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

  • Masimatutu@lemm.eeEnglish
    81·
    1 year ago

    The article explicitly states that it is directly powered by the sun.

    • kingthrillgore@lemmy.mlEnglish
      21·
      1 year ago

      I’ve heard this one before and the systems never scale w/o subsidy and/or capture of the salts for industrial/rare earth use.

    • Smoogs@lemmy.worldEnglish
      13·
      1 year ago

      Solar panels is an entirely other discussion about the issues they themselves bring especially with covering the earth with more black surface which is negating the point of what the ice was doing to cool the earth before it melted. Ocean water is black and solar panels are black. Albedo effect. You’re turning the earth into a cinder block.

      • Masimatutu@lemm.eeEnglish
        2·
        1 year ago

        Surely you cannot pretend this is a real problem? This is nothing compared to the loss of Albedo caused by ice melting, and also nothing compared to the fossil fuels that would otherwise go to similar purposes.