Desalination plant for supplying water to the primary sector

Abstract

A desalination plant for supplying water to the primary sector, constituted by at least one desalination module (2). The desalination module (2) comprising: - at least one container (3) of standardized shape and dimensions, configured to be capable of being transported on vehicles (A) of various kinds; - at least one reverse osmosis desalination assembly (4) of adjustable selectivity for treating salt water, installed inside the at least one container (3); - water pipes (5, 6) for the connection of the at least one desalination assembly (4) to a region for drawing salt water from a respective basin and for the conveyance of at least partially desalinated water to an area configured for an activity chosen from storage, use for activities in the primary sector, and the like.

Description

[0001] DESALINATION PLANT FOR SUPPLYING WATER TO THE PRIMARY SECTOR

[0002] The present invention relates to a desalination plant for supplying water to the primary sector, with the principal application of serving agriculture.

[0003] Climate change affects all parts of the world. In fact, in some areas of the world extreme weather and precipitation are increasingly widespread, while other areas are hit by drought and unprecedented heatwaves. Therefore it is evident that international policies (for example European) are geared to interventions adapted to reduce and slow these changes.

[0004] Drought often has a domino effect, for example on transport infrastructure, on agriculture, on forestry, on water availability and on biodiversity. Drought reduces water levels in rivers and in aquifers, leads to stunted growth of trees and crops, increases attacks by parasites, and exacerbates forest fires.

[0005] In Europe, much of the almost 9 billion euro in losses caused every year by drought affects agriculture, the energy sector, and the public water supply. Extreme droughts are becoming increasingly frequent in Europe, and the damage caused by them is on the increase.

[0006] An increase in the average global temperature of 3 °C above preindustrial levels by 2100 would bring disastrous effects. It is predicted that drought will become twice as frequent and absolute annual losses owing to drought in Europe could rise to 40 billion euro annually, with the worst impacts in the Mediterranean and Atlantic regions.

[0007] Climate change and climate variability can therefore have a major effect on agricultural production, both on crop yields and on the places where it is possible to cultivate different crops.

[0008] For an adequate water supply, the use is known of desalination plants for desalinating sea water and making it available for direct human use.

[0009] However, a desalination plant requires high production and installation costs, which are justifiable only if extended operation is envisaged for long periods of time.

[0010] In order to obtain this result, it would be necessary to create dedicated water mains networks for conveying water to all the cultivated fields (and / or livestock farms and / or areas where herds and flocks pass through): but in this case, building the infrastructure and pumping water in it at a pressure that makes it possible to efficiently serve even the farthest reaches of this water mains network would entail extremely high costs that effectively rule out this implementation solution.

[0011] Furthermore, in some periods of the year, the need for water in the primary sector (in particular by agriculture) is minimal and therefore there is no option but to take the desalination plants out of operation and, precisely because of the chemical / corrosive aggressiveness that is typical of a saline environment, these shutdowns can damage the plant.

[0012] For these reasons the use of desalination plants for producing water for the primary sector, in particular for agriculture, is an anti-economic and disadvantageous choice.

[0013] The aim of the present invention is to solve the above mentioned drawbacks, by providing a desalination plant for supplying water to the primary sector that can dispense water at numerous cultivated fields that can be located at great distances from each other.

[0014] Within this aim, an object of the invention is to provide a desalination plant for supplying water to the primary sector that can dispense water to numerous livestock farms, and / or areas where herds and flocks stand or pass through, which can be located at great distances from each other.

[0015] Another object of the invention is to provide a desalination plant for supplying water to the primary sector that is adapted to operate at a reduced capacity during periods when the need for water by the primary sector is minimized.

[0016] Another object of the invention is to provide a desalination plant for supplying water to the primary sector that can be reconfigured an indefinite number of times.

[0017] Another object of the invention is to provide a desalination plant for supplying water to the primary sector that can execute a desalination of sea water that is adjustable, as a function of the individual applicative requirements.

[0018] Another object of the present invention is to provide a desalination plant for supplying water to the primary sector that is of low cost, easily and practically implemented, and safe in use.

