(84z) High-Efficiency Solar Evaporator System for Treating Brackish and Produced Water.

A high-efficiency solar evaporator designed to address the growing need for energy-efficient and innovative desalination systems. The solar evaporator is developed for treating brackish and produced water (BPW) in regions where water scarcity and quality issues are prevalent, utilizing cost-effective and reliable solar energy. The system features a high surface area coating of 1D nanostructures with a solar collector, integrated into a simple bulb housing with black-painted metal parts to maximize infrared absorption and preheat the water before entering the evaporation zone. To increase the evaporation rate of the solar evaporator, the surface is coated with a layer of unique 1D nanostructures called silica nano springs. The nano springs were prepared using the vapor-liquid-solid mechanism, and a thin layer of carbon was conformally coated on their surface using atmospheric pressure chemical vapor deposition. The study demonstrates that incorporating carbon-coated silica nano springs significantly improves the efficiency of the solar-driven desalination system, making it a simple and cost-effective method for effectively desalinating BPW for irrigation purposes. The use of nanomaterials in solar-powered desalination systems highlights their potential for improving efficiency and cost-effectiveness in water treatment.