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by scott_paul 1492 days ago
The claim is "filter-free", but the device also uses an "electromembrane". So... how is that not a filter? Because it's electrified?

The selling point of this device is that it doesn't need filter changes in the field. Okay. So, how many liters of seawater can in process before it needs an "electromembrane" change?

It's not my field of expertise, maybe I'm just really missing something obvious. Or maybe it's hype and BS tarnishing an otherwise good advancement. Can't tell.
2 comments
EricE 1491 days ago
As others point out, it's not a filter since it pushes contaminates away from a particular zone on the membrane, and that zone is where they harvest the fresh water. Flush those contaminates away from the surface of the membrane with contaminated water, clear a new zone of uncontaminated water, harvest, (literally) rinse and repeat.

Nothing to wear out. I'm sure it will require cleaning of some sort (what doesn't) but it sounds like the membranes are designed to be a permanent solution with minimal maintenance. Pretty clever!

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SkittyDog 1492 days ago
> So, how many liters of seawater can in process before it needs an "electromembrane" change?

It doesn't need regular changes, because it's not a filter.

That's also why it's called an "electromembrane" and not a "filter"... Because (can you you hear me in the back) it's not a filter.

If you want technical details in how the device operates, you should probably not be consulting pop sci news articles that are written from press releases... Maybe Wikipedia has an article about it, say https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electromembrane_extraction ?

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