Hybrid AI-RSM design for enhanced thermal transfer in evaporative nanophotonic membranes for solar steam desalination

Zinc ion-induced MXene/CB self-assembled Superhydrophilic wood evaporators: Enabling high-efficiency solar interfacial desalination and pollutant degradation

Performance evaluation of a PCM-integrated solar hybrid adsorption desalination cooling system

Experimental investigation of solar desalination systems using low-cost thermal energy storage from waste glass micromaterials in paraffin wax

Hybrid hemispherical solar desalination using aluminum-enhanced PCM and PV-driven thermoelectric cooling

A Janus-structured photothermal evaporator with black phosphorus for efficient and salt-resistant solar desalination

Spatially decoupled cu-carbon black Plasmonic evaporator with convection-driven salt reflux for efficient solar desalination

Sodium alginate-based biomimetic crack-network Janus foam evaporator toward robust solar desalination, wastewater purification, and thermoelectric power generation.

Simultaneous water activation and ion repulsion by functionalizing cross-scale evaporation interfaces with MOF for sustainable solar desalination

Bioinspired 3D rolled evaporator with nanoconfined energy network for synergistic solar desalination and antibiotic degradation

Freshwater production through solar desalination (SDS) is still limited due to low efficiency. This study investigates the effect of transverse cylinder vibrations on the performance of a SDS. The thermal behavior of the SDS is simulated based on a two-dimensional model based on the finite volume method. The effects of parameters affecting the SDS performance such as the amplitude and frequency of oscillation, the location of the cylinder, the temporal patterns of amplitude changes, and the surface temperature of the absorber have been evaluated. The results show that the transverse cylinder oscillation improves the system indicators and causes up to a 1.68-fold increase in water production, a two-fold increase in thermal efficiency, and a 1.97-fold increase in exergy efficiency. Also, the exponentially decreasing amplitude profiles cause the formation of vortices earlier and enhance convective transport in the desalination plant. Definite oscillatory patterns, if properly timed, can increase the system efficiency by up to 68%. The effectiveness of transverse cylinder vibrations is a function of the cylinder position, so that the closer the oscillating cylinder is to the glass cover, the more mixing the boundary layer and the better penetration of vortices, facilitating heat and mass transfer. The effect of the parameters studied on the system performance was evaluated using Sobol sensitivity analysis, and the results indicate that the most effective parameter is the ratio of current to amplitude. Based on the data available in this research and the ANFIS model, the system performance was predicted with a coefficient of determination of R2 = 0. 99.

Solar-driven interfacial evaporation has emerged as a promising technology for freshwater production and energy sustainability. It leverages solar energy to efficiently evaporate water, enabling sustainable seawater desalination and wastewater purification. However, designing efficient evaporators that combine rapid water transport and high salt resistance remains a significant challenge. Drawing inspiration from the long-range ordered vasculature and anti-gravity water management mechanisms of taro stem, we fabricated a biomimetic aerogel featuring vertically aligned microchannels through a unidirectional freezing ice templating method. The aerogel integrates a core–shell SiC@C composite as a high-performance photothermal converter, a mechanically robust PVA/PAM double network forming the channel walls, and hydroxyapatite (HA) nanorods serving as both a thermal insulation skeleton and a mechanical reinforcement. In contrast to conventional aerogels with randomly oriented and tortuous pores, the biomimetic honeycomb architectures with vertically aligned channels endow the material with exceptional water transportation, thereby facilitating efficient salt ion diffusion and mitigating salt crystallization. Under 1 sun illumination (1 kW m−2), the aerogel achieves a high evaporation rate of 3.24 kg m−2 h−1, substantially outperforming most reported evaporators with disordered porous structures. The unique vertical channel configuration ensures continuous and stable desalination performance, highlighting its great potential as an effective solution to address global freshwater scarcity.

