MIT Scientists Develop Solar-Powered Device Priced at Just R$ 20 That Can Desalinate Water

MIT Scientists Developed a New Species of Desalinator with a Super Affordable Price That Can Supply the Demand of a Family of Four Using Solar Energy

Researchers from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), in the United States, created a desalinator that costs only R$20. The device is capable of removing salt from water and uses only solar energy for this purpose. In addition to being cheaper, the scientists’ desalination system is also the most efficient compared to other more common methods that also use solar energy to extract salt from seawater.

Read Other Related News

• Neoenergia Implements Prevention and Combat Strategies Against Energy Diversions, Recovering 782.5 Million kWh, Enough Energy to Supply 4.2 Million People
• Brazil May Be Forced to “Throw Water Away” from Hydroelectric Plants and Consume Thermal Energy: Contracting Exorbitantly Expensive Thermals Causes a Spike in Electricity Prices and Financial Losses for Consumers
• China Leads Research on New Type of Technology for Clean, Low-Cost Renewable Energy Production
• Costing Less Than R$200, Mini Solar Kit Promises to Power Lamps, Recharge Cell Phones, Headphones, and Much More
• Infrastructure Minister Tarcísio Gomes de Freitas Presents His Investment Plan for the Renewable Energy Sector Aiming at Competitiveness and Job Creation in Brazil
• Startup Vida Maker Creates Micro-Plant for Renewable Energy in Sorocaba

Solar-Powered Desalinator Can Meet the Needs of a Family of Four

According to the scientists’ data, one square meter of collected area can supply the drinking water needs of a family of about 4 people per day. The manufacturing cost of the MIT scientists’ device, which is powered by solar energy, is around US$4, equivalent to about R$20 at the current exchange rate.

The initial applications of the project are expected to focus on providing drinking water in remote locations that are far from supply networks. According to the developers, another possible use for the applications is in regions that have experienced environmental disasters like floods, earthquakes, hurricanes, among others.

Recomendado para você

Oil and Gas

Major Oil, Gas, and Energy Event Will Take Place in Brazil: Macaé Energy Will Gather Petrobras, Equinor, Prio, Among Other Suppliers and Energy Executives for Business, Networking, and Employment Opportunities

The Technical Agenda and the Fair in the City of Macaé Should Boost Discussions on Investments, Energy Transition, and Development of the Oil, Gas, and Energy Chain in the National...

Paulo Nogueira

1

The device, in addition to removing salt from water, can also assist in sterilizing medical instruments or be used in wastewater. However, the focus of the MIT scientists’ product is desalination, considering that this process is becoming increasingly expensive and its operation more complex.

Challenges Faced in the Desalination Process

One of the main difficulties encountered is the calcification of the equipment, caused by the constant accumulation of salt. According to Evelyn Wang, the lead author of the study and a professor of mechanical engineering, most systems require some wicks, which are responsible for driving brackish water through the device, and it is precisely these wicks that are vulnerable to salt accumulation.

In addition, it is very difficult to clean this component. Analyzing the difficulty, the MIT scientists developed a system that eliminates the need for this wick.

How Does the Device Created by MIT Scientists Work?

For the cheap solar-powered desalinator to work, the MIT scientists developed a multilayer system with a dark material on top aimed at absorbing solar energy and filtering a greater amount of water.

To ensure a constant outflow, a thin layer of water was installed above a polyurethane film, which has holes of 2.5 mm, large enough to allow connective circulation between the colder reservoir below and the upper layer made up of warm water. The convection system drives the salt that is fully diluted, boosting the desalination process.

The water from the top of the device turns into vapor and can be collected on a condensation surface, providing potable and fresh water through solar energy. It is worth noting that to further enable the project, the scientists also used materials that can be found at home.