[0019] This aim and these and other objects which will become better apparent hereinafter are achieved by a desalination plant for supplying water to the primary sector, characterized in that is constituted by at least one desalination module which comprises:

[0020] - at least one container of standardized shape and dimensions, configured to be capable of being transported on vehicles of various kinds,

[0021] - at least one reverse osmosis desalination assembly of adjustable selectivity for treating salt water, installed inside said at least one container,

[0022] - water pipes for the connection of said at least one desalination assembly to a region for drawing salt water from a respective basin and for the conveyance of at least partially desalinated water to an area configured for an activity chosen from storage, transport to a destination including by means of tanker trucks, use for activities in the primary sector, and the like.

[0023] Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become better apparent from the detailed description that follows of a preferred, but not exclusive, embodiment of the desalination plant for supplying water to the primary sector, which is illustrated by way of non-limiting example in the accompanying drawings wherein:

[0024] Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of an embodiment of a desalination plant for supplying water to the primary sector according to the invention. With reference to the figure, the reference numeral 1 generally designates a desalination plant for supplying water to the primary sector, being particularly indicated for supplying water for irrigation for use in agriculture, in forestry, in the nursery-gardening sector, and for supplying livestock farms, areas where herds and flocks stand or pass through, and in fish farming, when for various reasons (climate-related, logistical, or reasons of an extraordinary nature) conditions arise of drought or of difficulty in supplying water from conventional sources.

[0025] The desalination plant 1 according to the invention is constituted by at least one desalination module 2.

[0026] Each desalination module 2 advantageously comprises at least one container 3 of standardized shape and dimensions, configured to be capable of being transported on vehicles of various kinds.

[0027] In particular the container 3 has dimensions suitable to allow its transport by road and / or rail and / or sea, in full observance of the regulations in force for such activities.

[0028] The module 2 further comprises at least one reverse osmosis desalination assembly 4 with adjustable selectivity for treating salt water, installed inside the at least one container 3.

[0029] The reverse osmosis desalination assemblies 4 are conventional and are generally designed for static applications, although embodiments exist that are designed to be installed on watercraft for the purpose of producing its own fresh water necessary for on-board use.

[0030] Therefore it has been envisaged to produce assemblies 4 that are very compact and sturdy, so as to optionally be accommodated inside a container 3 and transported to locations where they are to be used, also allowing for numerous subsequent movements.

[0031] Each module 2 will further profitably comprise water pipes for the connection of the at least one desalination assembly 4 to a region for drawing salt water from a respective basin (intake pipe 5) and for the conveyance of at least partially desalinated water to an area configured for an activity chosen from storage, use for activities in the primary sector, and the like (outflow pipe 6).

[0032] With particular reference to an embodiment of undoubted practical and applicative interest, such at least one container 3 can advantageously be a standardized container according to the ISO 668 standard configured to be capable of being transported on road vehicles of type chosen from trucks A, trailers, articulated vehicles, semi-trailer trucks and the like.

[0033] In any case the ISO 668 standard will also meet the maximum bulk limits allowed for transport by rail.

[0034] Obviously, under the specific regulations imposed by some countries containers can be adopted with dimensions that do not meet the ISO 668 standard, but which conform to local regulations.

[0035] Insofar as is possible, it should be noted that the containers 3 of interest for the present discussion will have dimensions that are such as to be transportable on standard vehicles, without requiring all the precautionary and organizational measures required for an “outsized load” (although the possibility is not ruled out of adopting this option in specific particular cases).

[0036] The reverse osmosis desalination assembly for treating salt water 4 can conveniently comprise at least one mechanical filtration stage 7 which is configured to separate all the debris present in the salt water of size greater than a preset value.

[0037] Mechanical filtration is advisable in that it makes it possible to prevent the osmosis apparatuses that are located downstream from receiving debris in input (for example sand or sediment in suspension, algae, small organisms) which could damage them or, in any case, compromise their correct operation.

[0038] The assembly 4 further comprises at least one semipermeable membrane osmotic filtration stage 8 and at least one magazine for collecting at least one substance chosen from the debris filtered by the mechanical filtration stage 7 and the saline residues filtered by the osmotic filtration stage 8. The material accumulated in the at least one magazine will be disposed of in accordance with the requirements of the appropriate regulations and / or can be used for activities that fall outside the present discussion.

[0039] The desalination assembly 4 will positively be configured to deliver desalinated water in an amount chosen between 1 m3 / day and 1000 m3 / day.

[0040] Preferably assemblies 4 will be selected that are adapted to dispense desalinated water in an amount chosen between 10 m3 / day and 60 m3 / day.

