Publication
Enhancing efficiency in solar non-intrusive desalination: solar still prototype optimization in Southwest Europe
| dc.contributor.author | Pacheco, André | |
| dc.contributor.author | Sequeira, Claudia | |
| dc.contributor.author | Gomes Moreira da Silva, Manuela Fernanda | |
| dc.contributor.author | Serrão Sousa, Vânia | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2025-02-17T10:33:00Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2025-02-17T10:33:00Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2025-04 | |
| dc.description.abstract | Access to freshwater is a pressing global challenge. Despite being irreplaceable freshwater is an increasingly scarce resource, especially in regions as Southern Europe, due to high human pressure and climate change. Solar desalination presents a low impact solution to produce freshwater from seawater, particularly in sun-rich regions. The main goal of this study was to develop a modular solar desalination system based on a non-intrusive approach, with simple assemblage, installation, and maintenance, to produce freshwater for non-potable purposes. The modular design was chosen to allow scalability and adaptability, enabling effective response to variable water demands in small island communities. The case study is a small island from Algarve, Portugal (Southwest Europe). The study evaluates the performance enhancements accomplished by transitioning from an initial prototype solar desalination unit, smaller and with a simple design, to an enhanced pilot-scale system designed to improve efficiency and water output. The research showed that both systems exhibit a high conductivity removal (higher than 99 %), demonstrating the potential of this technology to produce freshwater from seawater, delivering high-quality desalinated water, across different seasons. Prototype 1 demonstrated limited productivity, around 0.45 L/day.m2, while pilot-scale unit presented a productivity of approximately 6 L/day.m2 in summertime. This substantial improvement reflects the design modifications implemented in the pilot-scale unit, positioning it as a valuable option for water desalination in regions with abundant solar resources. These findings confirm the strong potential of solar desalination as a non-intrusive and effective solution and lays the groundwork for future advancements, focusing on maximising efficiency by exploring innovative materials to enhance solar energy absorption and optimizing operational conditions. | eng |
| dc.description.sponsorship | CIND/CP1731/CT0002 | |
| dc.identifier.doi | 10.1016/j.desal.2024.118421 | |
| dc.identifier.issn | 0011-9164 | |
| dc.identifier.uri | http://hdl.handle.net/10400.1/26800 | |
| dc.language.iso | eng | |
| dc.peerreviewed | yes | |
| dc.publisher | Elsevier | |
| dc.relation | Overcoming existent barriers to support blue economy growth | |
| dc.relation | Centre for Marine and Environmental Research (CIMA) | |
| dc.relation.ispartof | Desalination | |
| dc.rights.uri | http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ | |
| dc.subject | Solar desalination | |
| dc.subject | Freshwater productivity | |
| dc.subject | Water quality assessment | |
| dc.subject | Sustainable water management | |
| dc.subject | Solar radiation | |
| dc.title | Enhancing efficiency in solar non-intrusive desalination: solar still prototype optimization in Southwest Europe | eng |
| dc.type | journal article | |
| dspace.entity.type | Publication | |
| oaire.awardTitle | Overcoming existent barriers to support blue economy growth | |
| oaire.awardTitle | Centre for Marine and Environmental Research (CIMA) | |
| oaire.awardURI | info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/FCT/CEEC IND 3ed/2020.00994.CEECIND%2FCP1613%2FCT0001/PT | |
| oaire.awardURI | info:eu-repo/grantAgreement/FCT/6817 - DCRRNI ID/UIDP%2F00350%2F2020/PT | |
| oaire.citation.startPage | 118421 | |
| oaire.citation.title | Desalination | |
| oaire.citation.volume | 598 | |
| oaire.fundingStream | CEEC IND 3ed | |
| oaire.fundingStream | 6817 - DCRRNI ID | |
| oaire.version | http://purl.org/coar/version/c_970fb48d4fbd8a85 | |
| person.familyName | Pacheco | |
| person.familyName | Sequeira | |
| person.familyName | Gomes Moreira da Silva | |
| person.familyName | Serrão Sousa | |
| person.givenName | André | |
| person.givenName | Claudia | |
| person.givenName | Manuela Fernanda | |
| person.givenName | Vânia | |
| person.identifier.ciencia-id | 8014-35C4-8806 | |
| person.identifier.ciencia-id | D814-ADE8-29F8 | |
| person.identifier.ciencia-id | 4A17-D88F-F5DE | |
| person.identifier.ciencia-id | 3D18-B03F-52FB | |
| person.identifier.orcid | 0000-0002-8340-0629 | |
| person.identifier.orcid | 0000-0002-3817-4511 | |
| person.identifier.orcid | 0000-0002-3331-8280 | |
| person.identifier.orcid | 0000-0002-3800-1688 | |
| person.identifier.rid | C-9664-2019 | |
| person.identifier.scopus-author-id | 55432603300 | |
| person.identifier.scopus-author-id | 56770919100 | |
| project.funder.identifier | http://doi.org/10.13039/501100001871 | |
| project.funder.identifier | http://doi.org/10.13039/501100001871 | |
| project.funder.name | Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia | |
| project.funder.name | Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia | |
| relation.isAuthorOfPublication | aecc29d7-ccf7-4c43-bcae-fbcdfef724c8 | |
| relation.isAuthorOfPublication | ebb01a35-ba85-45f8-b014-90f183c53dd5 | |
| relation.isAuthorOfPublication | 96993ef6-8e1c-4475-8b9c-2b6650e27309 | |
| relation.isAuthorOfPublication | 6f5ba6dd-2326-47fb-a278-85ce38b81c64 | |
| relation.isAuthorOfPublication.latestForDiscovery | aecc29d7-ccf7-4c43-bcae-fbcdfef724c8 | |
| relation.isProjectOfPublication | 623a2579-1c0c-449e-915b-61244eb452cb | |
| relation.isProjectOfPublication | 62b4d568-8b21-464c-97ed-de826eab4136 | |
| relation.isProjectOfPublication.latestForDiscovery | 623a2579-1c0c-449e-915b-61244eb452cb |