Basically, this independent system places solar panels on a special gel, which can collect water vapor in the air. Once the residual heat of the panel touches the gel, the substance will release mist and enter a metal box. In this container, gas condenses into water droplets.
The motivation of the team is to provide cheap, clean and off-grid energy and water for residents in remote areas, especially in arid climate areas.
In the process of producing water almost on demand, these panels are solving several pressing global health problems. According to a report of our world in Data20 19, unsafe water causes an astonishing 654.38 million+230,000 deaths every year, especially those living in poverty. According to the website, by 2020, a quarter of people will still have no access to clean drinking water.
In addition, the climate crisis has greatly increased the drought risk in arid areas and directly endangered agricultural production. At the end of last year, the United Nations drew attention to the crop losses caused by the severe drought in Madagascar, and even thought that this disaster might lead to the first famine caused by climate change in the world.
"Ensuring that everyone on the planet has access to clean water and affordable clean energy is part of the sustainable development goals set by the United Nations," Wang Peng said. "I hope our design can become a decentralized power and water system, providing lighting and irrigation crops for families."
The solar panel system designed by Wang Peng team includes several levels.
First, put the solar panel on the hydrogel, which is famous for its water-holding ability. For example, contact lenses are also made of hydrogel. This soft, elastic plastic-like material helps to keep the film on the lens moist, so that your eyes will not be stimulated.
In their invention, the researchers developed a special type of hydrogel, which can absorb water vapor from the surrounding air, keep it inside, and then release it when heated. In this case, the heat source is the redundant and usually "wasted" energy of the solar panel.
Once heated, the gel begins to release water vapor, and a large metal box below collects the gas and condenses it into real water droplets. In return, it is said that hydrogels improve the efficiency of solar panels by nearly 10%. This is because when the panel absorbs too much heat, it lowers the temperature of the panel.
To prove its principle, the researchers built a prototype system and put it into use for two weeks when the weather in Saudi Arabia was very hot.
The solar panels they use are about the size of a classroom desk, and the total power generated is 15 19 WHr, which is enough to drive a Tesla for 7 miles. It also makes about two liters of water from the air.
These two liters of water were used to irrigate 60 spinach seeds planted in plastic boxes. According to the researchers, 57 of the 60 seeds germinated and grew to a normal 7 inches (18 cm). Next, Wang Peng and his colleagues plan to expand their model so that it can generate more electricity and water content.
Wang Peng said: "There are still some people in the world who have no access to clean water or green electricity. Many of them live in rural areas with arid or semi-arid climate. Our design uses clean energy that was originally wasted to make water from the air, which is suitable for establishing scattered small-scale farms in remote areas such as deserts and ocean islands. "