האתגר של מי שתייה בטוחים: מערכת חדשנית לטיהור מים מבוססת אנרגיה סולארית בעלות נמוכה

Study describes a novel portable סולרי-steaming collection system with polymer origami which can collect and purify מַיִם בעלות נמוכה מאוד

יש ביקוש עולמי הולך וגובר לנקות מַיִם owing to population growth, industrialization and contamination and depletion of our של כוכב הלכת משאבים טבעיים. סולרי-steaming is a technique in which אנרגיה סולארית can be used to purify מַיִם by evaporating contaminated מַיִם, re condensing it and producing fresh clean מַיִם. This technique is a clean, renewable and sustainable green technology which has the potential to address global scarcity of clean water by utilizing the abundance of סולרי energy. The strength and efficiency of a סולרי-steaming system depends on its design and choice of photothermal materials. Current סולרי-steaming technologies use expensive, bulky materials and have low efficiency and limited output. It has remained a challenge to enhance performance and lower costs in order to design a light weight and portable סולרי-steaming system which can be directly used by individuals.

במחקר חדש שפורסם ב-28 במאי ב חומרים מתקדמים researchers describe a novel method for סולרי steaming by designing a low cost portable low-pressure controlled סולרי steaming collection system which can collect and purify מַיִם using energy from sunlight. They chose a photothermal polymer material called Polypyrrole (PPy) which is conductive in nature, is well-known for its photothermal properties and exhibits high efficiency in converting solar light into thermal heat. Inspired from the flower rose, the unique design of this solar steaming system is made of 3D origami PPy-paper composites. A ‘PPy rose’ which constitutes of layered black sheets shaped as petals was created via origami folding and chemical polymerization of PPy. This origami structure is attached to a stem-like cotton infused tube which collects raw/untreated water from a water source and feeds it to the PPy rose structure placed on the top. Cotton infused tube and Polystyrene foam were used to prevent direct contact between PPy material and bulk water.

Once untreated מַיִם reached the petals, PPy material in the flower structure turns מַיִם into steam and impurities naturally separate from the water. Subsequently, the water vapor needs to be condensed and then clean water needs to collected for use. Researchers used a low-pressure condition by using a portable vacuum pump. This was seen to significantly enhance the rates of both water evaporation and water collection. Once water is condensed, the compact and sturdy collecting glass jar securely stores clean water.

The 3D origamis provided significantly higher absorption of light and enhanced surface areas for מַיִם evaporation in comparison to a conventional 2D planar design. The water evaporation and collection rate is enhanced by 52 percent due to lowering of chamber pressure. PPy origami improved water evaporation by 71 percent and higher steam collection rates were also seen. The overall efficiency of the system increased by 91.5 percent under one light source. The system was tested on a sample from Colorado river in Texas, USA. The system removed contamination of water in the form of heavy metals, bacteria, salt and alleviates alkalinity producing clean water of drinking standards as set by WHO.

המחקר הנוכחי מתאר תכנון רציונלי חדש של מערכת איסוף סולרית ניידת בעלות נמוכה עם חומרים פוטותרמיים אוריגמי תלת מימדיים, המציעה קצבים משופרים של אידוי מים ואיסוף אדים. העלות של כל מבנה דמוי פרח היא פחות מ-3 סנט והוא יכול להפיק בהצלחה 2 ליטר מים נקיים לשעה למ"ר. עיצוב זה יכול להוות השראה לייצור דגמים ייחודיים של קיטור סולארי לייצור מים נקיים.

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{תוכל לקרוא את עבודת המחקר המקורית על ידי לחיצה על קישור ה-DOI המופיע להלן ברשימת המקורות המצוטטים}

מקור (ים)

Li, W. et al. 2019. יחידת איסוף שמש ניידת בלחץ נמוך עם פוליפירול אוריגמיס. חומרים מתקדמים. http://doi.org/10.1002/adma.201900720