English 
Spanish 
4 min read
0 comments
Sustainable desalination technology: Low-cost device made from used tires could alleviate water shortages
The lack of potable water is a crisis that affects several regions of the world, especially developing countries and remote areas. Because of this, many experts are developing technologies desalination under cost.
Although the planet is covered by a vast amount of water, much of it is salty and unfit for consumption. human. A new device solar desalination, developed by researchers at Dalhousie University, promises an affordable and sustainable solution to this issue.
The technology behind desalination device
The solar still developed by the Canadian team is a floating, solar-powered device that can turn seawater into drinking water.
- R$200 million from BNDES for the aviation of the future! Embraer receives a big sum from the bank and promises to invest in “electric cars”
- R$ 102 million: Embraer closes historic contract with the Brazilian Army for the latest generation SABER M200 Vigilante radar
- 7,5 thousand satellites in sight: Musk's STARLINK targets Brazil and leaves Vivo, Oi, Claro, Tim and other operators on high alert!
- Texas researchers develop a high-power electric motor that eliminates the use of rare earths and uses more sustainable alternatives such as copper
This innovative device aims to solve some of the problems faced by previous technologies of desalination, using easily accessible materials, such as used tires, instead of precious metals.
The idea behind the solar still comes from the “refractory plasmonics“, a field of research that develops materials capable of manipulating light in special ways and, at the same time, withstanding high temperatures. These plasmonic nanomaterials convert sunlight into heat, essential for the desalination process.
How the device works
The operation of the distiller The solar system is relatively simple, but ingenious. The device is placed on a surface of water, where it absorbs seawater, which evaporates due to solar heating, leaving the salt behind.
The vaporized water is then collected in a transparent dome, where it condenses and is directed to a storage container.
Steps in the desalination process:
- Water absorption: Seawater is absorbed by the surface of the device.
- Solar evaporation: Plasmonic materials heated by the sun evaporate water.
- Condensation: The vapor condenses under the transparent transparency.
- Collect: The purified water is directed into a sealed bag.
This technology makes it possible to produce up to 3,67 liters of water per day, a remarkable amount for a passive solar still.
Use of recycled tires and other waste
The research team used carbon waste such as coffee grounds and lobster shells, as well as used tires to build the still.
Tire rubber, in particular, proved to be an excellent material for the device, helping to maximize the heat captured and reducing the cost of production.
The use of tires also represents a sustainable solution, considering that this waste is abundant and takes centuries to decompose.
In this way, the technology not only solves the problem of water scarcity, but also contributes to the recycling of materials that would otherwise be discarded.
Future applications and real-world testing
Tests conducted in Halifax Harbour have shown the distiller to be effective in real-world conditions, but a research team plans to expand the trials to areas such as South Asia.
With this, they hope that the technology can be used in regions that face several shortages of drinking water, especially in vulnerable communities.
The team also foresees improvements in technology, such as the possibility of generating enough thermoelectricity for food water quality sensors, allowing real-time monitoring of produced water.
A step towards sustainability and the circular economy
By using recycled tires as critical components of the desalination device, the technology reinforces the importance of the circular economy. Instead of relying on expensive and scarce materials such as gold and silver, the distiller uses abundant and accessible materials, providing a low-cost and easy-to-maintain solution.
Professor Dasog, one of the project leaders, comments: “We shouldn’t be making a device that is expensive or overly complicated. It has to be easy to manufacture, last a long time and be easy to disassemble and move.”
The simplicity and efficiency of the device are a fundamental part of its design, designed for beneficiary communities that urgently need access to drinking water.
The portable solar still developed by the Dalhousie University team represents a significant step forward in combating water scarcity. By transforming saltwater into potable water in a cost-effective and sustainable way, this technology offers a practical solution for regions with limited access to water resources.
Furthermore, by using waste such as tires, the device contributes to the circular economy and environmental preservation, transforming a problem into a solution.
Be the first to react!