A seawater distiller

By designing the angle between the photothermal conversion section and the evaporation section in the seawater still, and combining the water supply component and the condensation component, the problems of optical loss and steam operation resistance caused by the condensation structure are solved, realizing an efficient and stable seawater desalination process, reducing equipment costs, and making it suitable for remote areas.

CN120136218BActive Publication Date: 2026-05-26DONGGUAN UNIV OF TECH
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Patent Information

Authority / Receiving Office
CN · China
Patent Type
Patents(China)
Current Assignee / Owner
DONGGUAN UNIV OF TECH
Filing Date
2025-03-27
Publication Date
2026-05-26

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

In existing seawater desalination technologies, the condensation structure leads to significant optical losses and steam flow resistance, requires high-quality materials and is costly, and insufficient water supply can easily clog water supply channels, making it difficult to promote in remote areas.

Method used

The seawater distiller is designed with the photothermal conversion section and the evaporation section set at an angle. Combined with the water supply component and the condensation component, the light absorption layer and the water evaporation layer are decoupled. Thermoelectric modules and unidirectional heat transfer components are used to improve energy efficiency. Low-cost capillary materials are used for water supply, and the evaporation and condensation processes are optimized by combining the heat exchange section.

Benefits of technology

It improves heat and mass transfer efficiency, reduces steam diffusion resistance, ensures the continuity and stability of the distillation process, reduces equipment costs, and enables all-weather, high-efficiency seawater desalination.

✦ Generated by Eureka AI based on patent content.

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Abstract

This invention discloses a seawater distiller, comprising: a water evaporation module, which includes a photothermal conversion section and an evaporation section, arranged at an angle to each other. The photothermal conversion section absorbs sunlight and converts it into heat energy, which is then transferred to the evaporation section; and a condensation module, which includes a condensation component, a water supply component, and a collection component with a receiving cavity. The receiving cavity contains the condensation component and the water supply component. The surface of the water supply component can draw the liquid to be distilled into the receiving cavity, and the condensation component is used to condense the water vapor in the receiving cavity. The evaporation section is located within the receiving cavity, the photothermal conversion section is located outside the collection component, and the water supply component is located between the evaporation section and the condensation component. The evaporation section is used to evaporate the liquid to be distilled from the water supply component. The technical solution of this invention aims to solve the problems of optical loss and high steam flow resistance caused by the condensation structure in existing structures, as well as the high requirements and high cost of interface evaporation materials.
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Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of seawater distillation technology, and in particular to a seawater still. Background Technology

[0002] The global water shortage is severe, and seawater desalination, as an important way to supplement water resources, has attracted much attention. Existing seawater desalination technologies, such as reverse osmosis, multi-effect distillation, and multi-stage flash distillation, can produce large amounts of fresh water, but their complex equipment structures and high investment and maintenance costs make them difficult to widely implement in remote areas and island regions with insufficient infrastructure.

[0003] Solar distillation relies on solar radiation to heat seawater, then evaporates and condenses to obtain fresh water. It requires no moving parts, has a simple structure, is environmentally friendly, and has wide applications. However, its water production per unit area is low, requiring a relatively large footprint in practical applications.

[0004] Photothermal interface evaporation, as a highly efficient solar evaporation technology, realizes the "light-heat-steam" process based on the thermal localization method, and has great potential in fields such as seawater desalination.

[0005] However, existing photothermal interface evaporation devices employ an upward-facing condensation structure, and the condensation plates made of transparent polymers or glass present numerous problems. For example, droplets can block some sunlight, causing optical loss; the large distance between the evaporation and condensation surfaces results in low heat and mass transfer coefficients and high vapor diffusion resistance; transparent materials have poor thermal conductivity, high condensation thermal resistance, and difficulty in vapor condensation. In terms of materials, since light absorption and water evaporation occur on the same surface, materials with both high light absorption and excellent water evaporation properties need to be developed. However, the functional modification technology for such materials is difficult and costly, and it is difficult to balance stability and durability. Furthermore, existing photothermal conversion materials struggle to provide adequate water supply; insufficient water supply can lead to the accumulation of salt crystals on the material surface, reflecting sunlight, blocking water supply channels, and hindering continuous operation of the photothermal interface evaporation. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The main objective of this invention is to provide a seawater still that addresses the problems of optical loss and high steam resistance caused by the condensation structure in existing designs, as well as the high requirements and cost of interface evaporation materials.

