Innovations for a Global Scale
Combinatory Desalinization and Carbon Fixation through Ultraviolet Driven Nanocatalysis
Idea Description
Our group proposes a novel catalytic process for large scale water desalinization coupled with environmental carbon dioxide sequestration. To accomplish this we propose the use of a man-made nanocatalyst, a reusable reaction surface developed with nano-scale architecture to facilitate the desired chemical reactions. Coastal facilities would intake large volumes of air and seawater to allow reaction at the catalytic surface in the presence of ultraviolet radiation from sunlight. Ideal catalysts would produce sodium oxide and carbon tetrachloride in large quantities with minimal side reactions.
Desalinized fresh water would be isolated and sent to pre-existing networks for domestic, irrigation, livestock, and industrial usage. The sodium oxide could be used in glass making and the carbon tetrachloride could be used as a precursor in the production of modern polymers such as PVC or in advanced high strength polymers that include additional halogen groups.
Sunlight
Seawater
Carbon
Dioxide (Air)
Nanocatalyst Potable water
Sodium oxide
Carbon tetrachloride
Domestic,
Industrial,
Livestock,
Industrial
Glass
Plastics,
Commodity
Chemicals
Target Market
Our target market will encompass the entire world because water is the basis to life. Our introductory market would be a focus on large metropolitan areas that use large amounts of water on a day to day basis and agricultural operations. These large metropolitan areas deplete fresh water sources in such a fast manner that a major world issue today is the lack of available fresh water. Agricultural operations are also an essential part of life on this planet and the essential amounts of water should be first allocated in this area. Once the issues are solved in these large metropolitan areas and for agricultural operations, the plants can be extended to all parts of the world including small rural villages.
By taking this process to small rural villages in poverty stricken countries, we would be able to improve their quality of life in very huge ways. It is believed that this will help draw investors and other forms of support to help the idea spread like wild fire. Although it cannot be a process that happens overnight, the steps will be made as quickly as possible to ensure the current fresh water sources are not depleted and can sustain life.

Resources
As per design, the resources required for this process are minimal. In order for the production facility to come to life, we must use first begin with researchers at a prestigious university developing the first nanocatalysts to carry out the reaction. Once the technology is created, the next step is to create a facility in which to accommodate the conditions necessary for the most optimum use of the nanocatalyst. The facility must also be able to handle large volumes of water, approximately 20,000,000 liters per day if it is to accommodate a city of two million people such as Houston. The technology is already prepared to handle a facility of this size but a design must be implemented. Large pumps bust be implemented to keep the flow of water through the facility. In addition, the last step in the production of the potable water would require a centrifugal system of removing the nanocatalysts, which would also require further development. Ideally, the facility would be located close to the coast with ease of access to water. With that location, a simple pump could easily be the only necessity to provide our facility with input and primary discharge streams.
Competition
Fortunately in this portion of the economy, there is not much competition in the area of large scale water purification. Current systems of water purification of non-fresh water are extremely expensive and are not developed to a point that it can be used on a wide scale basis. By creating this new process of water purification, a process is created that is sustainable and significantly less expensive than any current desalinization process. The main cost involves making a production facility and the initial catalyst research, but once the initial cost has been dealt with, and agreements made with governments worldwide, the process should remain a very sustainable and long lasting process. Because the process will essentially solve one of the world’s biggest issues and provide additional secondary benefits, it will most likely be adopted by most countries and can eliminate the over dependence on current fresh water sources.
The only true competition that this process and facility should expect is fighting against prices already set by companies providing ground water to our same customers. If they are able to provide ground water at a price even slightly cheaper than what will have to be charged to purify salt water, it could provide an immense source of competition. This competition could prove it difficult to expand the facilities worldwide or in areas with well-organized water systems. However, consumers could be inclined to pay the slightly higher price in order to support the environmental benefits arising from carbon sequestration and non-renewable water resource preservation.
Competitive Advantage
The water purification plant is unique in the sense that no other researchers have come up with a system to purify water that produces large amounts of potable water in a cost effective manner.
Because this process has not been perfected before, this unique purification plant will be able to be used all over the world and solve one of the largest problems present in the world today. It will provide water for years to come and thus provide sustainable life.
The process also fixes carbon dioxide, thus removing it from the atmosphere. This would result in large scale carbon sequestration, helping to reduce global warming. Carbon fixation at even a fraction of this proposed scale has yet to be accomplished. This two fold accomplishment of large scale, energy