[0041] Specifically it should be noted that it is envisaged to provide a module 2 that comprises an assembly 4 capable of dispensing desalinated water in an amount chosen between 25 m3 / day and 35 m3 / day (for example 30 m3 / day).

[0042] According to a first embodiment, the at least one semipermeable membrane osmotic filtration stage 8 can usefully comprise, in turn, at least two osmotic filtration stations of increasing selectivity. In such case the at least one osmotic filtration station of higher selectivity can be circumvented by a bypass duct, which is configured to allow the exclusion thereof from the osmotic filtration stage 8, with consequent possible adjustment of the saline residue present in the water in output from that osmotic filtration stage 8.

[0043] It should be noted that by selectivity of an osmotic membrane what is meant is the capacity to be permeable exclusively to a predefined set of substances, molecules, ions and the like; the smaller the number of substances to which the osmotic membrane is permeable the higher its selectivity

[0044] Specifically it should be noted that the osmotic filtration stations of the stage 8 can be a plurality, the most selective of which can be excluded in order to adjust the level of desalination at will from a minimum value (which translates to using all the stations present) to a maximum value (which translates to using only the station of lowest selectivity).

[0045] With reference to a second embodiment as an alternative to the first embodiment just described, the at least one semipermeable membrane osmotic filtration stage 8 comprises at least two semipermeable membranes of increasing selectivity arranged in series. In such case, it will be possible to exclude at least one semipermeable membrane of higher selectivity from the path taken by the water inside the osmotic filtration stage 8 in order to allow the adjustment of the saline residue present in the water in output from that stage 8.

[0046] Basically, by having a battery of osmotic membranes arranged in series and of increasing selectivity, it will be possible to adjust the saline residue present in the water in output from the stage 8 at will, simply by bypassing (circumventing) one or more membranes of high selectivity, from a minimum value (which translates to using all the membranes present) to a maximum value (which translates to using only the membrane of lowest selectivity).

[0047] In an alternative third embodiment the at least one osmotic filtration stage 8 advantageously comprises a semipermeable membrane of adjustable selectivity, in order to allow the adjustment of the saline residue present in the water in output from the osmotic filtration stage 8.

[0048] In such case, by varying the sensitivity of the adjustable osmotic membrane it will be possible to adjust the saline residue present in the water in output from the stage 8 at will, between a minimum value (which translates to adjusting the membrane to its maximum selectivity) to a maximum value (which translates to adjusting the membrane to its to its minimum selectivity).

[0049] The three provided embodiments are extremely interesting from an applicative point of view because they make it possible to minimize the running costs of the desalination plant 1 according to the invention, in conformance with the specific requirements of use.

[0050] Some plants, in fact, have an excellent resistance to saline content (and / or to a saline environment) and therefore they can be irrigated with water that contains a fairly high saline residue, thus making the desalination plant 1 less energy-intensive (less energy is needed for incomplete desalination).

[0051] Similarly, it happens that certain areas have soils B constituted by mixtures that are particularly deficient in sodium, and where irrigation with water that has a predefined saline residue can constitute a positive factor, in that it will enrich the soil B.

[0052] It should also be noted that a saline environment is a particularly unfavorable and hostile environment for many pest organisms: the use of irrigation with water comprising a predefined residual salinity could therefore also have a preventive action against some pests, making it possible to reduce the plant protection treatments that are normally used for that crop.

[0053] The maximum efficacy and versatility of the desalination plant 1 according to the invention can be obtained if it can comprise at least two modules 2 hydraulically connected to the water pipes 5, 6, and to each other, for supplying a flow of desalinated water in output from the desalination plant 1 that is not lower than the specific requirements of use for the envisaged activities in the primary sector.

[0054] According to the examples of daily flow rate of desalinated water that can be dispensed by each module 2, the use of a plurality of modules makes it possible to obtain a multiple daily flow rate for the desalination plant 1 according to the invention that comprises them.

[0055] Therefore, as a function of the flow rate requirements specified for a specific application, it will be possible to calculate in advance the number of modules 2 necessary, send them (optionally also with the aid of tanker trucks) to the location of interest and connect them together and to the pipes 5 and 6 so as to fully meet said requirements.

[0056] What is particularly advantageous is that once the need for the desalination plant 1 thus configured (i.e. comprising the desired number of modules 2) ends, it can be dismantled and reinstalled (with the same or a different number of modules) in another region to perform another service.

