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.

MIT engineers and collaborators developed a solar-powered device that avoids salt-clogging issues of other designs.

More details in their paper here

  • lnxtx@feddit.nlEnglish
    191·
    1 year ago

    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.

    But can it be scaled up even more? Like cubic meters per hour?

    • sin_free_for_00_days@sopuli.xyzEnglish
      15·
      1 year ago

      I just keep waiting for them to actually produce the small suitcase sized product. It sounds like a excellent option for me, as opposed to the $4-5k desalinators that are the options now.

    • merde alors@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
      32·
      1 year ago

      but why “if”?

      if they’re making this research, why wouldn’t they “scale up to the size of a small suitcase” and get rid of the “if”?