[0007] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides a seawater still comprising:

[0008] A water evaporation module, comprising a photothermal conversion section and an evaporation section, wherein the photothermal conversion section and the evaporation section are arranged at an angle, the photothermal conversion section is used to absorb sunlight and convert it into heat energy, and the heat energy can be transferred to the evaporation section;

[0009] A condensation module includes a condensation component, a water supply component, and a collection component with a receiving cavity. The receiving cavity contains the condensation component and the water supply component. The surface of the water supply component can draw the liquid to be distilled into the receiving cavity. The condensation component is used to condense the water vapor in the receiving cavity.

[0010] The evaporation section is located inside the receiving cavity, the photothermal conversion section is located outside the collecting component, and the water supply component is provided between the evaporation section and the condensing component. The evaporation section is used to evaporate the liquid to be distilled from the water supply component.

[0011] In some embodiments of the present invention, the water supply component includes an absorption section disposed outside the collection mechanism, a preheating section extending from the receiving cavity, and a water supply section.

[0012] The extraction section is used to extract the liquid to be distilled, the preheating section is close to or abuts the side of the condensing member facing away from the evaporation section, and the water supply section extends between the evaporation section and the condensing member.

[0013] In some embodiments of the present invention, the seawater distiller further includes a thermoelectric module, which includes a thermoelectric semiconductor, a unidirectional heat transfer component, a storage battery, and a photovoltaic component; the unidirectional heat transfer component is close to or abuts the photothermal conversion section, the thermoelectric semiconductor abuts the unidirectional heat transfer component, the photovoltaic component is electrically connected to the storage battery, and the storage battery is electrically connected to the thermoelectric semiconductor.

[0014] In some embodiments of the present invention, the unidirectional heat transfer component includes a metal cavity, a heat-conducting liquid disposed in the metal cavity, and a plurality of spaced ribs, wherein the ribs are disposed at the bottom of the metal cavity.

[0015] In some embodiments of the present invention, the heat-conducting fluid occupies 10-40% of the volume of the metal cavity.

[0016] In some embodiments of the present invention, the height of the rib accounts for 20%-50% of the height of the metal cavity.

[0017] In some embodiments of the present invention, the thermoelectric module further includes a heat exchanger disposed at the bottom of the thermoelectric semiconductor, the heat exchanger being able to be immersed in the liquid to be distilled for absorbing ambient heat.

[0018] In some embodiments of the present invention, the condensing member includes a heat exchange section extending from the inside to the outside of the receiving cavity, the heat exchange section being immersed in the liquid to be distilled.

[0019] In some embodiments of the present invention, the water evaporation module has an inverted U-shaped structure, including a horizontally arranged light conversion section and evaporation sections located at both ends of the light conversion section, and the evaporation sections at both ends are provided with the condensation module.

[0020] In some embodiments of the present invention, the photothermal conversion section uses a photothermal material with a wide spectrum of high absorptivity and low emissivity, and the photothermal material is attached to the top of the photothermal conversion section by spraying or anodizing process; a heat-insulating film with high light transmittance is adhered to the photothermal conversion section.

[0021] This invention achieves decoupling of the light absorption layer and water evaporation layer by setting the photothermal conversion section and evaporation section at an angle. This solves the problem of condensed droplets obstructing incident light in existing structures and avoids optical loss caused by droplets adhering to the condensation plate and blocking some sunlight. Simultaneously, this structure improves the design flexibility of the evaporation and condensation devices, reducing the distance between the evaporation and condensation surfaces and lowering steam diffusion resistance. This allows steam to be transported more smoothly from the evaporation section to the condensation component, improving heat and mass transfer efficiency and thus enhancing the overall performance of the seawater still. The water supply component draws the liquid to be distilled, providing the necessary water source for the evaporation section and ensuring the continuity of the distillation process. The condensation component condenses the water vapor in the receiving cavity, converting it into liquid fresh water, which is then collected in the collection component, achieving the purpose of seawater desalination. The evaporation section, located inside the receiving cavity and opposite to the condensation component, can efficiently carry out the evaporation and condensation processes within a limited space. The photothermal conversion section, located outside the collection component, can fully receive sunlight, improving the photothermal conversion efficiency. The water supply component between the evaporation section and the condensation component not only serves to transport the liquid to be distilled, but also forms a compact regenerative element with the condensation component. Through heat exchange, the latent heat of steam condensation is used to preheat the seawater to be evaporated, thereby improving the system's energy efficiency, reducing energy waste, and increasing the energy utilization rate of the distiller. Attached Figure Description

[0022] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on the structures shown in these drawings without creative effort.

