As the world’s freshwater supplies dwindle and the population increases, desalination plants will experience tremendous growth. Many areas, and not all just arid, are already trying to reduce dependence on groundwater stores. Already, desalination provides fresh water for nearly 400 million people each year, and that number is growing. POV is the world’s valve, actuator, and controls supplier for the desalination market.

There are many methods to desalinate seawater, but the two primary methods are vacuum distillation and reverse osmosis. The latter is the preeminent process, for which POV high performance valves are ideally suited. Typically, cogeneration of power and desalinated water is the most economical option since it takes energy to produce desalinated water.

Desalination plants are typically constructed near or in conjunction with power plants, using excess heat generated by the power plant for the desalination process. Large military vessels, such as aircraft carriers, use nuclear power to desalinate water for crew consumption. Since POV valves are equally ideal for power plant purposes, this creates a win-win situation for the POV customer.

Regardless of the particular process, POV provides the solution. Superior technology and materials of construction make POV the obvious choice for the desalination process. The need for fresh water supplies will continue to grow over the coming years, and POV will grow with it as new products and processes are developed to supply the world with its most precious commodity.