QuenchSea offers desalination on-the-go

Whether they're adventure travellers or people living in developing nations, many folks may find themselves near the ocean and in need of drinking water. That's where the QuenchSea is designed to come in, as it's a portable, relatively inexpensive desalination device.

Developed by British company Hydro Wind Energy, the QuenchSea can be carried in a backpack when not in use, tipping the scales at a claimed 700 grams (1.5 lb).

To operate the device, users start by sliding a foot pad out from its underside, pulling a telescoping lever out from its handle, attaching that lever to an integrated pump, and running out two attached silicone tubes – one of those tubes goes into the ocean, while the other leads to a bottle or other water-collection vessel.

From there, it's simply a matter of stepping on the foot pad to hold the device in place, and pulling the lever back and forth. Doing so draws water in from the sea, through the QuenchSea's triple filtration system, and out into the bottle.

The filtration system is claimed to capture viruses, bacteria, microplastic particles and other contaminants, plus it utilizes a reverse osmosis membrane to remove up to 98 percent of the salt – one $10 membrane should be good for treating up to 18,000 liters (4,755 US gal) before needing to be replaced. Additionally, activated carbon is used to minimize off-putting tastes or odors.

According to its makers, the QuenchSea can desalinate over 2 liters (0.5 US gal) of water per hour on average, or up to 3 liters under ideal conditions. The resulting drinking water is said to meet World Health Organization standards.

Should you be interested, the device is currently the subject of an Indiegogo campaign. A pledge of £47 (about US$59) will get you one, when and if they reach production. The planned retail price is £55 ($69).

Sources: Indiegogo, QuenchSea