SBIR Phase I: Low-Cost High-Efficiency Solar Desalination

小型企业创新研究(SBIR)第一阶段奖的更广泛的影响/商业潜力是通过开发一种直接由太阳能供电的低成本海水淡化技术。该技术结合了尖端纳米技术、聚光太阳能和创新紧凑的设计，可以将任何咸水或废水转化为可饮用的优质淡水，将阳光作为唯一的能源。这项研究将评估一种新型反应堆设计，该设计允许从阳光转化的热能被回收并多次重复使用，用于海水淡化和净化，所有这些都在一个紧凑、低成本的设备中完成。如果成功，这项技术可以为各种水挑战提供低成本、高能效和环境可持续的解决方案：为无法获得淡水或可靠电力供应的社区提供可靠和负担得起的饮用水；在离网的工业生产现场供应清洁水；从市政和工业废水中回收清洁水；最大限度地减少向环境排放充满污染物的废流。这个SBIR第一期项目旨在开发一种直接由太阳能供电的高效率、低成本的海水淡化技术。这项研究追求的两项创新大大提高了一种新的海水淡化过程的性能：纳米光子增强太阳能膜蒸馏(NESMD)。首先，一种新的膜组件设计(正在申请专利)可以在紧凑、低成本的组件中实现多效太阳能热膜蒸馏；其次，将多效组件设计与低成本太阳能聚光器相结合，将提供驱动多效过程所需的高强度太阳辐射，同时保持高膜通量。目标是将获得的产出比(GOR)提高5倍。高的GOR值将减少海水淡化的单位能耗，并提高单位辐射面积的产水率。建议的研究包括：(1)构建演示多级热回收的多效NESMD模块；(2)模拟模块中的非线性、耦合的热、动量和质量传递；(3)确定太阳集中度的影响；(4)确定操作条件和给水水质的影响。模型模拟将指导设计、原型测试和优化，而实验研究结果将用于改进工艺模型。技术经济分析将把拟议的技术与现有的海水淡化技术进行比较。这一奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I award is through the development of a low-cost desalination technology directly powered by sunlight. Combining cutting-edge nanotechnology, concentrating solar power, and innovative and compact design, the technology can convert any saline water or wastewater to potable quality fresh water using sunlight as the only energy source. The research will evaluate a novel reactor design that allows the thermal energy converted from sunlight to be recovered and reused multiple times for desalination and purification of saline water, all in one compact, low cost device. If successful, this technology could provide a low-cost, energy-efficient, and environmentally sustainable solution to a wide range of water challenges: providing reliable and affordable drinking water for communities that lack access to fresh water or reliable power supplies; supplying clean water at off-grid industrial production sites; recovering clean water from municipal and industrial wastewaters; minimizing discharge of contaminants-laden waste streams to the environment. This SBIR Phase I project aims to develop a high efficiency, low cost desalination technology directly powered by sunlight. The research pursues two innovations that greatly enhance the performance of a novel desalination process: nanophotonics enhanced solar membrane distillation (NESMD). First, a novel membrane module design (patent pending) could achieve multi-effect solarthermal membrane distillation in a compact, low-cost module; second, coupling the multi-effect module design with a low-cost solar concentrator would deliver high intensity solar irradiation necessary to drive a multi-effect process while maintaining high membrane flux. The goal is to increase in the gained output ratio (GOR) by a factor of 5. The high GOR value will reduce the specific energy consumption for desalination, and enhance water production rate per irradiated area. Proposed research includes (1) constructing a multi-effect NESMD module that demonstrates multi-stage heat recovery, (2) modeling the nonlinear, and coupled heat, momentum, and mass transfer in the module, (3) determining the effect of solar concentration, and (4) determining the effect of operating conditions and feed water quality. Model simulations will guide design, prototype testing, and optimization, while experimental research results will be used to improve the process model. Technoeconomic analysis will compare the proposed technology with existing desalination technologies.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.