[0023] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the seawater distillation apparatus of the present invention;

[0024] Figure 2 This is an exploded view of the structure of the seawater distillation apparatus of the present invention;

[0025] Figure 3 This is a partial cross-sectional schematic diagram of the seawater distillation apparatus of the present invention;

[0026] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the thermoelectric module of the present invention.

[0027] Explanation of icon numbers:

[0028] 100-Water evaporation module; 110-Photothermal conversion section; 120-Evaporation section; 200-Condensation module; 210-Condensation component; 211-Heat exchange section; 220-Water supply component; 221-Water intake section; 222-Preheating section; 223-Water supply section; 230-Collection component; 300-Thermoelectric module; 310-One-way heat transfer component; 311-Metal cavity; 312-Fin; 320-Battery; 330-Photovoltaic component; 340-Heat exchanger; 350-Thermoelectric semiconductor.

[0029] The realization of the objective, functional features and advantages of the present invention will be further explained in conjunction with the embodiments and with reference to the accompanying drawings. Detailed Implementation

[0030] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present invention, and not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0031] It should be noted that all directional indications (such as up, down, left, right, front, back, etc.) in the embodiments of the present invention are only used to explain the relative positional relationship and movement of each component in a certain specific posture (as shown in the figure). If the specific posture changes, the directional indication will also change accordingly.

[0032] Furthermore, the use of terms such as "first" and "second" in this invention is for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying their relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, a feature defined with "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include at least one of that feature. Additionally, the technical solutions of the various embodiments can be combined with each other, but only on the basis of being achievable by those skilled in the art. When the combination of technical solutions is contradictory or impossible to implement, the user should consider such a combination of technical solutions to be non-existent and not within the scope of protection claimed by this invention.

[0033] See appendix Figure 1-4 This invention proposes a seawater distiller, comprising:

[0034] The water evaporation module 100 includes a photothermal conversion section 110 and an evaporation section 120, which are arranged at an angle. The photothermal conversion section 110 absorbs sunlight and converts it into heat energy, which is then transferred to the evaporation section 120. By arranging the photothermal conversion section 110 and the evaporation section 120 at an angle, a decoupling design of the light absorption layer and the water evaporation layer is achieved. This solves the problem in existing photothermal interface evaporation devices that use an upward condensation structure, where the condensation plate made of transparent polymer or glass causes condensation droplets to obstruct incident light. It avoids optical loss caused by droplets adhering to the condensation plate and blocking some of the sunlight. Simultaneously, this structure improves the design flexibility of the evaporation and condensation devices, allowing for a reduction in the distance between the evaporation and condensation surfaces, lowering steam diffusion resistance, and enabling steam to migrate more smoothly from the evaporation section 120 to the condensation component 210. This improves heat and mass transfer efficiency and thus enhances the overall performance of the seawater still.

[0035] The condensation module 200 includes a condensation component 210, a water supply component 220, and a collection component 230 with a receiving cavity. The receiving cavity houses the condensation component 210 and the water supply component 220. The surface of the water supply component 220 can draw the liquid to be distilled into the receiving cavity. The condensation component 210 condenses the water vapor in the receiving cavity. The water supply component 220 draws the liquid to be distilled, providing the necessary water source for the evaporation section 120, ensuring the continuity of the distillation process. The condensation component 210 condenses the water vapor in the receiving cavity, converting it into liquid fresh water, which is then collected in the collection component 230, achieving the purpose of seawater desalination.

[0036] The system comprises an evaporation section 120 located within the containment cavity, a photothermal conversion section 110 located outside the collection component 230, and a water supply section 223 of the water supply component 220 installed between the evaporation section 120 and the condensation component 210. The evaporation section 120 evaporates the liquid to be distilled from the water supply section 223. Located within the containment cavity and opposite to the condensation component 210, the evaporation and condensation processes can be carried out efficiently within a limited space. The photothermal conversion section 110, located outside the collection component 230, can fully receive sunlight, improving the photothermal conversion efficiency. The preheating section 222 of the water supply component 220 is installed between the inner wall of the condensation component 210 and the collection component 230. It not only transports the liquid to be distilled but also forms a compact regenerative element with the condensation component 210. Through heat exchange, the latent heat of steam condensation is used to preheat the seawater to be evaporated, thereby improving the system's energy efficiency, reducing energy waste, and increasing the energy utilization rate of the distiller.

