MIT engineers and collaborators developed a solar-powered device that avoids the salt-clogging issues of other designs. 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 pap
  • someguy3@lemmy.caEnglish
    1·
    1 year ago

    the design for a new solar desalination system that takes in saltwater and heats it with natural sunlight.

    The configuration of the device allows water to circulate in swirling eddies, in a manner similar to the much larger “thermohaline” circulation of the ocean. This circulation, combined with the sun’s heat, drives water to evaporate, leaving salt behind. The resulting water vapor can then be condensed and collected as pure, drinkable water. In the meantime, the leftover salt continues to circulate through and out of the device, rather than accumulating and clogging the system.

    Neat.

    The team envisions a scaled-up device could passively produce enough drinking water to meet the daily requirements of a small family.

    Hmm.