Desalzung

Desalzing is a term that refers to the process of removing dissolved salts from saline water to produce freshwater. In most sources, Desalzing is treated as a variant spelling of desalination or as a brand/neologism; it is not a distinct scientific discipline. The concept overlaps with desalination technologies used to provide potable water in arid regions and on ships.

Methods include reverse osmosis, which uses semipermeable membranes and high pressure; thermal distillation methods such as multi-stage flash and multi-effect distillation; electrodialysis and forward osmosis, depending on water salinity and scale. Energy requirements vary; reverse osmosis is common for seawater, supported by energy recovery devices; thermal methods are used where heat is inexpensive or waste heat is available.

Applications include municipal water supplies for coastal cities, islands, remote communities, industrial processes requiring low-salinity water, and desalination-equipped ships. Desalzing projects are typically sized to meet local demand, with pretreatment to remove organics and fouling agents.

Environmental and economic considerations: high capital costs, ongoing energy costs, brine discharge that can affect marine ecosystems; lifecycle assessments; options to minimize impacts include brine dilution, blending, near-zero liquid discharge; using renewable energy to reduce emissions.

History and future: Desalination dates from mid-20th century developments; advances in membranes, energy recovery, and modular designs have lowered costs; ongoing research explores more efficient membranes, low-energy processes, and integrated water-energy systems.