Re:Why don't we get our drinking water from the ocean by tak...
by brilee on Sunday July 23, 2023 @05:05PM
(#36839839)
Almost. You would have to maintain your underwater base at 1atm and you would indeed get free freshwater. The catch is that the internal volume of your underwater base would decrease and you would eventually have to eject wastewater by pushing against the deep sea pressure. Nothing's free in physics!
Re:Why don't we get our drinking water from the ocean by tak...
by nonethewiser on Sunday July 23, 2023 @05:24PM
(#36839988)
But what would take more energy? Pushing that wastewater out or desalinating?
Re:Why don't we get our drinking water from the ocean by tak...
by hwillis on Sunday July 23, 2023 @05:57PM
(#36840278)
Pressure (N/m^2) times volumetric flow (m^3/s) equals power (N-m/s). At 231 meters the pressure is ~340 psi or ~6.3 MPa. 1 liter would take ~6.3 kJ to pump.
Re:Why don't we get our drinking water from the ocean by tak...
by jl6 on Sunday July 23, 2023 @05:06PM
(#36839844)
Also depends on the energy/materials needed to make and maintain that membrane, I guess.
Re:Why don't we get our drinking water from the ocean by tak...
by thaumasiotes on Sunday July 23, 2023 @05:27PM
(#36840020)
Adding an open window to your suboceanic base sounds like an awful idea, frankly. It's not difficult to see the obvious problem.
Re:Why don't we get our drinking water from the ocean by tak...
by idontwantthis on Sunday July 23, 2023 @06:54PM
(#36840816)
Delightfully close to “a screen-door on a submarine”.
Sounds like a cool sci-fi premise.