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Contactless steam generation and superheating under one sun illumination

Author

Listed:
  • Thomas A. Cooper

    (Massachusetts Institute of Technology
    York University)

  • Seyed H. Zandavi

    (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)

  • George W. Ni

    (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)

  • Yoichiro Tsurimaki

    (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)

  • Yi Huang

    (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)

  • Svetlana V. Boriskina

    (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)

  • Gang Chen

    (Massachusetts Institute of Technology)

Abstract

Steam generation using solar energy provides the basis for many sustainable desalination, sanitization, and process heating technologies. Recently, interest has arisen for low-cost floating structures that absorb solar radiation and transfer energy to water via thermal conduction, driving evaporation. However, contact between water and the structure leads to fouling and pins the vapour temperature near the boiling point. Here we demonstrate solar-driven evaporation using a structure not in contact with water. The structure absorbs solar radiation and re-radiates infrared photons, which are directly absorbed by the water within a sub-100 μm penetration depth. Due to the physical separation from the water, fouling is entirely avoided. Due to the thermal separation, the structure is no longer pinned at the boiling point, and is used to superheat the generated steam. We generate steam with temperatures up to 133 °C, demonstrating superheated steam in a non-pressurized system under one sun illumination.

Suggested Citation

  • Thomas A. Cooper & Seyed H. Zandavi & George W. Ni & Yoichiro Tsurimaki & Yi Huang & Svetlana V. Boriskina & Gang Chen, 2018. "Contactless steam generation and superheating under one sun illumination," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 9(1), pages 1-10, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:9:y:2018:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-018-07494-2
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-018-07494-2
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    Cited by:

    1. Lenan Zhang & Xiangyu Li & Yang Zhong & Arny Leroy & Zhenyuan Xu & Lin Zhao & Evelyn N. Wang, 2022. "Highly efficient and salt rejecting solar evaporation via a wick-free confined water layer," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-12, December.
    2. Morciano, Matteo & Fasano, Matteo & Bergamasco, Luca & Albiero, Alessandro & Lo Curzio, Mario & Asinari, Pietro & Chiavazzo, Eliodoro, 2020. "Sustainable freshwater production using passive membrane distillation and waste heat recovery from portable generator sets," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 258(C).
    3. Yajie Hu & Hongyun Ma & Mingmao Wu & Tengyu Lin & Houze Yao & Feng Liu & Huhu Cheng & Liangti Qu, 2022. "A reconfigurable and magnetically responsive assembly for dynamic solar steam generation," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 13(1), pages 1-12, December.
    4. Shuqi Xu & Alice J. Hutchinson & Mahdiar Taheri & Ben Corry & Juan F. Torres, 2024. "Thermodiffusive desalination," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-13, December.
    5. Yu, Zhen & Cheng, Shaoan & Gu, Ruonan & Li, Yihang & Dai, Shaoling & Mao, Zhengzhong, 2021. "Interfacial solar evaporator for clean water production and beyond: From design to application," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 299(C).

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