Overview
ARBOK-Underground-Water attacks aquifer depletion at the cause: instead of pumping ever more groundwater, it desalinates saline and brackish water on-site so freshwater levels can recover. Falling aquifers shift subsurface pressure and let brines migrate into freshwater zones and oil reservoirs — raising salinity, cutting irrigation and oilfield yields, and driving water scarcity. The ARBOK-DESAL unit boils water under deep vacuum at ambient temperature, with no membranes, pumps, or reagents, delivering ultra-low-TDS water at low cost and energy.
Applications
Primary use cases: brackish/saline groundwater desalination; salinity-intrusion mitigation; irrigation, municipal, and data-center water supply; oilfield-region water management.
Industries and users: water utilities, agriculture, data centers, oil & gas operators in arid basins (Central Valley, Permian Basin, Arabian Gulf).
Scale: containerized (7 × 20 ft) unit at ~200 m³/h; scalable by unit count.
Operating Principle
Water boils under deep vacuum at ambient temperature; only water enters the vapor phase and condenses to ultra-low-TDS product, while salts, metals, and organics remain as separated residue. No membranes, high-pressure pumps, or reagents.
Limitations: residue handling; intake/throughput sized per site; pairs with recharge strategy for aquifer recovery.
Key Parameters
Throughput: ~200 m³/h (≈ 1 752 000 m³/year) per unit.
Output quality: TDS < 10 ppm.
Energy: ~1 kWh/m³. Cost: 0.1–0.2 €/m³. Service life: 20 years.
Form factor: 7 × 20-ft containerized.
Architecture and Components
Deep-vacuum evaporation chambers (7 × 20-ft containerized); condensation/product-water unit; residue extraction; control system (PLC/automation). Modular, scalable by unit count.
Advantages
Technical: no membranes/pumps/reagents; TDS < 10 ppm; 20-year life.
Economic: ~1 kWh/m³, 0.1–0.2 €/m³ — far below conventional desalination.
Environmental: reduces groundwater withdrawal; mitigates salinity intrusion and subsidence.
Strategic: addresses water, food, and energy security together; can combine with SkyManager (rainfall) and ALB (power) for a full water-positive package.
Integrations
Co-deploys with irrigation, municipal, and oilfield water systems; pairs with SkyManager-CO₂ (precipitation) and Long Battery Air (autonomous power); SCADA/PLC ready.
Deployment & Operation
Steps: water assay → unit sizing → containerized install → commissioning. Open-air, ambient temperature. Continuous, automated, minimal staffing.
TRL
Proposed TRL 4 — ⚠ confirm. Evidence: sized ARBOK-DESAL configuration with defined throughput, TDS, energy, and cost on the validated ARBOK vacuum platform. Not yet evidenced: a deployed groundwater field unit. Confirm any pilot/reference site.
Market Potential
Aquifer depletion and salinity intrusion threaten major basins (California Central Valley, Texas Permian, Arabian Gulf). Demand spans agriculture, municipalities, data centers, and oilfields facing rising desalination and water costs.
Typical Project Economics
Per unit: ~1 752 000 m³/year at 0.1–0.2 €/m³ operating cost, ~1 kWh/m³ energy, 20-year life. CAPEX/payback site-specific; revenue from water sales plus avoided pumping and salinity-damage costs.
Risk Factors
Needs documented field reference; residue handling/classification; pairing with managed recharge for true aquifer recovery; conservative utility/oilfield adoption.
Related Technologies
Vacuum Osmosis · SkyManager-CO₂ · BATTERATOR · ARBOK-VC (Vacuum Cracking)