[0037] The water supply component 220 includes an intake section located outside the collection mechanism, a preheating section 222 extending from the receiving cavity, and a water supply section 223. The intake section is used to intake the liquid to be distilled. The preheating section 222 abuts against the side of the condensing component 210 facing away from the evaporating section 120. The water supply section 223 extends between the evaporating section 120 and the condensing component 210 and abuts against the evaporating section 120. The intake section can intake the liquid to be distilled from outside the collection mechanism, expanding the range of water sources and ensuring a sufficient supply of the liquid to be distilled. The preheating section 222 is close to or abuts against the side of the condensing component 210 facing away from the evaporating section 120, which can make full use of the latent heat of condensation of steam to preheat the intake liquid to be distilled, improving energy utilization efficiency and reducing the additional energy consumption for heating the liquid to be distilled. The water supply section 223 extends between the evaporation section 120 and the condensation component 210, accurately delivering the preheated liquid to be distilled to the evaporation section 120, ensuring the stable operation of the evaporation process. It also helps maintain the heat and mass transfer balance between the evaporation section 120 and the condensation component 210, improving the water production efficiency and stability of the seawater still. The water intake section has a small thickness, effectively reducing the contact area between the entire still and the water source, and reducing the heat transfer loss from the system to the water source.

[0038] It should be noted that in the seawater still of the present invention, due to the decoupling of the light absorption layer and the water evaporation layer, the water supply component 220 is not required to simultaneously possess both light absorption and capillary water absorption functions. Therefore, the water intake section 221 can, but is not limited to, use materials with good water absorption properties and low cost, such as bamboo fiber, pure cotton, and wood pulp. These materials, due to their rich fiber structure and numerous capillary channels formed by a large number of micropores, possess excellent capillary action, enabling them to quickly and effectively draw the liquid to be distilled from water sources such as seawater and wastewater outside the collection mechanism, providing a stable water supply for the distillation process and preventing the evaporation process from being affected by insufficient water supply. Moreover, materials such as bamboo fiber, pure cotton, and wood pulp are widely available and have low production costs, significantly reducing the manufacturing cost of the seawater still and making it more economically feasible, especially suitable for remote areas and islands with limited resources. Furthermore, they exhibit good stability in general seawater environments, are not easily corroded by seawater or damaged by chemical substances, and can maintain good water absorption performance and physical structure for a long time, reducing replacement frequency, lowering maintenance costs and difficulty, ensuring long-term stable operation of the seawater still, and enhancing the reliability, service life, and environmental adaptability of the equipment.

[0039] Furthermore, the seawater distiller also includes a thermoelectric module 300, which comprises a thermoelectric semiconductor 350, a unidirectional heat transfer component 310, a battery 320, and a photovoltaic component 330. The unidirectional heat transfer component 310 is located near or abuts the photothermal conversion section 110. The photovoltaic component 330 is electrically connected to the battery 320, and the battery 320 is electrically connected to the thermoelectric semiconductor 350. The photovoltaic component 330 can convert light energy into electrical energy on sunny days and store it in the battery 320, providing an energy source for the thermoelectric semiconductor 350. At night or on cloudy days, the battery 320 releases electrical energy to the thermoelectric semiconductor 350, driving the thermoelectric semiconductor 350 to work and heat the unidirectional heat transfer component 310. The unidirectional heat transfer component 310 is close to or abuts the photothermal conversion section 110, which can transfer the heat generated by the thermoelectric module 300 to the photothermal conversion section 110, providing heat for water evaporation. This realizes the use of thermoelectric heat pump technology to extract heat from the environment and seawater for heating at night or on cloudy days, solving the problem of discontinuous water production caused by the intermittency of solar energy. This enables the seawater distiller to achieve stable water production around the clock, greatly improving the practical application possibility and reliability of the device.

