Solar device converts salt water into drinking water at record speed - Earth.com
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A new, compact solar powered device can turn seawater into safe, drinkable water - without any outside energy needed.
This system keeps the sun-heated surface clean & moves salt to the edges, so evaporation doesn't stop.
The device's surface warms up to 117° in one hour, which keeps heat loss low.
Inside is a black oxide crystal that turns light into heat & concentrates all the warmth where it does the most work.
This heat forms where air & water meet, allowing no energy to be wasted on warming up the whole tank.
Saltwater climbs up thru tiny tubes due to the flow from surface tension.
The device's design channels water from one end, while salt concentrates at another edge.
Because all the salt ends up at one edge, it can be collected - instead of being returned to the ocean.
In early tests, the prototype worked for two weeks straight - in water with a 20% salinity.
In winter, it made 2½ pounds of safe water in 6 hours - for every square foot.
The device's modular body allows the addition or removal of units, allowing local water needs to be matched with the device's output.
Also, repairs are easier, as faulty units can be replaced without interrupting the whole setup.
Field tests suggest that unit arrays should be placed near shorelines or brackish pools & wells for best returns.
Of course, this is just the prototype.
Better condensers will harvest more drinkable water & will also keep any maintenance bills low...
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