MIT engineers have rolled out a solar-powered desalination system that cleverly adapts to the ebb and flow of sunlight, according to MIT News. This innovative approach allows for the removal of salt from water in harmony with solar intensity variations. Unlike other solar-driven operations, this cutting-edge system forgoes the need for additional battery storage or auxiliary power sources.
The prototype, which went through testing on groundwater wells in New Mexico, flaunted its ability to consistently produce up to 5,000 liters of water per day. Despite unexpected shifts in weather, it managed to convert over 94 percent of the electricity from the system's solar panels into clean, drinkable water. “By continually varying power consumption in sync with the sun, our technology directly and efficiently uses solar power to make water,” MIT's Germeshausen Professor of Mechanical Engineering and the director of the K. Lisa Yang Global Engineering and Research Center, Amos Winter, is quoted stating to MIT News.
The MIT system brings promise particularly to communities far from coasts and power grids, focusing on treating brackish groundwater which is an abundant but underutilized resource. Another benefit of the system is its responsiveness to the sun, dynamically adjusting to momentary changes like passing clouds, which amplifies the solar energy utility throughout the day. MIT PhD student in mechanical engineering Jonathan Bessette told MIT News, “This technology could bring sustainable, affordable clean water to underreached places around the world.”
The design-savvy team opted for electrodialysis over reverse osmosis due to the former's compatibility with their innovative “flow-commanded current control.” Shane Pratt, staff engineer on the project, explained, "Let’s say the sun is rising every few seconds,” Winter explains. “So, three times a second, we’re looking at the solar panels and saying, ‘Oh, we have more power — let’s bump up our flow rate and current a little bit.’ When we look again and see there’s still more excess power, we’ll up it again.’" This fast response time cuts the need for battery capacity in a huge way, according to the report from MIT News.
Moving forward, the team aims to further refine and scale up this system, with hopes to cater to even larger communities. In pursuing this vision, they are considering the establishment of a company to bring their groundbreaking technology to market, reflecting ongoing support from various institutions and companies such as the National Science Foundation, the Julia Burke Foundation, and the MIT Morningside Academy of Design.
