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One of the biggest concerns is the crisis caused by a shortage of freshwater. For this reason, several research groups are looking for ways to harness the planet’s large bodies of salt water.
Spain, for example, has desalination infrastructure to cope with droughts. However, this system poses a challenge when large amounts of brine have to be managed, a polluting liquid that is returned to the sea.
For this reason, the University of Rochester is developing a solar thermal alternative that makes it possible to treat seawater without generating polluting liquid waste.
The invention of the century: How does the breakthrough made by American researchers work?
The system developed by researchers at the University of Rochester aims to desalinate seawater using solar energy and special metal surfaces that are pre-treated with a laser. These plates absorb solar radiation and quickly convert it into heat.
Although desalination plants already existed, they needed large amounts of electrical energy, generated polluting liquid brine, and the water they produce is not suitable for human consumption, nor does it allow valuable minerals to be recovered.
How the new system works so water will no longer be in short supply
- Captures solar energy through black metal panels.
- The heat generated quickly evaporates seawater and leaves behind the salt and minerals.
- The water vapor cools and returns to a liquid state that no longer contains salt and becomes fresh water, ready to be purified and consumed.
- At the same time, the salts and minerals are not discarded and can be recovered for industrial use.
What saltwater bodies has the system already been used with?
According to what the University of Rochester reported, the system was tested with real samples of ocean water:
- Atlantic.
- Pacific.
- Indian.
What is the key mineral that this invention manages to recover in the process?
The mineral that the system developed by the University of Rochester is able to recover is lithium, one of the most important resources of the century because of its usefulness and prominence in batteries for electric vehicles, cell phones, laptops, and renewable energy storage systems.
According to the data shared from the research, approximately 50% of the lithium present in the seawater processed is recovered.