apparatus into the body of seawater, the step of discharging comprising at least one step selected from the group consisting of (a) dispersing the concentrate during discharge and (b) diluting the concentrate with water from the body of seawater before entering the body of seawater,
• wherein the concentrate is discharged from the floating structure into the body of seawater through a grate comprised on a discharge port, the gate comprising divergently oriented apertures.

A method for desalinating seawater on a floating structure located on the surface of a body of seawater, the method comprising the steps of:

• intaking seawater from the body of seawater into a desalination system installed on the floating structure;
• removing salt from the seawater taken into the desalination system to yield a concentrate and at least 5,000 and 450,000 cubic meters of desalinated water per day;
• transporting the desalinated water from the floating structure to a land-based water distribution system;
• and
• discharging the concentrate from the floating apparatus into the body of seawater, the step of discharging comprising at least one step selected from the group consisting of (a) dispersing the concentrate during discharge and (b) diluting the concentrate with water from the body of seawater before entering the body of seawater,
• wherein the concentrate is discharged from the floating structure into the body of seawater via a discharge member that can be lowered and retracted from the floating structure and the method further comprises the steps of lowering and retracting the discharge member.