Using titanium for seawater desalination

Whatever the project, if you are using metals, you need to ensure you select the right ones. What you should do is consider the characteristics you require. Plus, you must look at the operating conditions and how they can impact the materials. In many situations titanium grade 9 forged bar will be a great option. What we want to look at today is using it specifically for seawater desalination.

What is it?

Fresh water is one of the most vital resources on the planet. However, it is increasingly in short supply. There are several reasons for this including droughts, higher demands, and pollution making some sources unsuitable for use. It leaves us in a situation where we need to do more to manage it. We also need to look at alternatives.

One area that is vital here is seawater desalination. The technology has been around for over half a century. It is very mature today and has become vital for boosting supplies in water deficient countries.

What the process does is take seawater and use reverse osmosis to separate the molecules. It can take all impurities from the water, including salt and other minerals. This makes it consumable as well as appropriate for use in industrial applications like agriculture.

Corrosion

The main issue with desalination is the same one you encounter with other marine applications. Seawater is incredibly corrosive because of the chloride ions. As a result, it can make short work of materials that don’t have a high resistance.

What you need here is the right materials. Titanium grade 9 forged bar is a great option. Pure titanium and all of its alloys have good corrosion resistance. Some of the latter can perform exceptionally well in highly corrosive environments, including marine ones. They are even able to resist corrosion when they come in contact with polluted seawater, sea mud, and high temperatures.

Other important properties

Titanium has a number of additional properties that make is perfect for desalination. For example, it has low density and high strength. Plus, it is tough, has good plasticity, and is formable.

Sustainability and caring for the environment are vital in all kinds of industrial operations. Titanium has two major advantages here. Firstly it is long lasting. Secondly it is recyclable. Plus, it can have a low cost for maintenance for the life cycle of the parts.

Applications

There are many specific applications in desalination that titanium is useful for. It can be a great option for heaters and heat exchangers, distillers, and thermal recovery equipment.

Titanium tubing is also very common, especially in plants that use the MED and RO methods. It can offer a very long service life. This makes it the most economical option. Plus, it has a low rate of biological fouling.

Copper comparison

The main competitor for titanium here is copper. However, there are a number of key factors that make it the better option. Copper does win if you compare thermal conductivity. However, titanium is less dense and the wall thickness can be half. It will be lighter as a result and save on costs.

Do you need titanium grade 9 forged bar?

Brindley Metals is a family business that knows the importance of offering a memorable service. We have a friendly approach so clients can come to us for support, advice, and more. We’ll share our knowledge of the materials we offer to help you make the right choices. Plus, we can advise about processing, finishing, and more. It will ensure you can get the end products you need.

So, contact us to learn more about titanium grade 9 forged bar. We have it in lots of sizes to suit all manner of needs.

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