Scientists have developed a novel technology to further advance water desalination — the process of removing salt from seawater — potentially offering a large-scale solution for an imperiled freshwater supply.
A team from Ulsan National Institute of Science & Technology has developed new desalination technology that utilizes solar power for energy, according to a report from Interesting Engineering.
The method uses an oxide perovskite — which traps heat and converts it into energy without any carbon emissions, making it an overall cleaner process — in the solar panels.
Researchers also developed a device to overcome salt accumulation, a common problem in desalination. Their design uses a one-directional fluid flow, creating a salt gradient that pushes salt to the edge of the solar panels, improving light penetration by clearing away salt crystals after they’re removed from the water.
“This work demonstrates a breakthrough approach to enhancing the efficiency and durability of solar desalination through advanced material engineering and smart design,” the team told Interesting Engineering.
According to the researchers, who published their work in the journal Advanced Energy Materials, they’ve already seen an impressive evaporation rate of 3.4 kilograms of freshwater (about 7.5 pounds) per hour, and sturdy operation with solutions containing 20% salt, which is far saltier than regular seawater.
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“This breakthrough provides a practical and scalable solution to the global water scarcity crisis,” Professor Ji-Hyun Jang explained. This technology represents an amazing leap forward in desalination, creating more freshwater for those in need.
Lack of access to potable water impacts over four billion people globally, and the situation is likely to worsen with the increased prevalence of droughts, extreme weather events, and changes to the water cycle.
A traditional downside to the desalination process is that it typically requires significant energy derived from dirty sources, making it a more expensive and environmentally detrimental process. The fact that the system uses solar power makes it a much cleaner option and an even more cost-effective approach over time.
Desalination isn’t a perfect process, but the National Institute of Health indicated that there are ways to mitigate its impacts and utilize it to support the water cycle at scale.
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