Outdoors

QuenchSea Reel uses deep-ocean pressure to produce drinking water

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When lowered to a depth of 300 to 500 meters (984 to 1,640 ft), the QuenchSea Reel reportedly produces 1.5 liters (0.4 US gal) of drinkable water every five minutes
QuenchSea
A diagram showing how the device is used
QuenchSea
When lowered to a depth of 300 to 500 meters (984 to 1,640 ft), the QuenchSea Reel reportedly produces 1.5 liters (0.4 US gal) of drinkable water every five minutes
QuenchSea

Back in 2020 we told you about the QuenchSea, a foot-pump-powered portable device for desalinating sea water. Well, its makers are back with the QuenchSea Reel, which uses deep-ocean water pressure to do the same job.

The Reel is a 4-kg (9-lb) capsule-shaped boating gadget that measures 15 by 45 cm (5.9 by 17.7 in), and which is attached to an included 550-m (1,804-ft) reel of fishing line. Although it could be utilized on a regular basis, it's intended more as an emergency-use tool to keep on hand along with a life raft, etc.

When users need potable water, they just lower the device to a depth of 300 to 500 meters (984 to 1,640 ft). The water pressure at that depth forces seawater through a semipermeable replaceable membrane in its filter, which captures salts, bacteria and microplastic particles while allowing fresh water to flow through into a collection compartment.

A diagram showing how the device is used
QuenchSea

According to the QuenchSea company, this setup produces 1.5 liters (0.4 US gal) of drinkable water every five minutes. The device is simply reeled back up to the surface to access that water, which is reportedly up to 98% salt-free and has a TDS (total dissolved solids) rating of less than 1,000 parts per million – anything over 1,000 is deemed unsafe.

The QuenchSea Reel is available now for preorder, at a special launch price of US$150 plus a flat rate of $30 for shipping. Deliveries are expected to take place sometime before December. Packs of two replacement filters will sell for $60.

Source: QuenchSea

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5 comments
Brian M
Clever idea but 500m line, that's a long long way down. Don't think I would be that happy lowering something to that depth on a piece of fishing line that my life depended on.
Give me the pumped version in the life raft any time - probably need the exercise anyway!
TechGazer
My guess is that the effort of reeling the container up and down is at least equivalent to hand-pumping the same quantity of water. There's no free energy involved, so the energy to push water through the membrane has to come from muscles. This seems to be marketing trickery.
Karmudjun
Thanks Ben. This is a neat engineering feat - I guess if you had 20 to 30 minutes you could drop it down to 200 meters and drag it behind your sailboat! But seriously - this is a "Rube Goldberg Machine" approach to forcing pure water out of ocean water. And it leaves the ocean less dilute. If it catches on, the brine will rise! But I love the comments. Heck, give me the device and I'll watch it work - I'll need a sailboat too - so give me that as well. Then I'll pretend my life depended upon it. And sweet marketing trickery - just like the windmills out west pumping water - they had to be put up using muscle power, they have to be repaired using muscle power, and the stock tanks had to be repaired or replaced using money and muscle power - so it isn't free is it. Must be trickery, eh TechGazer?
ljaques
@TechGazer, the power comes from a can of ambient pressure air being sent to THE DEEP. At that depth, the water has 50 atmospheres of pressure, forcing pure water through the membrane into the empty can. I hope those fishing reels are electric, 'cuz that's a helluva long way down. I think most of these will be bought for the oddity by people with too much money on their hands.
MCG
Seems like a solar panel and a small electric motor could greatly assist this setup.