[0057] The transportability by road (and / or rail and / or sea) of each individual module 2 ensures that the transfer operations are straightforward and rapid. Also, the fact that each module 2 is, in itself, fully functional for desalinating a predefined flow rate of water, guarantees that the installation and dismantling operations will be rapid and straightforward (once the intake pipe, with its intake end in the sea, is connected to a manifold that distributes the sea water drawn by the intakes of the various modules 2 present, and once the output of each module 2 is connected to a manifold associated with the dispensing pipe 6, all the installation operations will effectively be finished).

[0058] The pipes 5 and 6 and any further ducts present can be controlled by pumps and / or valve assemblies for the adjustment of the flow of water through them.

[0059] As mentioned above, the amount of saline residue present in the water in output from each osmotic filtration stage 8 can be adjusted on the basis of the specific requirements of use for the envisaged activities in the primary sector.

[0060] It should be noted that the desalination plant 1 according to the invention can furthermore advantageously comprise a purification apparatus which is configured to remove from the desalinated water any residues of pesticides and / or other contaminants (such as heavy metals or other chemical substances of any nature that were not previously extracted by the reverse osmosis desalination assembly, through its mechanical filtration stage 7 and / or its osmotic filtration stage 8). It is preferable that the removal of the residues if any of pesticides and / or other contaminants is executed by guaranteeing the reduction thereof to below a predefined threshold value, which can preferably be the threshold value of analytic detection of the instruments used for measuring and controlling this characteristic (purely by way of example, an admissible concentration of residues of pesticides in the water downstream of the purification apparatus could be less than 1 part per million, PPM, or 1 mg / Kg, although the possibility is not ruled out of adopting other thresholds according to the specific application and according to the characteristics of the pesticide and / or contaminant to be reduced).

[0061] Furthermore, the desalination plant 1 according to the invention can positively comprise a mixer configured for mixing, in adjustable proportions, the water dispensed by the at least one osmotic filtration stage 8 with water originating from a source chosen between fissure water, water from an irrigation network, purified water originating from a factory for processing plants and / or funguses. This last case considered is particularly advantageous because it makes it possible to reuse, for irrigation, the water used for operations of washing, conveyance and industrial processing of agricultural products (irrespective of whether they are plants or funguses), thus defining a production chain with extremely low environmental impact and high efficiency in use of water resources.

[0062] The present invention also extends its protection to include a method for irrigating cultivated fields, which comprises the following steps.

[0063] In a first step it will be necessary to conduct an analysis of the soil B which is intended to determine its physical, chemical and biological characteristics.

[0064] In a second step it will be necessary to identify the tolerance to saline of the particular crop to be planted on that soil B: in this regard it should be noted that there are scientific studies and agronomic tables which specify these values for all plant species of possible human interest.

[0065] Similarly, in a different application of the desalination plant 1 according to the invention, for use in livestock farming or fish farming it will also be possible to source similar technical / scientific documents (which identify the tolerance to saline of terrestrial and aquatic animals).

[0066] A third step will identify the amount of irrigation water necessary for the particular crop to be planted on that field in a time interval of interest: in this case too there is a large scientific literature that explains the water needs of each single crop as a function of its current stage of development.

[0067] The fourth and last step is the installation of a desalination plant 1 of the type described previously proximate to the field, for supplying irrigation water to it.

[0068] Such supply will be performed by adjusting the selectivity of the corresponding osmotic filtration stage 8 in order to allow the adjustment of the saline residue present in the irrigation water (as a function of the information collected in the preceding first three steps).

[0069] A further, additional step is further possible which entails adjusting the selectivity of the corresponding osmotic filtration stage 8 in order to allow the adjustment of the saline residue present in the irrigation water, for the purpose of creating an environment that is hostile to at least one predefined form of pest life.

[0070] In the method according to the invention, the irrigation water contains a residue of pesticides and / or contaminants in a concentration not higher than the analytical detection threshold of the measurement instrumentation.

[0071] As explained previously, the analytic detection threshold can be, according to the type of measurement instruments used, even of the order of 1 part per million (PPM) or lower. In such case, water with an extremely low (or nil) concentration of pesticides or other contaminants will conveniently be usable for irrigating a field intended for the cultivation and harvest of plants and / or funguses that, at the time of harvest, have a concentration of residues of pesticides lower than 0.01 mg / kg.

