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Passive solar high-yield seawater desalination by modular and low-cost distillation

Author

Listed:
  • Eliodoro Chiavazzo

    (Politecnico di Torino)

  • Matteo Morciano

    (Politecnico di Torino)

  • Francesca Viglino

    (Politecnico di Torino)

  • Matteo Fasano

    (Politecnico di Torino)

  • Pietro Asinari

    (Politecnico di Torino)

Abstract

Although seawater is abundant, desalination is energy intensive and expensive. Using the Sun as an energy source is attractive for desalinating seawater. Although interesting, current passive devices with no moving parts have unsatisfactory performance when operated with an energy flux lower than 1 kW m−2 (one sun). We present a passive multi-stage and low-cost solar distiller, where efficient energy management leads to significant enhancement in freshwater yield. Each unit stage for complete distillation is made of two hydrophilic layers separated by a hydrophobic microporous membrane, with no other mechanical ancillaries. Under realistic conditions, we demonstrate a distillate flow rate of almost 3 l m−2 h−1 from seawater at less than one sun—twice the yield of recent passive complete distillation systems. Theoretical models also suggest that the concept has the potential to further double the observed distillate rate. In perspective, this system may help satisfy the freshwater needs in isolated and impoverished communities in a sustainable way.

Suggested Citation

  • Eliodoro Chiavazzo & Matteo Morciano & Francesca Viglino & Matteo Fasano & Pietro Asinari, 2018. "Passive solar high-yield seawater desalination by modular and low-cost distillation," Nature Sustainability, Nature, vol. 1(12), pages 763-772, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natsus:v:1:y:2018:i:12:d:10.1038_s41893-018-0186-x
    DOI: 10.1038/s41893-018-0186-x
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    Cited by:

    1. Baoping Zhang & Pak Wai Wong & Jiaxin Guo & Yongsen Zhou & Yang Wang & Jiawei Sun & Mengnan Jiang & Zuankai Wang & Alicia Kyoungjin An, 2022. "Transforming Ti3C2Tx MXene’s intrinsic hydrophilicity into superhydrophobicity for efficient photothermal membrane desalination," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-10, December.
    2. Fasano, Matteo & Morciano, Matteo & Bergamasco, Luca & Chiavazzo, Eliodoro & Zampato, Massimo & Carminati, Stefano & Asinari, Pietro, 2021. "Deep-sea reverse osmosis desalination for energy efficient low salinity enhanced oil recovery," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 304(C).
    3. Ma, Qiuming & Xu, Zhenyuan & Wang, Ruzhu & Poredoš, Primož, 2022. "Distributed vacuum membrane distillation driven by direct-solar heating at ultra-low temperature," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 239(PA).
    4. Lenan Zhang & Xiangyu Li & Yang Zhong & Arny Leroy & Zhenyuan Xu & Lin Zhao & Evelyn N. Wang, 2022. "Highly efficient and salt rejecting solar evaporation via a wick-free confined water layer," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-12, December.
    5. Abbas Sahi Shareef & Hayder Jabbar Kurji & Hassan Abdulameer Matrood, 2021. "A Review of Using Phase Change Materials to Improve the Productivity of a Solar Still," International Journal of Research and Scientific Innovation, International Journal of Research and Scientific Innovation (IJRSI), vol. 8(8), pages 176-180, August.
    6. Morciano, Matteo & Fasano, Matteo & Bergamasco, Luca & Albiero, Alessandro & Lo Curzio, Mario & Asinari, Pietro & Chiavazzo, Eliodoro, 2020. "Sustainable freshwater production using passive membrane distillation and waste heat recovery from portable generator sets," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 258(C).
    7. Yajie Hu & Hongyun Ma & Mingmao Wu & Tengyu Lin & Houze Yao & Feng Liu & Huhu Cheng & Liangti Qu, 2022. "A reconfigurable and magnetically responsive assembly for dynamic solar steam generation," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-12, December.
    8. Zhang, Lenan & Xu, Zhenyuan & Bhatia, Bikram & Li, Bangjun & Zhao, Lin & Wang, Evelyn N., 2020. "Modeling and performance analysis of high-efficiency thermally-localized multistage solar stills," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 266(C).
    9. Arunkumar, T. & Wang, Jiaqiang & Denkenberger, D., 2021. "Capillary flow-driven efficient nanomaterials for seawater desalination: Review of classifications, challenges, and future perspectives," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 138(C).
    10. Eliodoro Chiavazzo, 2022. "Critical aspects to enable viable solar-driven evaporative technologies for water treatment," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-4, December.
    11. Primož Poredoš & Jintong Gao & He Shan & Jie Yu & Zhao Shao & Zhenyuan Xu & Ruzhu Wang, 2024. "Ultra-high freshwater production in multistage solar membrane distillation via waste heat injection to condenser," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-19, December.
    12. Gan Huang & Jingyuan Xu & Christos N. Markides, 2023. "High-efficiency bio-inspired hybrid multi-generation photovoltaic leaf," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 14(1), pages 1-10, December.
    13. De Angelis, Paolo & Tuninetti, Marta & Bergamasco, Luca & Calianno, Luca & Asinari, Pietro & Laio, Francesco & Fasano, Matteo, 2021. "Data-driven appraisal of renewable energy potentials for sustainable freshwater production in Africa," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 149(C).
    14. Luo, Xiao & Shi, Jincheng & Zhao, Changying & Luo, Zhouyang & Gu, Xiaokun & Bao, Hua, 2021. "The energy efficiency of interfacial solar desalination," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 302(C).
    15. Mohammad Hossein Ahmadi & Mohammad Dehghani Madvar & Milad Sadeghzadeh & Mohammad Hossein Rezaei & Manuel Herrera & Shahaboddin Shamshirband, 2019. "Current Status Investigation and Predicting Carbon Dioxide Emission in Latin American Countries by Connectionist Models," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(10), pages 1-20, May.

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