Chapter 8 - Nanoparticles-enhanced energy storage materials in solar thermal desalination

Abstract

As the demand for freshwater continues to rise, increasing attention is directed to solar desalination technology as a solution to water scarcity. Different solar desalination techniques are being used in household and industrial applications. The major shortcoming of solar desalination is the dependence on continuous sunlight allowing them to function only during daytime. Thermal energy storage has been developed to remedy this issue and enabled the operation throughout the night. Phase change materials (PCMs) are commonly used to store thermal energy. However, PCMs have limited thermal conductivities and heat transfer rates. To overcome these drawbacks, nanoparticles have been enhanced with PCMs. The morphology of nanoparticles improves the thermophysical properties of the PCM (base material). This chapter is divided into three major sections: solar desalination, thermal energy storage in solar desalination, and nanoparticles for energy storage materials in solar desalination. In the first section, solar thermal desalination systems are discussed, including the working, principles, mechanism, and shortcomings. In the second section, different types of thermal energy storage are discussed focusing on materials, applications in solar desalination systems, limitations, and future research prospects. In the last section, the use of nanoparticles is explained in detail, along with their potential application in thermal energy storage to improve the performance of different solar desalination systems. Finally, the future potential is also discussed to help the researchers to identify the research gap and to improve solar thermal desalination further using PCMs and nanoparticles.