The primary objective of this proposed effort is to demonstrate the feasibility of a game changing desalination concept. Given the thermodynamic minimum energy required for seawater desalination as 0.70 Wh/L, the proposed desalination process has the potential to reach an energy efficiency as low as 1.2 Wh/L. The secondary objective is to demonstrate a human powered energy harvester that powers the individual water ready device. When integrated with other state-of-the-art water disinfection and filtration technologies, the proposed system can be lightweight and field operated to produce potable water from heavily polluted, brackish and salt water. This capability would find a wide range of military as well as civilian applications. Phase I will concludes with a system engineering evaluation in terms of size, weight, safety and associated health hazards, manufacturing cost, life cycle cost, logistics considerations and performance of the system concept and its potential for further development.