[0072] It should be noted that, furthermore, between the step of desalination and the step of irrigation there can usefully be an intermediate step of mixing the water arriving from the desalination plant 1 with purified water originating from a factory for processing plants and / or funguses. As previously explained above, this embodiment is particularly advantageous because it makes it possible to reuse, for irrigation, the water used for operations of washing, conveyance and industrial processing of agricultural products (irrespective of whether they are plants or funguses), thus defining a production chain with extremely low environmental impact and high efficiency in use of water resources.

[0073] The possibility is not ruled out of there being, downstream of the modules 2, optional dispensers of substances of a various nature (phytopharmaceuticals, fertilizers, soil improvers, additives including additives of natural origin and therefore not synthetic) so as to take advantage of the irrigation in order to also perform further specific treatments on the crop of interest.

[0074] Advantageously the present invention solves the above mentioned problems, by providing a desalination plant 1 for supplying water to the primary sector that can dispense water at numerous cultivated fields (soils B) that can be located at great distances from each other.

[0075] In particular, since it can be rapidly moved (using transport by road or rail) and reconfigured (by modifying the number of modules that constitute it), it can be adapted to specific requirements of each possible application and optionally even undergo reconfigurations on-site (for example by adding or removing one or more modules 2), if a variation of said requirements is observed in the course of its use.

[0076] Conveniently the desalination plant 1 according to the invention can dispense water to numerous livestock farms, and / or areas where herds and flocks stand or pass through, which can be located at great distances from each other.

[0077] Advantageously the desalination plant 1 according to the invention is adapted to operate at a reduced capacity during periods when the need for water by the primary sector is minimized.

[0078] In particular, the bypassing of one or more modules 2 makes it possible to adapt the desalination plant 1 to the specific requirements of use, among other things making the bypassed modules 2 available for other installations.

[0079] Profitably the desalination plant 1 according to the invention can be reconfigured an indefinite number of times.

[0080] Conveniently the desalination plant 1 according to the invention can execute a desalination of sea water that is adjustable, as a function of the individual applicative requirements: this determines a possible reduction in running costs and also the possibility of irrigating crops optimally for their specific requirements and addressing the need to create an environment hostile to any pest organisms.

[0081] Positively the desalination plant 1 according to the invention is easily and practically implemented and is of low cost: such characteristics make the desalination plant 1 according to the invention an innovation that is safe in use.

[0082] The invention thus conceived is susceptible of numerous modifications and variations, all of which are within the scope of the appended claims. Moreover, all the details may be substituted by other, technically equivalent elements.

[0083] In the embodiments illustrated, individual characteristics shown in relation to specific examples may in reality be interchanged with other, different characteristics, existing in other embodiments.

[0084] In practice, the materials employed, as well as the dimensions, may be any according to requirements and to the state of the art.

[0085] The disclosures in International Patent Application No. PCT / IT2023 / 000006 from which this application claims priority are incorporated herein by reference. Where the technical features mentioned in any claim are followed by reference numerals and / or signs, those reference numerals and / or signs have been included for the sole purpose of increasing the intelligibility of the claims and accordingly, such reference numerals and / or signs do not have any limiting effect on the interpretation of each element identified by way of example by such reference numerals and / or signs.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A desalination plant for supplying water to the primary sector, characterized in that it is constituted by at least one desalination module (2) which comprises:- at least one container (3) of standardized shape and dimensions, configured to be capable of being transported on vehicles (A) of various kinds,- at least one reverse osmosis desalination assembly (4) of adjustable selectivity for treating salt water, installed inside said at least one container (3),- water pipes (5, 6) for the connection of said at least one desalination assembly (4) to a region for drawing salt water from a respective basin and for the conveyance of at least partially desalinated water to an area configured for an activity chosen from storage, transport including by tanker trucks, use for activities in the primary sector, and the like.

2. The desalination plant according to claim 1, characterized in that said at least one container (3) is a standardized container according to the ISO 668 standard configured to be capable of being transported on road vehicles (A) of type chosen from trucks, trailers, articulated vehicles, semitrailer trucks and the like.

