Flexible batch electrodialysis for low-cost solar-powered brackish water desalination
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s44221-024-00213-w.pdf
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Published version
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1.97 MB
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Author(s)
He, Wei
Le Henaff, Anne-Claire
Amrose, Susan
Buonassisi, Tonio
Peters, Ian Marius
Winter, Amos G
Date Issued
April 1, 2024
Journal
Nature Water
Publisher
Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Citation
He, Wei, Le Henaff, Anne-Claire, Amrose, Susan, Buonassisi, Tonio, Peters, Ian Marius et al. 2024. "Flexible batch electrodialysis for low-cost solar-powered brackish water desalination." Nature Water, 2 (4).
Version
Final published version
Abstract
AbstractGlobally, 1.6 billion people in rural regions face water scarcity. Expanding freshwater access via brackish groundwater desalination can provide additional resources to address this challenge. In this study, we have developed a time-variant electrodialysis reversal (EDR) technology that flexibly uses available solar energy for desalination. Our proposed photovoltaic-powered desalination system can vary pumping and EDR power to match the availability of intermittent solar power, maximizing the desalination rate. Our results show improved system performance with the direct use of 77% of available solar energy—91% more than in conventional systems—and a 92% reduction in battery reliance. In a village-scale desalination case study in India, these system improvements lead to a 22% reduction in water cost, making the technology competitive with the currently used on-grid, village-scale reverse osmosis systems that are mainly powered by fossil fuels. Future advances could further reduce costs, providing an improved, sustainable solution to water scarcity in remote areas.
MIT Department
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Mechanical Engineering
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DOI of Published Version
https://doi.org/10.1038/s44221-024-00213-w
