received by the International Bureau on 05 January 2015 (05.01.2015)

1. A water purification system configured to operate in a body of water containing saline water, the water purification system comprising:

a first tank and a subsequent tank configured to be disposed within the body of water such that a top portion of each tank is above a water line of the body of water and a remainder of each tank is submerged beneath the water line of the body of water;

wherein the first tank and the subsequent tank each define:

a chamber configured for holding a volume of fluid;

an inlet opening near a bottom portion, wherein the bottom portion is disposed opposite the top portion; and

a vent opening defined in the top portion;

a first condensing tube fluidly extending between the vent opening of the first tank and the inlet opening of the subsequent tank;

wherein the first condensing tube is configured to receive desalinated water vapor from the vent opening of the first tank and condense the water vapor such that a vacuum is created to draw salinated water from the first tank to mix with the desalinated water vapor, whereby condensed potable water is provided to the subsequent tank through the respective inlet opening; a subsequent condensing tube fluidly extending from the vent opening of the subsequent tank;

wherein the subsequent condensing tube is configured to receive water vapor from the vent opening of the subsequent tank such that a vacuum is created to draw salinated water from the subsequent tank to mix with the desalinated water vapor, whereby condensed potable water is provided; and

a condensation valve operatively disposed in each of the first and subsequent condensing tubes;

wherein each condensation valve is configured to move between an open position and a closed position;

wherein the chamber of each of the first and subsequent tank is configured such that a pressure within the respective chamber increases as the respective condensation valve is in the closed position and water vapor within the respective chamber increases; and wherein the chamber of each of the first and subsequent tank is configured such that the pressure within the respective chamber decreases as the respective condensation valve is in the open position and the water vapor exits the chamber under pressure and enters the respective condensing tube.

2. A water purification system, as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the first and subsequent condensing tube each include a collection section extending from the respective vent opening; and

wherein the collection section is configured to receive the water vapor from the respective first and subsequent tank.

3. A water purification system, as set forth in claim 2, wherein the first condensing tube includes a condensing section;

wherein the condensing section extends between the inlet opening of the subsequent tank and the collection section;

wherein the condensing section is configured to condense the water vapor received in the respective collection section such that condensed potable water is provided to the subsequent tank through the respective inlet opening.

4. A water purification system, as set forth in claim 3, further comprising an intake valve operatively disposed in the inlet opening of the first tank;

wherein the intake valve is configured to move between an open position and a closed position;

wherein saline water is permitted to enter the chamber of the first tank through the inlet opening when the intake valve is in the open position; and

wherein saline water is prevented from entering the chamber of the first tank through the inlet opening when the intake valve is in the closed position.

5. A water purification system, as set forth in claim 4, wherein the first, tank defines an outlet opening near the bottom portion; wherein the first condensing tube includes a flow section fluidly extending between the vent opening, the condensing section, and the inlet opening of the subsequent tank.

6. A water purification system, as set forth in claim 5, further comprising an outlet valve operatively disposed in the outlet opening of the first tank;

wherein the outlet valve is configured to move between an open position and a closed position;

wherein water is configured to flow from the first tank into the first condensing tube through the outlet opening when the outlet valve is in the open position; and

wherein water from the first tank is prevented from entering the condensing tube through the outlet opening when the outlet valve is in the closed position.

7. A water purification system, as set forth in claim 6, further comprising:

a purge line fluidly extending from each of the first chamber and the second chamber; wherein each purge line is configured to be in fluid communication with the body of water;

a purge valve operatively disposed in each of the purge lines;

wherein the purge valves are configured to move between an open position and a closed position;

wherein water is configured to flow from the tank to the body of water when the purge valve is in the open position; and

wherein water is prevented from flowing from the tank to the body of water when the purge valve is in the closed position.

8. A water purification system, as set forth in claim 7, wherein the purge lines are formed of a flexible material configured to float in the water within the respective tank.

9. A water purification system, as set forth in claim 7, further comprising at least one sensor configured to be operatively connected to the chamber of each of the first and subsequent tank; wherein the at least one sensor is configured to sense a value within at least one of the chambers.

10. A water purification system, as set forth in claim 9, further comprising a controller operatively connected to the at least one sensor and to at least one of the condensation valve, the intake valve, the outlet valve, and the purge valve;

wherein the controller is configured to send a signal to move the at least one of the condensation valve, the intake valve, the outlet valve, and the purge valve to a desired one of the open position and the closed position.

11. A water purification system, as set forth in claim 2, further comprising a reservoir configured to receive potable water from the subsequent condensing tube.

