海水淡化的重要性日益增加

大量的水已經來自海水淡化。根據國際海水淡化協會提供的數據，目前累計合約海水淡化能力已超過1億立方公尺/日，近60%的海水用於人類消費。

Water scarcity is a pressing issue affecting nearly 50% of the planet's population, who experience water shortfalls for at least a month each year. By 2025, 1.8 billion people are expected to face "absolute water scarcity."

水資源短缺是一個迫切的問題，影響著地球上近 50% 的人口，他們每年至少有一個月缺水。到2025年，預計將有18億人面臨「絕對缺水」。

To address this crisis, innovative solutions are needed, such as converting seawater into fresh water. One promising technology is an energy-efficient device inspired by the natural water cycle.

為了解決這場危機，需要創新的解決方案，例如將海水轉化為淡水。一項有前景的技術是一種受自然水循環啟發的節能設備。

This device induces water evaporation, transports it to the surface, and condenses it in a closed cycle, preventing salt accumulation and enhancing device longevity. It uses renewable energy, running on solar power and converting 93% of the Sun's energy.

該裝置誘導水蒸發，將其輸送到表面，並在封閉循環中冷凝，防止鹽積聚並延長裝置壽命。它使用再生能源，依靠太陽能運作並轉換了 93% 的太陽能。

The efficiency is five times better than current desalination systems, producing 20 liters of fresh water per square meter, meeting the WHO's daily recommendation for basic drinking and hygiene.

效率比現有海水淡化系統高出五倍，每平方公尺可生產20公升淡水，滿足世界衛生組織關於基本飲用和衛生的每日建議。

The device's simplicity and portability make it suitable for remote regions, especially coastal and island nations.

該設備的簡單性和便攜性使其適合偏遠地區，特別是沿海和島國。

Another portable desalination unit, developed by MIT researchers in 2022, weighs less than 10 kilograms and can operate with less power than a cell phone charger. It uses an electrical field to remove particles from drinking water instead of filters.

另一種便攜式海水淡化裝置由麻省理工學院的研究人員於 2022 年開發，重量不到 10 公斤，運行時的電量比手機充電器還要少。它使用電場而不是過濾器來去除飲用水中的顆粒。

The unit combines ion concentration polarization and electrodialysis techniques, optimized using machine learning, and features a single button for automatic desalination and purification.

該裝置結合了離子濃差極化和電滲析技術，並使用機器學習進行了最佳化，並具有用於自動脫鹽和純化的單一按鈕。

It can generate 0.3 liters of drinking water per hour, reducing suspended solids by at least a factor of 10 and meeting World Health Organization quality guidelines. Several companies are also engaged in large-scale desalination efforts.

它每小時可產生 0.3 公升飲用水，將懸浮固體減少至少 10 倍，並符合世界衛生組織的品質準則。幾家公司也從事大規模海水淡化工作。

Consolidated Water Co. Ltd. provides engineering services for the design-build of Sea Water Reverse Osmosis desalination systems, catering to the entire service cycle.

Consolidated Water Co. Ltd 為海水逆滲透淡化系統的設計和建造提供工程服務，滿足整個服務週期的需求。

The company's technological preference is membrane separation, specifically reverse Osmosis, due to its lower energy costs. Consolidated Water operates several seawater reverse osmosis desalination plants in the Cayman Islands and the Bahamas.

該公司的技術偏好是膜分離，特別是逆滲透，因為其能源成本較低。 Consolidated Water 在開曼群島和巴哈馬群島營運多個海水逆滲透海水淡化廠。

In 2023, the company acquired full ownership of PERC Water Corporation, which designs, constructs, operates, and manages water infrastructure facilities in the Southwest U.S.

2023年，該公司收購了PERC Water Corporation的全部所有權，該公司在美國西南部設計、建造、營運和管理水基礎設施

Veolia, another company, considers desalination a key solution to water scarcity and has built hundreds of desalination plants and systems worldwide.

另一家公司威立雅認為海水淡化是解決水資源短缺的關鍵解決方案，並在全球建造了數百個海水淡化廠和系統。

The company's flagship projects include the Al Dur 2 plant in Bahrain, the Rabigh 3 plant in Saudi Arabia, and the Umm Al Quwain IWP plant in UAE.

該公司的旗艦項目包括巴林的Al Dur 2工廠、沙烏地阿拉伯的Rabigh 3工廠和阿聯酋的Umm Al Quwain IWP工廠。

Veolia's proprietary Barrel technology is a compact, digital RO desalination system designed for fast-track schedule and efficient remote monitoring.

威立雅專有的 Barrel 技術是一種緊湊的數位逆滲透海水淡化系統，專為快速追蹤進度和高效的遠端監控而設計。

In addition to direct desalination solutions, Veolia offers a combination of digital tools and expertise to optimize processes.

除了直接海水淡化解決方案之外，威立雅還提供數位工具和專業知識的組合來優化流程。

Currently, a significant volume of water is produced through desalination, with the cumulative contracted capacity surpassing 100 million m3/d. Nearly 60% of desalination is dedicated to human consumption.

目前，大量海水淡化生產，累計合約產能超過1億立方公尺/天。近 60% 的海水淡化供人類消費。

According to estimates, about 300 million people rely on desalination for their daily water usage. Countries like Kuwait produce almost 100% of their freshwater use through desalination.

據估計，大約有3億人的日常用水依賴海水淡化。像科威特這樣的國家幾乎 100% 的淡水都是透過海水淡化生產的。

However, desalination projects are not yet distributed uniformly worldwide. The Middle East and North American regions together account for over 70% of the world's desalination capacity, with the Middle East alone contributing more than 53%.

然而，海水淡化項目在全球範圍內的分佈尚未統一。中東和北美地區合計佔全球海水淡化能力的70%以上，其中僅中東地區就貢獻了53%以上。

Data indicates the presence of over 21,000 seawater desalination plants in 2022, collectively producing 99 million m3/day of desalinated water.

數據顯示，到 2022 年，將有超過 21,000 個海水淡化廠，總共生產 9,900 萬立方公尺/天的淡化水。

This production volume also results in over 150 million m3/day of brine byproduct, which is the slightly concentrated seawater rejected by the desalination plants to the sea.

這項產量還產生超過 1.5 億立方公尺/天的鹽水副產品，這是海水淡化廠排入大海的稍微濃縮的海水。

The salt content of the brine is roughly 60g/l for seawater at 40g/l, while the temperature of the brine reject is slightly higher than that of the seawater – a few degrees Celsius.

對於40克/公升的海水來說，鹽水的含鹽量約為60克/公升，而廢鹽水的溫度略高於海水的溫度－幾攝氏度。

Future research will need to focus on finding more environmentally friendly methods. The use of solar power in running these plants helps reduce the carbon footprint of these facilities significantly.

未來的研究需要集中在尋找更環保的方法。在運行這些工廠時使用太陽能有助於顯著減少這些設施的碳足跡。

However, future research must ensure that nearly all the seawater input gets converted into fresh drinking water, leaving no harmful byproducts.

然而，未來的研究必須確保幾乎所有的海水輸入都轉化為新鮮的飲用水，並且不會留下有害的副產品。

Efficient transportation and distribution mechanisms will ensure that this water goes beyond the nations located on the seashore and reaches arid, dry regions with no significant drinking water source nearby.

高效率的運輸和分配機制將確保這些水超越沿海國家，到達附近沒有重要飲用水源的乾旱地區。