A new solar desalination system takes in saltwater and heats it with natural sunlight. The system flushes out accumulated salt, so replacement parts aren’t needed often, meaning the system could potentially produce drinking water that is cheaper than tap water.

Engineers at MIT and in China are aiming to turn seawater into drinking water with a completely passive device that is inspired by the ocean, and powered by the sun.

In a paper appearing today in the journal Joule, the team outlines the design for a new solar desalination system that takes in saltwater and heats it with natural sunlight.

The researchers estimate that if the system is scaled up to the size of a small suitcase, it could produce about 4 to 6 liters of drinking water per hour and last several years before requiring replacement parts. At this scale and performance, the system could produce drinking water at a rate and price that is cheaper than tap water.

https://www.cell.com/joule/fulltext/S2542-4351(23)00360-4

  • dsemy@lemm.eeEnglish
    13·
    1 year ago

    Around half of Israel’s drinking water is desalinated, and I’ve never encountered what you describe.

    • dalë@lemm.eeEnglish
      9·
      1 year ago

      Not from Israel but our entire water system is desalinated and I’ve never experienced any issue with the taste, in fact the opposite is true. Pure clean drinking water.

      I will agree with the hardness aspect but other than that it’s perfectly good, i’ve tasted worse bottled mineral water.