The United States Patent and Trademark Office has granted patent for a groundbreaking water desalination technology invented by the Water Research Center of the Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research, reports Al-Rai daily. The invention is centered on an interconnected membrane desalination system that boasts both high productivity of fresh water and a significant reduction of return water compared to traditional desalination methods.

The patent has been registered under the names research team doctors – Dr. Mansoor Ahmed, Dr. Yousef Al-Wazzan, Dr. Rajisha Kumar, Dr. Garudashari Bhadrashari, and Dr. Jibu Thomas. To validate their scientific theory, the research team designed, constructed, and operated an innovative experimental water desalination unit within the Institute’s Water Research Center. This pilot unit, with a daily capacity of 35,000 liters, underwent extensive laboratory testing to assess its technical and economic feasibility for seawater desalination applications.

The results of the laboratory tests demonstrated that the innovative system achieved a fresh water production rate of 65 percent at an operating pressure of 65 atms (atmospheres). In contrast, traditional reverse osmosis systems require operating pressures exceeding 70 atmospheres to achieve only 40 percent of the total fresh water production in seawater desalination operations. The fresh water produced by this inventive technology complies with the qualitative standards and specifications set by the World Health Organization for drinking water.

Moreover, the research team highlighted that this innovative system has the potential to increase fresh water production by over 95 percent in groundwater desalination applications while significantly reducing the amount of backwater generated. Additionally, when interconnected with salt separation systems, it can contribute to the development of environmentally friendly desalination processes by further reducing the volume of water returned. This technology also holds the promise of reducing energy consumption, thereby potentially decreasing the required area for solar panels when utilized with solar energy for fresh water production from both seawater and groundwater.

Water desalination

The successful implementation of this patented water desalination technology is expected to address the challenges of water security in the country by providing a sustainable supply of fresh water. It will also alleviate the economic and environmental burdens associated with conventional desalination operations.

By registering the patent, the Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research aims to protect its intellectual property rights and commercial gains and retain control over the technology’s global and local market deployment across various industrial sectors related to water desalination. The research team expressed deep gratitude to the Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research for funding and supporting the invention, and they are optimistic about the real-world application of this innovative technology to advance the desalination process system in the country.