Solar-powered seawater desalination unit incorporating PV module cooling
The desalination unit consists of a multistage membrane distillation (MSMD) component that is placed on the backside of a large-area solar cell measuring 16 x 16 cm and utilizes the waste heat of the cell to drive water evaporation. It is able to produce 8.09 kg m2 of freshwater per day and reduce the temperature of the solar cell by up to 14.4 degrees Celsius.
Clean water and electricity from one system
Scientists at Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah University of Science and Technology have demonstrated a system based on commercially available solar panels which can generate electricity and produce clean, drinkable water from seawater or otherwise contaminated sources.
