Submission + - Solar-powered low-cost drinking water desalination system without batteries (knowridge.com) 1
schwit1 writes: Engineers from MIT have developed a groundbreaking desalination system that runs entirely on solar power without needing extra batteries.
This innovative system can remove salt from water by adapting its energy use to the amount of sunlight available, offering a more efficient, low-cost way to produce clean drinking water.
The research, published in Nature Water, highlights the potential of this technology to provide much-needed drinking water, especially in areas with limited access to electricity or seawater.
Unlike traditional desalination systems that rely on fossil fuels or need constant energy supplies, this solar-powered system adjusts its operations based on sunlight levels.
As the sun rises during the day, the system increases its desalination rate, and when clouds block the sun, the system quickly reduces its energy consumption.
This flexibility allows the system to maximize the use of solar energy without needing a battery or a backup power source.
The system was tested on groundwater wells in New Mexico over six months, where it produced up to 5,000 liters of clean water per day, even with changing weather conditions. On average, the system converted over 94% of the solar energy into desalination power, outperforming other solar-powered desalination systems.
“Conventional desalination systems need steady power, often provided by batteries, to handle variable solar energy,” said Winter. “Our system, by varying its energy use in sync with the sun, eliminates the need for extra power storage while efficiently producing water.”
This innovative system can remove salt from water by adapting its energy use to the amount of sunlight available, offering a more efficient, low-cost way to produce clean drinking water.
The research, published in Nature Water, highlights the potential of this technology to provide much-needed drinking water, especially in areas with limited access to electricity or seawater.
Unlike traditional desalination systems that rely on fossil fuels or need constant energy supplies, this solar-powered system adjusts its operations based on sunlight levels.
As the sun rises during the day, the system increases its desalination rate, and when clouds block the sun, the system quickly reduces its energy consumption.
This flexibility allows the system to maximize the use of solar energy without needing a battery or a backup power source.
The system was tested on groundwater wells in New Mexico over six months, where it produced up to 5,000 liters of clean water per day, even with changing weather conditions. On average, the system converted over 94% of the solar energy into desalination power, outperforming other solar-powered desalination systems.
“Conventional desalination systems need steady power, often provided by batteries, to handle variable solar energy,” said Winter. “Our system, by varying its energy use in sync with the sun, eliminates the need for extra power storage while efficiently producing water.”
Mebbe /. editors can clean up the headline a bit (Score:3)
Don't know why it talks about batteries, that doesn't seem to be the important bit. Electrodialysis needs power, but it seems so long as backflow doesn't occur during losses in power, power can be intermittent.
This system works best on water that has a total dissolved solids of 3000 ppm, so not ocean water.