[0040] Specifically, the unidirectional heat transfer component 310 includes a metal cavity 311, a heat-conducting liquid disposed within the metal cavity 311, and several spaced-apart ribs 312. The ribs 312 are located at the bottom of the metal cavity 311. The metal cavity 311 is a sealed space. The heat-conducting liquid inside is heated by an electrically energized thermoelectric semiconductor 350 absorbing heat from the environment. The heat-conducting liquid absorbs heat and evaporates into a gaseous state. The gaseous working fluid condenses and releases heat at the top of the metal cavity 311, transferring the heat to the photothermal conversion section 110 through phase change heat transfer, thus realizing the upward heat transfer function of the thermoelectric module 300. The condensed heat-conducting liquid flows back to the bottom of the metal cavity 311 by gravity, and this cycle repeats, achieving unidirectional upward heat transfer. The spaced ribs 312 at the bottom of the metal cavity 311 can increase the heat exchange area between the metal cavity 311 and the heat transfer fluid, thereby enhancing heat transfer and enabling heat to be transferred more quickly and effectively from the thermoelectric module 300 to the photothermal conversion section 110, improving the efficiency of heat transfer and thus enhancing the water production performance of the seawater distiller at night or on cloudy days.

[0041] It should be noted that, in order to prevent heat from being transferred in the reverse direction from the photothermal conversion section 110 to the environment and water source through the metal cavity 311, an extremely thin metal outer wall, 0.3mm-1mm, is used to increase the thermal resistance of heat transfer and prevent heat from being transferred downward, thereby achieving the purpose of unidirectional heat transfer.

[0042] In this embodiment, the heat transfer fluid occupies 10-40% of the volume of the metal cavity 311. When the heat transfer fluid occupies this range, it ensures sufficient space within the metal cavity 311 for evaporation and condensation phase change cycles, thereby achieving stable heat transfer. If the amount of heat transfer fluid is too small, it may cause the heat transfer fluid to dry out and the metal cavity to burn dry, preventing the heat transfer fluid from condensing into a liquid state and thus hindering heat transfer. If the amount of heat transfer fluid is too large, it may cause excessive pressure inside the metal cavity 311, affecting the normal operation of the unidirectional heat transfer component 310, and even causing heat to be transferred back from the photothermal conversion section 110 to the environment and water source. Therefore, an appropriate proportion of heat transfer fluid ensures the stable operation of the unidirectional heat transfer component 310, guaranteeing that the seawater distiller can stably obtain heat at night or on cloudy days, maintaining the normal operation of the water production process.

[0043] The height of the fins 312 accounts for 20%-50% of the internal height of the metal cavity 311. This 20%-50% height range ensures sufficient height for the fins 312 to increase the heat exchange area between the metal cavity 311 and the heat transfer fluid, enhancing heat transfer efficiency. It also prevents the fins 312 from being too high, which would result in insufficient flow space for the gaseous heat transfer fluid at the top of the metal cavity 311, affecting its circulation. Appropriately sized fins 312 allow the heat transfer fluid to flow smoothly at the bottom of the metal cavity 311, ensuring it can fully absorb the heat transferred from the thermoelectric module 300 and effectively transfer it to the top of the metal cavity 311, and then to the photothermal conversion section 110. This improves the uniformity and efficiency of heat transfer, contributing to the stable operation and efficient water production of the seawater distiller during nighttime or cloudy days.

[0044] In this embodiment, the thermoelectric module 300 further includes a heat exchanger 340, which is located at the bottom of the unidirectional heat transfer member 310. The heat exchanger 340 can be immersed in the liquid to be distilled to absorb ambient heat. The thermoelectric semiconductor 350 abuts against the unidirectional heat transfer member 310, and the heat exchanger 340 is located at the bottom of the thermoelectric semiconductor 350. Immersed in the liquid to be distilled, the heat exchanger 340 can absorb heat from the surrounding liquid and the environment, further increasing the energy source of the thermoelectric module 300. This additional absorbed heat can be transferred to the photothermal conversion section 110 through the unidirectional heat transfer member 310, providing more energy for water evaporation and improving the water production capacity of the seawater distiller at night or on cloudy days. At the same time, utilizing ambient heat also improves the overall energy utilization efficiency, reduces dependence on battery power, lowers the system operating cost, and enables the seawater distiller to work more efficiently under different environmental conditions.

[0045] Furthermore, the condensing component 210 includes a heat exchange section 211 extending from the inside of the receiving cavity. The heat exchange section 211 can be immersed in the liquid to be distilled. Immersion in the liquid allows the latent heat of condensation of the steam to be transferred to the liquid, preheating it and improving energy utilization efficiency while reducing heat waste. On the other hand, transferring heat to the liquid lowers the temperature of the condensing component 210, preventing excessively high temperatures on the condensing plate due to untimely latent heat recovery. This ensures the condensation efficiency of the condensing component 210, allowing water vapor to condense more effectively into liquid fresh water, thus improving the water production efficiency and quality of the seawater still. Whether the heat exchange section 211 is immersed in the liquid to be distilled can be further adjusted according to the water source conditions. If the water source is closed, the heat exchange section 211 is in direct contact with the water source; if the water source is open, the heat exchange section 211 is not in direct contact with the water source, or it is in a T-shape to reduce the contact area with the water source.