3. The desalination plant according to claim 1, characterized in that said reverse osmosis desalination assembly (4) for treating salt water comprises at least one mechanical filtration stage (7) configured for the separation of all the debris present in the salt water of dimensions above a preset value, at least one semipermeable-membrane osmotic filtration stage (8), at least one magazine for collecting at least one substance chosen from the debris filtered by said mechanical filtration stage (7) and the saline residues filtered by said osmotic filtration stage (8), said desalination assembly (4) being configured to deliver desalinated water in an amount chosen between 1 m3 / day and 100 m3 / day, preferably in an amount chosenbetween 10 m3 / day and 60 m3 / day, even more preferably in an amount chosen between 25 m3 / day and 35 m3 / day.

4. The desalination plant according to claim 3, characterized in that said at least one semipermeable-membrane osmotic filtration stage (8) comprises at least two osmotic filtration stations of increasing selectivity, said at least one osmotic filtration station of higher selectivity being circumvented by a bypass duct which is configured to allow the exclusion thereof from said osmotic filtration stage (8), with consequent possible adjustment of the saline residue present in the water in output from said osmotic filtration stage (8), selectivity of an osmotic membrane meaning the capacity to be permeable exclusively to a predefined set of substances, molecules, ions and the like, the smaller the number of substances to which the osmotic membrane is permeable the higher its selectivity.

5. The desalination plant according to one or more of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that said at least one semipermeable-membrane osmotic filtration stage (8) comprises at least two semipermeable membranes of increasing selectivity arranged in series, it being possible to exclude said at least one semipermeable membrane of higher selectivity from the path of the water inside said osmotic filtration stage (8) in order to allow the adjustment of the saline residue present in the water in output from said osmotic filtration stage (8), selectivity of an osmotic membrane meaning the capacity to be permeable exclusively to a predefined set of substances, molecules, ions and the like, the smaller the number of substances to which the osmotic membrane is permeable the higher its selectivity.

6. The desalination plant according to one or more of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that said at least one osmotic filtration stage (8) comprises a semipermeable membrane of adjustable selectivity, in order to allow the adjustment of the saline residue present in the water in output from said osmotic filtration stage (8), said selectivity of the osmotic membrane consisting in the capacity to be permeable exclusively to a predefined set ofsubstances, molecules, ions and the like, the smaller the number of substances to which the osmotic membrane is permeable the higher its selectivity.

7. The desalination plant according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises at least two modules (2) connected to said water pipes (5, 6), and to each other, for supplying a flow of desalinated water in output from said desalination plant (1) that is not lower than the specific requirements of use for the envisaged activities in the primary sector.

8. The desalination plant according to one or more of claims 4, 5 and 6, characterized in that the amount of saline residue present in the water in output from said osmotic filtration stage (8) is adjusted on the basis of the specific requirements of use for the envisaged activities in the primary sector.

9. The desalination plant according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a purification apparatus configured for the removal of any residues of pesticides and / or other contaminants from the water.

10. The desalination plant according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a mixer configured for mixing, in adjustable proportions, said water dispensed by said at least one osmotic filtration stage (8) with water originating from a source chosen between fissure water, water from an irrigation network, purified water originating from a factory for processing plants and / or funguses.

11. A method for irrigating cultivated fields, characterized in that it comprises the following steps:- conducting an analysis of the soil (B) which is intended to determine the physical, chemical and biological characteristics of the soil;- identifying the tolerance to saline of a particular crop envisaged on that field;- identifying the amount of irrigation water necessary for the particular crop envisaged on that soil (B) in a time interval of interest;- installing a desalination plant (1) according to at least one of the preceding claims proximate to the field, for supplying the irrigation water, adjusting the selectivity of the corresponding at least one osmotic filtration stage (8) in order to allow the adjustment of the saline residue present in said irrigation water.

12. The method according to claim 11, characterized in that it comprises a step of adjusting the selectivity of the corresponding osmotic filtration stage (8) in order to allow the adjustment of the saline residue present in said irrigation water, for the purpose of creating an environment that is hostile to at least one predefined form of pest life.

13. The method according to one or more of claims 11 and 12, characterized in that said irrigation water comprises residues of pesticides and / or contaminants in a concentration not higher than the analytic detection threshold of the measurement instrumentation and therefore is usable for irrigating a field intended for the cultivation and harvest of plants and / or funguses that, at the time of harvest, have a concentration of residues of pesticides lower than 0.01 mg / kg.

14. The method according to one or more of claims 11, 12 and 13, characterized in that between said step of desalination and said step of irrigation there is an intermediate step of mixing said water arriving from said desalination plant (1) with purified water originating from a factory for processing plants and / or funguses.

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