Pore-size engineered nanoporous silica for efficient adsorption cooling and desalination cycle

Ramy H Mohammed,Ming Su,Louis C Chow,Ruiqing Huo,Emanne Rashad

doi:10.1038/s41545-021-00129-y

Abstract

Adsorption cooling and desalination (ACD) system powered by renewable energy has been considered as a promising solution to solve interconnected global problems such as freshwater scarcity, high-cost air conditioning, CO2 emission, and global warming. In this work, a new nanoporous silica was synthesized through a self-assembly process using a combination of ionic and non-ionic surfactants. The silica has shown unique pore structures, including high surface area and large pore volume, as well as ideal pore size distribution. The new silica was deposited (coated) over the ligaments of aluminum foam for use as a sorption bed. An uncoated aluminum foam packed with conventional silica RD (regular density) particles serves as a baseline sorption bed. The freshwater production rate and cooling power produced using the two sorbents were compared. Silica RD outperforms the new silica for cooling while the new silica is far better for desalination application. Insights for such results are provided.

Highlights

The demands for freshwater and air conditioning are growing steadily worldwide; both freshwater and cooling power are not affordable or even available in many developing countries
Two adsorption beds were tested: aluminum foam packed with silica RD and aluminum foam coated with the new silica
The specific daily water production (SDWP), specific cooling power (SCP), and gained output ratio (GOR) were measured for the two sorption beds at various operating conditions

Summary

INTRODUCTION

The demands for freshwater and air conditioning are growing steadily worldwide; both freshwater and cooling power are not affordable or even available in many developing countries. Youssef et al.[16] presented numerical synthesize morphology-controlled nanomaterials at a relatively results for an adsorption cooling and desalination cycle using low cost These nanoporous materials should have large surface. To improve the productivity of the adsorption cycle, different condensation to fill the adsorbent pores to achieve high cooling adsorbents, other than silica gel and zeolite, have been developed. Han and Chakraborty[22] used UiO-66 (Zr), which is a MOF, with amino (–NH2) and hydroxyl (–OH) functional groups to enhance water vapor adsorption It was shown innovative, pore-size engineered nanoporous silica used as an adsorbent, and the evaluation of the performances of aluminum foam-based adsorption beds in an ACD cycle for adsorption cooling and desalination. Han and Chakraborty[25] investigated the

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

METHODS

Experimental setup