ARBOK-JUMBO (Jet Desalination Unit Jumbo-200, JDU-200)

Overview

JAMBO-2 is a high-capacity, modular seawater desalination system built on the proprietary Arbok Evaporation hydrodynamic method. Water boils under deep vacuum at near-ambient temperature, so the process needs no membranes, no feed pumps and no chemical reagents. The unit is fully containerised, assembled from a small set of standard high-cube shipping containers, and designed for rapid deployment onshore, pier-side or on floating structures. Seawater intake is gravity-fed, driven by the internal vacuum, and output is ultra-pure water at TDS below 10 ppm, suitable for industrial, municipal or agricultural use in remote or water-stressed environments. With specific energy consumption far below the 3–4 kWh/m³ typical of conventional SWRO, a 25-year design life and 2–3 operators per shift, JDU-200 represents a class of industrial desalination that is compact, scalable and cheap to run.

Applications

Primary use cases: small islands, marinas and remote resorts; industrial and mining sites; emergency response and military deployment; municipal and agricultural supply in water-stressed regions.

Industries and users: water utilities, island and off-grid operators, mining companies, port and marina operators, emergency and defence logistics.

Scale: 200 m³/h per unit (approximately 1,752,000 m³/year at full load); modular expansion by adding units.

Operating Principle

Seawater is brought to boil under deep vacuum at near-ambient temperature rather than by thermal heating or membrane pressure. Because the driving force is reduced pressure, the system needs no high-pressure feed pumps, no membranes and no chemical reagents. Intake is gravity-fed, pulled by the internal vacuum. Vapour is condensed to product water at TDS below 10 ppm; the remaining concentrate is discharged at reduced volume compared with SWRO.

Limitations: prototype status requires full-scale validation; concentrate discharge must conform to local rules; feedwater variability may require site-specific tuning.

Key Parameters

| Parameter | Value |

|---|---|

| Fresh water production | 200 m³/h (≈1,752,000 m³/year at full load) |

| Product water quality | TDS < 10 ppm |

| Specific energy consumption | Very low — well below conventional SWRO benchmarks, among the lowest reported for the sector |

| Operating electrical power | Substantially below the SWRO benchmark for equivalent output; scales with feedwater flow |

| Installed electrical power | Nameplate capacity sized with operating margin above typical running load |

| Annual energy consumption | Well below what conventional SWRO would require for equivalent annual output |

| Power supply | 380–690 V, 50/60 Hz |

| Footprint / dimensions | Modular multi-container assembly; compact footprint, scales by adding units |

| Working chamber volume (with recuperator) | Sized to throughput; recuperator integrated for efficient heat recovery |

| Fresh water buffer | Onsite buffer tank sized to demand, or direct discharge to distribution |

| Design life | 25 years (main assemblies) |

| Staffing | 2–3 operators per shift |

| Automation | Full PLC/SCADA integration, remote monitoring |

Energy cost advantage: the system's very low specific energy consumption translates into an annual electricity bill dramatically below what conventional SWRO would require for equivalent output, forming a major share of the plant's operating-cost advantage. Installed nameplate capacity carries margin above typical running load, corresponding to an efficient load factor across normal operation.

Architecture and Components

Vacuum evaporation chamber with integrated recuperator; condensation and product-water circuit; onsite fresh-water buffer tank or direct discharge to distribution; concentrate discharge line; PLC/SCADA control with remote monitoring. Housed in a modular multi-container assembly with a compact overall footprint. Materials: corrosion-resistant duplex and super-duplex stainless steels in critical zones, plus bronze, titanium and cast iron.

Advantages

Technical: no membranes and no chemicals — lower consumable costs and no biofouling risk; low maintenance with fewer failure points and fast module swaps; competitive energy use, on par with or better than SWRO.

Economic: specific CAPEX €85,000–105,000 per m³/h; specific energy consumption is roughly four to five times below conventional SWRO, giving an annual electricity bill under €100,000 for 1.75 million m³ of output.

Environmental: reduced brine volumes, simplifying discharge and environmental compliance.

Operational: modular and mobile — suited to islands, emergency use and rapid deployment; 25-year design life; 2–3 operators per shift.

Integrations

ARBOK-DEION (solar farms cleaning) · Solar PV · Battery Storage Systems · SCADA Platforms

JDU-200 can be combined with renewable generation systems or act as a backbone utility in hybrid off-grid infrastructures with water–energy integration.

Deployment & Operation

Deployment options: onshore, pier-side, or on floating structures. Steps: site and feedwater assessment → container placement and assembly → connection of intake, discharge and power → commissioning → operation. Continuous operation with 2–3 operators per shift and full remote monitoring via PLC/SCADA.

Recommendations for decision makers: conduct pilot trials in representative real-world settings; evaluate full 5–10 year TCO including maintenance and logistics; engage local regulators early on discharge and permitting; plan for renewable integration to reduce energy cost; establish remote support and training infrastructure.

TRL

TRL 6–7 — demonstrated at pilot scale, undergoing field validation. The system has been validated in controlled conditions and is ready for operational trials across varied salinity, temperature and deployment environments.

Market Potential

JDU-200 targets fast-growing desalination segments: small islands, marinas and remote resorts; industrial and mining sites; emergency response and military deployments. It competes on energy efficiency, mobility and absence of consumables, offering a viable alternative to traditional SWRO at scale.

Typical Project Economics

CAPEX estimate (2025–2026) — total estimated investment €17.0–21.0 million, covering main equipment, energy systems and automation, and installation and commissioning. Specific CAPEX: €85,000–105,000 per m³/h of installed capacity.

OPEX estimates (annual):

| Item | Cost |

|---|---|

| Electricity (very low usage, reflecting best-in-class specific consumption) | €0.10 M |

| Staff | €0.4–0.5 M |

| Maintenance & spares | €0.45–0.6 M |

| Other (insurance, taxes) | €0.2–0.3 M |

| Total OPEX | €1.15–1.50 M/year |

| Water cost (OPEX / 1,752,000 m³ annual output) | €0.66–0.86/m³ |

Risk Factors

Prototype status — requires full-scale validation. Regulatory alignment — must conform to local concentrate discharge rules. Feedwater variability — may require site-specific tuning. Logistics — needs spare-parts access and trained field personnel.

Related Technologies

ARBOK-DEION (solar farms cleaning) · ARBOK-PIPELINE (Water-Affordable Transfer Technology) · Solar PV · Battery Storage Systems · SCADA Platforms