12. A water purification system, as set forth in claim 9, wherein the subsequent tank is further defined as a last tank and the subsequent condensing tube is further defined as a last condensing tube, wherein the water purification system further comprises:

an intermediate tank configured to be disposed within the body of water such that a top portion of the intermediate tank is above a water line of the body of water and a remainder of the intermediate tank is submerged beneath the water line of the body of water;

wherein the intermediate tank is operatively disposed between the first tank and the subsequent tank;

wherein the intermediate tank defines:

a chamber configured for holding a volume of fluid;

an inlet opening near a bottom portion; and

a vent opening defined in the top portion;

a first condensing tube fluidly extending between the vent opening of the first tank and the inlet opening of the intermediate tank;

wherein the first condensing tube is configured to receive desalinated water vapor from the vent opening of the first tank and condense the water vapor such that a vacuum is created to draw salinated water from the first tank to mix with the desalinated water vapor, whereby condensed potable water is provided to the intermediate tank through the respective inlet opening; an intermediate condensing tube fluidly extending between the vent opening of the intermediate tank and the inlet opening of the subsequent tank;

wherein the intermediate condensing tube is configured to receive water vapor from the vent opening of the intermediate tank such that a vacuum is created to draw salinated water from the intermediate tank to mix with the desalinated water vapor, whereby condensed potable water is provided to the subsequent tank through the respective inlet opening;

a condensation valve operatively disposed in each of the first, intermediate, and subsequent condensing tubes;

wherein each condensation valve is configured to move between an open position and a closed position;

wherein the chamber of each of the first, intermediate, and subsequent tanks is configured such that a pressure within the respective chamber increases as the respective condensation valve is in the closed position and the water vapor within the respective chamber increases; and

wherein the chamber of each of the first, intermediate, and subsequent tanks is configured such that the pressure within the respective chamber decreases as the respective condensation valve is in the open position and the water vapor exits the chamber under pressure and enters the respective condensing tube.

13. A water purification system, as set forth in claim 1 , further comprising a filter disposed in fluid communication with the intake line;

wherein the filter is configured to prevent objects from entering the chamber from the body of water.

14. A water purification system, as set forth in claim 10, further comprising a decontamination device operatively disposed on the inlet intake line;

wherein the decontamination device is configured to kill living organisms contained in the incoming saline water.

15. A method of desalinating saline water from a body of water, the method comprising:

filling chambers of a plurality of tanks with a volume of saline water; heating the saline water to increase a pressure and produce water vapor within the chamber of each tank;

moving a condensation valve to an open position such that the water vapor is released into a respective condensing tube;

condensing the water vapor to provide potable water;

wherein moving a condensation valve to an open position is further defined as moving a condensation valve to an open position such that the water vapor is released into a respective condensing tube as all other valves are in a closed position;

moving the condensation valve to a closed position; and

moving an outlet valve of at least one of the tanks to an open position when the condensation valve is in the closed position such that water from the at least one of the tanks flows to a subsequent tank through the respective condensing tube.

18. A method, as set forth in claim 15, further comprising:

moving the outlet valve to a closed position; and

moving a purge valve to an open position when the outlet valve is in the closed position such that water from the at least one of the tanks flows to at least one of the body of water and a preceding tank.

19. A method, as set forth in claim 16, further comprising:

sensing a value in at least one of the tanks; and

moving the outlet valve, the purge valve and the condensation valve to one of the open position and the closed position as a function of the sensed value.

20. A water purification system configured to operate in a body of water containing saline water, the water purification system comprising:

a first tank and a subsequent tank configured to be disposed within the body of water such that a top portion of each tank is above a water line of the body of water and a remainder of each tank is submerged beneath the water line of the body of water;

wherein the first tank and the subsequent tank each define:

a chamber configured for holding a volume of fluid; an inlet opening near a bottom portion, wherein the bottom portion is disposed opposite the top portion; and

a vent opening defined in the top portion;

a first condensing tube fluidly extending between the vent opening of the first tank and the inlet opening of the subsequent tank;

wherein the first condensing tube is configured to receive water vapor from the vent opening of the first tank and condense the water vapor such that condensed potable water is provided to the subsequent tank through the respective inlet opening;

a subsequent condensing tube fluidly extending from the vent opening of the subsequent tank;

wherein the subsequent condensing tube is configured to receive water vapor from the vent opening of the subsequent tank and condense the water vapor such that condensed potable water is provided;

a condensation valve operatively disposed in each of the first and subsequent condensing tubes;

wherein the condensation valves are configured to move between an open position and a closed position;

wherein the chamber of each of the first and subsequent tank is configured such that a pressure within the respective chamber increases as the respective condensation valve is in the closed position and water vapor within the respective chamber increases; and

wherein the chamber of each of the first and subsequent tank is configured such that the pressure within the respective chamber decreases as the respective condensation valve is in the open position and the water vapor exits the chamber under pressure and enters the respective condensing tube;

at least one sensor configured to be operatively connected to the chamber of each of the first and subsequent tank;

wherein the at least one sensor is configured to sense a value within at least one of the chambers; and

a controller operatively connected to the at least one sensor and the condensation valves; wherein the controller is configured to send a signal to move the condensation valves to a desired one of the open position and the closed position.