efficient desalinization combined with globally significant carbon sequestration would maintain a large advantage in the current global marketplace.
Financial Strategy
The initial construction of the water purification plants will require the support of the government or investors in the form of a one-time capital investment. The operational costs of the plant will be low as it will be sustained using solar energy and the unique nanocatalysts. The water will be provided to the country at a very low cost and will have a very large basis for product input resulting in a large product output. The final product of potable water will then be sold for domestic, irrigation, livestock, and industrial applications. If it is able to be grown to be a widely accepted and used process, it is hoped that investors will help to provide similar facilities for poverty stricken, third world countries.
By doing so, we could not only provide a higher quality of life but also provide a small addition to the economy in those areas.
The sale of the water to cities or agricultural operations will fund the program past the initial construction of the plant. Because the facility will run without large operating costs, most of the money earned by selling the fresh water will be set aside to construct more facilities and pay back some government loans. A small staff will need to be present at the facility in the event that any piece of equipment fails or any flow gets restricted. This will require a small cost to operate but is a necessity to the smooth operation of the facility. Overall, the facility will require very little operation cost and will be able to provide most of the profits to create more facilities all over the world. The operational costs of these facilities will be orders of magnitude less than existing desalinization facilities. Existing facilities use dated distillation techniques with enormous energy demands leading to high operating costs and pollution.
Management Team
The founders possess profound engineering skills and the success of this system will rely heavily on their technical understanding of nanotechnology and chemical reactions. Environmentally conscious, they recognize the dangers carbon dioxide pollution in the atmosphere and insufficient fresh water sources present for both current and future generations; their long-term outlook on humanity’s need for these resources in addition to their philanthropic inclinations will ensure their dedication to the project.
The founders are determined to succeed and are very innovative, which will allow them to overcome any obstacles they may encounter. Additionally, the founders understand today’s economy and how this innovation will transform the global market.
To maintain organization, the chief executive officer, chief financial officer, chief technical officer and chief creativity officer positions will need to be filled. A team of specialists that run each plant will be hired and trained to monitor the reaction processes and stay on sight in case of any emergencies that may arise. Sales and marketing professionals, international ambassadors and local community relations experts will also be required.
Critical Risks and Assumption

By creating this production facility, we make a major assumption that a researcher or scientist can help us to develop this nanocatalyst that will change the world’s water problems forever. We must assume that the government will believe in the ability to create this amazing nanocatalyst and help the team to receive research grants.
There is a critical risk that we could affect the entire ecosystem by converting salt water into fresh water using the nanocatalyst. There is also a large chance that marine animals are drastically affected. By producing water out of the ocean, we will also reduce overall water levels and have a chance of interrupting current canals and waterways used in transportation. This creation of freshwater in any area could really disrupt the economy when such a large production plant is established. Another possible risk is the removal of too much carbon dioxide from the atmosphere that could create a disruption in the total ecosystem. All risks must be further analyzed and evaluated using cost and effect processes.
Although risks exist in this process, it is believed to be worth the risk because water is such a necessity to life. There are always other ways to help fix risks involved or results of the process and we must remain focused on assuring life to all animals.
Goals
Cleaner water, cleaner air, these are our goals, our dream. Starting with clean water, we live in a world where man’s careless consumption is threatening the main source of life for every creature on our precious planet, water. Rivers are being drained dry. Amazingly beautiful animals (both on land and in the water) that were once so abundant are now being forced into tighter and tighter corners. We’re suffocating them, and soon we’ll be suffocating ourselves. For we, like them, depend on water to live, to survive, and there’s no getting around it. Without clean water, the world will die out. These animals are same animals that we depend on to nourish our bodies. So what about cleaner air? Air pollution is getting worse. Those poor polar bear cubs, dying because mankind refuses to control their greenhouse gas emissions. How can we just sit by and do nothing? How can we let this be the fate of our children?
Not enough clean water and scarce amounts of clean air, this isn’t what we want. We will strive to save our future.
Without a change to the current systems of water purification, these large metropolitan areas will soon deplete all fresh water on Earth and the entire population of the world will be without their source of life. With the surface of Earth having roughly 70% water, there is no reason why the Earth should ever be depleted of water usable by the human or animal population. Having this technology to produce this large amount of water can ensure an extremely long time of usable water on this planet.