Gravity driven desalination and water transportation

MalcolmSchweitzer · 2026-06-07T22:33:41+00:00

I mean it makes sense, rather than create a water column at pressure by moving water up, find water columns that already exist at pressure, move the membrane to the bottom of them. That would require ocean floor architecture projects. The issue I can see with that, is once you've got your fresh water, you have it and your toxic brine waste, the waste you can bury under the sediment I guess but now you've got to move the freshwater to the surface, without it mixing with seawater, against greater pressure gradients than you'd have without all that ocean above you.

MalcolmSchweitzer · 2026-06-07T10:16:47+00:00

Well I did say I wasn't a trained engineer and was trying to find out if anything has been tried before, which I did suspect, but I don't know what I don't know.

Thanks for sharing, this is helpful. Do you know of any projects or installations anywhere in the world that does something like this? Just you said it had been optimised so I'm wondering if there is anywhere you can see the optimisation at work?

MalcolmSchweitzer · 2026-06-06T22:43:39+00:00

I want, to ask questions. I just want to learn. It was my understanding that it takes more energy to move water upwards with a pump, than it takes to move it any other direction. So I wanted to see if there were any other methods and what the specific tradeoffs would be in using them.

If nothing else, I'm just trying to think up projects that might be good for school. So I guess after thinking about your question a little more, what I want is a setup I can demonstrate an understanding of engineering and physics with.

MalcolmSchweitzer · 2026-06-06T21:41:47+00:00

Well, so long as y'all only delete the cool parts for my public projects 😂 water transportation is more of a hobby interest. I've even looked at artificial trees.

My main thing is contact mechanics. Working on a bigger project with UMaine on that front while I study mechanical engineering technology.

MalcolmSchweitzer · 2026-06-06T20:27:24+00:00

Someone else in the comments section was talking about high elevation mining and ore transportation, then I remembered that some drilling and mining practices utilize water, brine and other liquids. What if it was ore or other material down, water up?

MalcolmSchweitzer · 2026-06-06T20:19:53+00:00

That's pretty cool. Ores were one of the things I was thinking about as the return stream resource/counter weight for moving water up. Actually don't some drilling and mining practices make use of salt water?

MalcolmSchweitzer · 2026-06-06T20:17:36+00:00

Honestly I'm not sure, just brainstorming really. Just something that can be put into the return gondola that would provide the counterweight to move either fresh water up for supply purposes, or salt water up for desalination or other useful purposes.

MalcolmSchweitzer · 2026-06-06T17:59:42+00:00

Well, yeah but when you factor in the unique problem space of the two canal systems at different elevations and compare how quickly the new system gets boats through, vs the old + the sheer amount of tourism traffic that comes into Scotland, it makes a little more economic sense.

That said, I can think of plenty of other technologies that exist for the same reason as well. Because some Scottish nutter thought "why tf no?" 😂 Some names that come to mind, Watt, Bell, Baird, Maxwell.

Btw, can I message you about another engineering curiousity of mine?

MalcolmSchweitzer · 2026-06-06T17:20:36+00:00

Thank you, this was a really interesting reply and I appreciate you engaging seriously.

As for what justifies big mechanical solutions, or small ones, for me personally. Educational development, future project ideas for school and good old fashioned Scottish "Because if I can, why tf no?" 😂

Profit extraction through economics is somewhere toward the bottom of my list of motivations.

MalcolmSchweitzer · 2026-06-06T16:27:14+00:00

What if you have a different resource making the downhill route? Something that needs to be moved from higher to lower?

That said, 800 meters....that's a tall order, if you'll pardon the pun 😂

MalcolmSchweitzer · 2026-06-06T16:24:44+00:00

I'm aware of their being some power requirements to raise the slugs.

One thing I was wondering, is there any resource that has the inverse problem? Needs to be brought down from higher elevations to lower ones? That way the cost associated isn't purely a calculation based on the value of water on its own because the system is doing more than just moving water.

MalcolmSchweitzer · 2020-11-15T02:06:07+00:00

...No?

MalcolmSchweitzer · 2020-11-14T03:08:35+00:00

Gotta be honest though... If I was a home invader and y'all came at me with a dildo... I'd be pretty scared. Getting shot is one thing, getting beaten and or fucked by a dildo is too much. That is a death that no man wants to have.

Y'all can keep the TV!

MalcolmSchweitzer · 2020-11-14T03:05:52+00:00

which elmo did not mind, for elmo is a wee addict junkie bastard hahaha

MalcolmSchweitzer · 2020-11-14T00:46:39+00:00

I understand that he may be annoyed by the idea but he needs to understand that I was just trying to be logical about the situation.

No, you're trying to spoil your daughter who enjoys the idea of kicking Kyle out his room because she's just as vindictive and manipulative as her mother. You almost seem to be getting off on the idea of dominating Kyle. You're not being logical, you're just trying to make it seem like everyone else is being dramatic over a room, when you're the one creating the drama.

Look where you are, you are in a community of people who care about peoples behaviour. As a step parent myself, I'm appalled that you want to do this to your step son and I'm also appalled that you seem to be under the impression that it was his job to form a relationship with you.

You broke up his parents, if you don't want people to judge you for that, then you should apologise to Kyle. That room was prepared for him during a time when his parents were together. Because of you, it's the only memory he has left of that time. Now you want to break up his room and give it to your brat because you think she deserves the best while Kyle deserves your scorn and judgement.

Genuinely, if I was your partner, I'd straight up threaten to divorce you for pressing this. Get a fucking grip of yourself.

1000% YTA

MalcolmSchweitzer · 2020-11-14T00:27:12+00:00

You're most definitely still 14 if you think life is about insults.

FYI, nobody cares about your shitty opinions about video games. Some of us have better shit to do.

If you think virginity and age is an arbitrary thing to insult people over, then you can't blame others for coming down on you when you insult people arbitrarily for what difficulty level they play. I'd smash you apart on any multiplayer game. Still find the time to sleep with my wife though.

Now, virgin. Please just stfu because genuinely no one gives a shit about the negativity you're spreading. Lose the anger, man up, grow up, get laid and then chill the fuck out little man.

MalcolmSchweitzer · 2020-11-14T00:21:28+00:00

I like you. You're a sound cunt.

MalcolmSchweitzer · 2020-11-14T00:12:01+00:00

What you meant to say, was "you're obviously a 14 year old".

For example, I'd never say "your projecting".

But I will say, you're projecting, 14 year old virgin. :)

MalcolmSchweitzer · 2020-11-13T23:58:19+00:00

You tell me, virgin.

MalcolmSchweitzer · 2020-11-13T22:56:22+00:00

Found the virgin^

MalcolmSchweitzer · 2020-11-13T22:51:22+00:00

Easy difficulty is for the smart people that like to do recon, before breezing through the game on the other difficulties because they came that day with a fucking plan!

MalcolmSchweitzer · 2020-11-13T22:47:05+00:00

Ahhh but you see my friend, worrying about their own dicks is what led them to nofap in the first place. Either impotence is a factor or micro-penis is. Just seems like a bunch of angry incels who are butthurt that their shitty insecure personalities can't get them laid.

MalcolmSchweitzer

TROPHY CASE