Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Sadam Hussain Soomro, Ravichandran Santosh, Chul-U Bak, Woo-Seung Kim, Young-Deuk Kim
Summary: This study investigates a dual-fluid preheating HDH system using a solar collector, proposing a simultaneous air-water solar heater (SAWSH) for improved performance. The research found that the dual preheated system outperformed single-fluid systems in terms of productivity and performance.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Guang-Rui Xu, Ning Zhang, Qiyan Sun, Wen Zhang, Zexing Wu, Lei Wang
Summary: Solar-driven water/seawater splitting system is an important renewable technology for obtaining hydrogen fuel. By adding an energy storage module between the photovoltaic system and electrolyzer, the development of solar-driven water/seawater splitting can be improved. A highly efficient and stable self-supportive trifunctional electrocatalyst has been developed, and a 24-hour integral water exchange system has been successfully established. This solar-powered uninterrupted overall water-splitting system opens up exciting opportunities for fully renewable and sustainable energy applications.
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Huan Ling, Jianchang Wu, Fengyu Su, Yanqing Tian, Yan Jun Liu
Summary: The study introduces a novel all-in-one gel electrochromic device powered by perovskite solar cells, which can automatically adjust light absorption in real-time based on surrounding light intensity. With high stability and energy conversion efficiency, the device shows significant potential for applications as modern intelligent windows.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2021)
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Dan Wei, Chengbing Wang, Jing Zhang, Heng Zhao, Yusuke Asakura, Miharu Eguchi, Xingtao Xu, Yusuke Yamauchi
Summary: This review provides a comprehensive understanding of theoretical analyses, general calculations, and characterization methods related to solar-powered water evaporation and outlines water activation mechanisms to reduce enthalpy. Furthermore, it summarizes the typical representative works and milestones in solar-powered vapor generation, aiming to provide a relatively complete development chain and introduce a faster insight into this direction.
ADVANCED MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Ali M. Aqlan, Musaed Aklan, Abdulmalik E. Momin
Summary: This study aims to develop a single solar still that is directly connected with a solar parabolic trough and does not utilize any heat exchanger. Through field experiments, it was found that the overall water productivity of the modified solar still increased by 177% compared to the conventional still. The study also proposed future investigation of a step-shaped conical unit for the same device, which appears more promising and easier to handle, install, and maintain.
Article
Energy & Fuels
Bing Hu, Jiajun Guo, Yu Yang, Youyuan Shao
Summary: This paper investigates the working fluid, system design, and influencing factors of solar-powered organic Rankine-vapor compression air conditioning. The results highlight the significant impact of working fluid temperature and condensation temperature on system performance. Through performance comparison, R123 is identified as a more suitable working fluid, demonstrating the thermodynamic feasibility of a solar-powered organic Rankine-vapor compression air-conditioning system.
Review
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Jiaming Sun, Tingting Wu, Hui Wu, Wei Li, Lei Li, Shouxin Liu, Jing Wang, Wim J. Malfait, Shanyu Zhao
Summary: By imitating natural water circulation, artificial water generation processes can produce clean water by utilizing readily available and inexhaustible solar energy. Aerogels offer a great potential due to their three-dimensional, monolithic structure and porous, interconnected network. This paper reviews the material specifications and structural designs that aim to improve the evaporation performance, and discusses the challenges and future perspectives for the commercialization of aerogel-based water production systems.
MATERIALS SCIENCE & ENGINEERING R-REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Ya Hu, Libo Chen, Zhigang Chai, Jiefang Zhu, Zhong Lin Wang, Shi-Li Zhang, Zhi-Bin Zhang
Summary: The study combined a triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG) with a dual-bandgap device to improve the efficiency of water splitting and significantly increase the energy of photo-generated carriers needed for hydrogen production. The synergy of photoexcitation and triboelectrics resulted in a substantial increase in the rate of hydrogen production.
Article
Thermodynamics
Sara Baddadi, Safa Skouri, Rabeb Ayed, Laxmikant Jathar, Salwa Bouadila
Summary: This study compares the performance of four solar collectors in an indirect forced convection solar dryer and finds that a pioneering heating unit increases the temperature by 30 degrees Celsius compared to other collectors. The heating unit has an annual energy consumption of 640 kWh/year and an energy payback period of 2.5 years, while reducing CO2 emissions by 39 tons.
APPLIED THERMAL ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Mengzhu Wang, Tianmeng Sun, Dehui Wan, Ming Dai, Shengjie Ling, Jialiang Wang, Yuqiu Liu, Ying Fang, Shuhan Xu, Jingjie Yeo, Haipeng Yu, Shouxin Liu, Qingwen Wang, Jian Li, Ya Yang, Zhuangjun Fan, Wenshuai Chen
Summary: The study introduces a novel strategy of utilizing solar energy to power a nanostructured biopolymer aerogel for atmospheric water harvesting, which shows high moisture absorption capacity and low energy consumption. This biopolymer can absorb water even at low relative humidity and easily collect liquid water under natural sunlight.
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Zhengtong Li, Xingtao Xu, Xinran Sheng, Peng Lin, Jing Tang, Likun Pan, Yusuf Valentino Kaneti, Tao Yang, Yusuke Yamauchi
Summary: This article provides a comprehensive overview of solar-powered technologies for alternative water utilization, including STID, STMD, SED, and ST-AWH. It discusses strategies for improving the evaporation rate of STID systems, as well as the fundamental principles and research hotspots of STMD and SED technologies. Additionally, it covers technology design, materials evolution, and device assembly of ST-AWH and other solar-powered technologies.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Feng Wu, Tafeng Hu, Junji Cao, Xiao Guo, Guohui Li, Ting Zhang, Yikun Yang, Chuanfeng Zhao, Daizhou Zhang
Summary: The release of reactive nitrogen compounds from deserts and the consequent active nitrogen cycle in desert air have been found, which have significant implications for the global nitrogen budget and the development of Earth ecosystems.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Zhiyong Wang, Xiangkun Jia, Panpan Zhang, Yannan Liu, Haoyuan Qi, Peng Zhang, Ute Kaiser, Sebastian Reineke, Renhao Dong, Xinliang Feng
Summary: The high-performance ECDs with a fully crystalline viologen-immobilized 2D polymer thin film demonstrate rapid switching speed, high coloration efficiency, and low energy consumption. By vertically integrating the V2DP ECDs with transparent solar cells, transmission-tunable, self-sustainable EC window prototypes were successfully fabricated.
ADVANCED MATERIALS
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Peng Wan, Xiaobin Gu, Xiaolong Ouyang, Shuyu Shi, Baolin Deng, Jiaqi Liu, Paul K. Chu, Xue-Feng Yu
Summary: The study introduces an inexpensive and versatile photothermal membrane made from basalt fibers, which exhibit excellent corrosion resistance in extreme environments and high water evaporation efficiency and energy utilization. The membrane can be hand washed multiple times without efficiency deterioration and easily scaled up to meet commercial needs.
SEPARATION AND PURIFICATION TECHNOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Shaik Afzal Mohiuddin, Ajay Kumar Kaviti, Talluri Srinivasa Rao, Shanmugasundaram Sakthivel
Summary: To address the water scarcity problem, solar desalination using a contactless nanostructure is a feasible solution. The nanostructure absorbs solar energy and reradiates it to water, resulting in water heating, evaporation, and condensation without direct contact with the water. Experimental results showed an increased productivity of 79.7% using a vertical mirror, compared to without mirror, inside the contactless nanostructure solar still. The contactless nature of the nanostructure also prevents salt deposition, extending its lifespan.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH
(2023)