ABSTRACT The conventional pyramid solar still (PSS) suffers from low thermal efficiency and limited freshwater yield due to inadequate solar energy utilization and heat losses. To address these challenges, this study introduces the Floating Absorber Pyramid Solar Still (FAPSS), a novel design that employs buoyant cork elements as floating absorbers to enhance solar energy capture. Each absorber consists of a black-coated sheet metal panel and a hydrophilic wick that ensures continuous water transport via capillary action. Three configurations with four, six, and eight absorbers (FAPSS‑4A, FAPSS‑6A, FAPSS‑8A) are evaluated, and the optimal FAPSS‑6A design is further enhanced by external mirrors to amplify incident radiation, an electric fan for vapor extraction, and a silver‑nanoparticle‑enhanced phase change material (Ag‑nano‑PCM) for thermal energy storage. The dual‑phase thermal management stabilizes the system under varying irradiance and extends operation into nighttime hours. Experimental results show that FAPSS‑6A with reflectors and fan achieves a daily freshwater yield of 10,600 mL/m2 ·day – an increase of 194% in yield over the conventional PSS – and a thermal efficiency of 62%. Incorporating Ag‑nano‑PCM further raises the yield to 11,300 mL/m2 ·day, representing a 182% improvement. Economic analysis reveals a substantial reduction in water production cost: 0.011 $/L for FAPSS with reflectors and fan, and 0.012 $/L for the configuration with PCM, compared to 0.024 $/L for the conventional PSS. The proposed FAPSS system thus offers a highly efficient, cost‑effective, and sustainable solution for decentralized solar desalination. The work demonstrates a strong commitment to advancing the United Nations SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals), particularly Clean Water and Sanitation (SDG 6).

Solar-driven interfacial evaporation (SDIE) represents a sustainable solution to alleviate global water scarcity. While holding great promise, developing energy-efficient and salt-resistant systems remains a critical challenge. Here, we address this issue by establishing a multiphase-flow dynamics framework that couples water replenishment, vapor dissipation, salt rejection, and heat transfer. An integrated evaporation system is designed using bimodal porous polyvinyl alcohol-polyvinyl pyrrolidone hydrogels for synchronized water supply and salt reflux, perforated Juncus effusus stems to facilitate vapor generation and escape, and flat-band λ-Ti3O5 powders for broadband solar absorption. Under one-sun irradiation, the system achieves an exceptional evaporation rate of 11.2 kg m-2 h-1 (normalized to the top-illumination projected area) and an apparent efficiency of 278.3% (defined as the ratio of total energy gain from incident solar irradiation and environmental heat harvesting to solar input). Notably, it operates stably in ~15 wt.% saline water without salt crystallization. Outdoor tests under natural sunlight yield a daily freshwater production of 39.8 L m-2 (normalized to the top-illumination projected area). This work presents a robust and scalable approach to sustained solar desalination by resolving energy, water, vapor, and salt management in SDIE systems.

Solar-driven interfacial evaporation technology represents a promising decentralized freshwater supply solution that can effectively alleviate global freshwater scarcity. However, the evaporation rate of conventional hydrogel evaporators is often limited by poor pore connectivity and salt-induced structural shrinkage. Inspired by the salting-out and salting-in behaviors of polymers, we fabricated a polyampholyte hydrogel through high-concentration sodium sulfate, which induces a salting-out effect to form an interconnected porous structure in the hydrogel. This hydrogel not only exhibits efficient transport channels in pure water but also demonstrates salting-in characteristics in seawater environments, effectively resisting salt-induced shrinkage. After functionalization with polypyrrole photothermal nanoparticles, the resulting evaporator achieved a high evaporation rate of approximately 2.18 kg·m-2·h-1 under 1.0 kW·m-2 irradiation in real seawater and maintained stable performance without decay over seven days of continuous operation. This study provides a scalable and environmentally friendly design strategy for high-performance hydrogels in sustainable solar desalination.

Structuring water transport pathway of chitosan/poly(vinyl alcohol) hydrogels towards achieving high-efficiency and salt-resistive solar desalination.

