Researchers at MIT and Shanghai Jiao Tong University in Chinahave developeda solar-powered desalination gear that avoids salt buildup.
It’s cheap enough to produce and can provide a family with continuous drinking water for only $4.
The MIT team focused on developing a wick-free system instead.
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At 2.5 millimeters across, these holes can be easily made using commonly available waterjets.
“The challenge has been the salt fouling issue that people haven’t really addressed.
So, we see these very attractive performance numbers, but they’re often limited because of longevity.
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Over time, things will foul.”
Translating the team’s concept into workable commercial devices should be possible within a few years.
“I think a real opportunity is the developing world,” Wang said.
A Thirsty World
Theres an urgent need for drinking water in many countries.
But these treatment methods also generate a secondary waste stream.
