Research trends in sea water thermal desalination

According to the United Nations (UN), due to anthropic activities that have seriously affected the planet´s ecosystems, in a few years the world will suffer from an imminent water scarcity in many regions and countries. The desalination of water emerges as a key factor for the sustainability and satisfaction of the basic needs of the population in the face of this reality. To analyze the trends, authors and topics investigated on water desalination, a bibliometric study between 2010 and 2020 has been carried out on all publications related. The results showed an exponential growth in research on the subject, mainly focused on the use and combination of renewable energy sources, hybrid desalination systems, thermal desalination systems and membrane desalination. The United States, Saudi Arabia, China, and Qatar are the leading countries in desalination research. The international collaboration of American authors with other countries is highlighted.