Janus-interface-enhanced passive multi-stage solar desalination for high-efficiency water production

Solar-driven interfacial evaporation (SDIE) technology demonstrates significant potential in seawater desalination, yet its evaporation efficiency and durability remain constrained by bottlenecks such as insufficient solar-to-thermal conversion efficiency, impeded water transport, and salt contamination accumulation. This study proposes a three-step strategy of "electrostatic self-assembly photoreduction-winding" to construct a coaxial rolled evaporator (CRE) comprising reduced rGO/Cu2O-OHNMs@MF. Based on nanomacro-scale codesign, this structure employs a p-n heterojunction array to drive photogenerated carrier separation and localized heat release, thereby reducing water vaporization enthalpy. Radial spiral slits form a gradient capillary network enabling rapid water supply and reverse diffusion of salt ions. The outer rGO pleated photothermal layer enhances solar energy capture while inhibiting salt crystallization. Under 1 kW m-2 irradiation, the CRE system achieves an evaporation rate of 2.58 kg m-2 h-1 with 97.19% efficiency, maintaining structural integrity under extreme conditions including pH = 1-14, 90 °C temperatures, ultrasonic agitation, and mechanical compression. After 20 consecutive cycles of operation in real seawater, the performance retention rate reaches 94.87%. The desalinated water meets WHO drinking water standards and supports normal wheat growth. Overall, this study provides innovative insights and practical solutions for highly efficient, salt-tolerant, antimicrobial, and scalable solar seawater desalination as well as agricultural irrigation technology.

ABSTRACT Coupling solar desalination with multi‐mechanism power generation offers a promising dual solution to water and energy crises, yet salt crystallization poses a major obstacle. Here, we present an integrated system featuring as multiple Donnan effects for salt‐resistant solar desalination and dual‐mode power generation. Leveraging the mechanisms of hydrogen bond differentials and Fe 3+ ‐tannic acid crosslinking, a ─SO 3 − ‐functionalized porous sponge evaporator (PSE‐SO 3 − ) was fabricated. Enabled by the Donnan effect of ─SO 3 − groups, the evaporator simultaneously resists salt accumulation and boosts hydrovoltaic power generation, thereby achieving a peak seawater evaporation rate of 4.19 kg m −2 h −1 under one‐sun irradiation while maintaining a salt‐free surface. Simultaneously, PSE2‐SO 3 − generated electricity via the hydrovoltaic effect, delivering outstanding power densities of 5.76/4.34 mW m −2 under one sun/dark conditions. Molecular dynamics simulations and in situ Raman spectroscopy confirmed Cl − interception and elucidated the H + ‐water interaction mechanism for power generation. Furthermore, integrating reverse electrodialysis based on the Donnan effect as an auxiliary strategy enhanced salt resistance of PSE2‐SO 3 − and delivered an osmotic power output of 0.804 W m −2 . Scale‐up of the self‐designed integrated system to an outdoor environment revealed synergistic performance outcomes, thereby establishing a pioneering demonstration platform for the efficient cogeneration of clean water and energy from seawater.

ABSTRACT With many challenges casting a shadow on the amount of fresh water available for human use. It has become essential to develop real solutions to produce fresh water in various ways, including using solar energy. The outputs and efficiencies available for conventional solar stills are somewhat limited. Many researchers have studied the possibility of modifying the design of solar stills to increase efficiency and productivity. In the present study, several modified designs were examined. The studies showed that the use of a Fresnel lens coupled with a single‐slope, single‐basin design gives the best possible improvement in productivity of about 638.02%. While the remaining productivity improvements ranged from 24.8% to 370%, this review also concludes that the most suitable design for solar stills in industrial applications is the tubular type with a wick, while the single‐slope type is most suitable for domestic and personal use. The reviewed modifications demonstrated productivity enhancements ranging from 15% to 676% relative to the conventional solar still.