Ultrahigh-efficiency desalination via a thermally-localized multistage solar still

Xu, Zhenyuan; Zhang, Lenan; Zhao, Lin; Li, Bangjun; Bhatia, Bikram; Wang, Chenxi; Wilke, Kyle L.; Song, Youngsup; Labban, Omar; Lienhard, John H.; Wang, Ruzhu; Wang, Evelyn N.

doi:10.1039/c9ee04122b

Title: Ultrahigh-efficiency desalination via a thermally-localized multistage solar still

Journal Article · 15 January 2020 · Energy & Environmental Science

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1039/c9ee04122b · OSTI ID:1598379

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^[2]; Li, Bangjun ^[3]; Bhatia, Bikram ^[2]; Wang, Chenxi ^[3]; Wilke, Kyle L. ^[2];

^[2]; Labban, Omar ^[2];

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Shanghai Jiao Tong Univ. (China). Inst. of Refrigeration and Cryogenics; Massachusetts Inst. of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA (United States). Dept. of Mechanical Engineering
Massachusetts Inst. of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA (United States). Dept. of Mechanical Engineering
Shanghai Jiao Tong Univ. (China). Inst. of Refrigeration and Cryogenics

Passive vapor generation systems with interfacial solar heat localization enable high-efficiency low-cost desalination. In particular, recent progress combining interfacial solar heating and vaporization enthalpy recycling through a capillary-fed multistage architecture, known as the thermally-localized multistage solar still (TMSS), significantly improves the performance of passive solar desalination. Yet, state-of-the-art experimental demonstrations of solar-to-vapor conversion efficiency are still limited since the dominant factors and the general design principle for TMSS were not well-understood. In this work, we show optimizing the overall heat and mass transport in a multistage configuration plays a key role for further improving the performance. This understanding also increases the flexibility of material choices for the TMSS design. Using a low-cost and free-of-salt accumulation TMSS architecture, we experimentally demonstrated a record-high solar-to-vapor conversion efficiency of 385% with a production rate of 5.78 L m^-2 h^-1 under one-sun illumination, where more than 75% of the total production was collected through condensation. This work not only significantly improves the performance of existing passive solar desalination technologies for portable and affordable drinking water, but also provides a comprehensive physical understanding and optimization principle for TMSS systems.

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Research Organization:: Massachusetts Inst. of Technology (MIT), Cambridge, MA (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES)

Grant/Contract Number:: SC0001299; FG02-09ER46577

OSTI ID:: 1598379

Alternate ID(s):: OSTI ID: 1801476

Journal Information:: Energy & Environmental Science, Vol. 13, Issue 3; ISSN 1754-5692

Publisher:: Royal Society of ChemistryCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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Cited by: 259 works

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