[0046] In this embodiment, the water evaporation module 100 has an inverted U-shaped structure, including a horizontally arranged light conversion section and evaporation sections 120 located at both ends of the light conversion section. Each of the evaporation sections 120 at both ends is equipped with a condensation module 200. The inverted U-shaped structure of the water evaporation module 100 allows the horizontally arranged light conversion section to receive sunlight over a larger area, improving the efficiency of photothermal conversion and increasing the heat absorbed by the photothermal conversion section 110. The condensation modules 200 located at both ends of the light conversion section effectively increase the area for evaporation and condensation, thereby improving the water production capacity of the seawater still. This structural design is reasonable, making full use of space and enabling more efficient photothermal conversion and evaporation-condensation processes. It also helps maintain the heat balance within the system and the stability of the heat and mass transfer processes, improving the overall performance and water production efficiency of the seawater still. Furthermore, it allows control of the ratio of light absorption to evaporation area, achieving the goal of lowering the water evaporation temperature. This ensures that heat is only used to allow water molecules to escape and migrate to the condensation module 200, rather than being overheated. As the water evaporation temperature decreases, radiative and convective heat loss from the outer wall is reduced. The reduction in the temperature of the water evaporation surface can also reduce the heat transfer loss to the environment through the water vapor gap layer.

[0047] Specifically, the photothermal conversion section 110 employs a broad-spectrum, high-absorbency, and low-emissivity photothermal material, which is attached to the top of the photothermal conversion section 110 via spraying or anodizing. A high-transmittance heat-insulating film is adhered to the photothermal conversion section 110. The use of a broad-spectrum, high-absorbency photothermal material in the photothermal conversion section 110 allows it to absorb sunlight over a wider spectral range, increasing the input energy of the photothermal conversion layer and improving photothermal conversion efficiency. The low emissivity reduces radiative heat loss from the photothermal conversion layer to the environment, allowing more heat to be retained in the photothermal conversion section 110 for heating the liquid to be distilled in the evaporation section 120. Attaching the photothermal material to the top of the photothermal conversion section 110 via spraying or anodizing ensures a tight bond between the material and the section, improving its stability and durability. The high-transmittance heat insulation film adhered to the photothermal conversion section 110 ensures that sunlight can pass through while reducing the heat conduction and convective heat loss of the photothermal conversion layer to the environment. This further increases the net input energy of the photothermal conversion layer, improves the thermal efficiency of the photothermal conversion section 110, and thus enhances the overall performance and water production efficiency of the seawater still.

[0048] The above description is merely a preferred embodiment of the present invention and does not limit the patent scope of the present invention. Any equivalent structural transformations made using the contents of the present invention's specification and drawings under the inventive concept of the present invention, or direct / indirect applications in other related technical fields, are included within the patent protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A sea water distiller characterised in that, The seawater distiller includes: A water evaporation module, comprising a photothermal conversion section and an evaporation section, wherein the photothermal conversion section and the evaporation section are arranged at an angle, the photothermal conversion section is used to absorb sunlight and convert it into heat energy, and the heat energy can be transferred to the evaporation section; A condensation module includes a condensation component, a water supply component, and a collection component with a receiving cavity. The receiving cavity contains the condensation component and the water supply component. The surface of the water supply component can draw the liquid to be distilled into the receiving cavity. The condensation component is used to condense the water vapor in the receiving cavity. The evaporation section is located inside the receiving cavity, the photothermal conversion section is located outside the collecting component, and the water supply component is provided between the evaporation section and the condensation component. The evaporation section is used to evaporate the liquid to be distilled from the water supply component. The water supply component includes an extraction section located outside the collection component, a preheating section extending from the receiving cavity, and a water supply section; the extraction section is used to extract the liquid to be distilled, the preheating section is close to or abuts the side of the condensing component facing away from the evaporating section, and the water supply section extends between the evaporating section and the condensing component. The water evaporation module has an inverted U-shaped structure, including a horizontally arranged photothermal conversion section and evaporation sections located at both ends of the photothermal conversion section, and the condensation module is provided in both ends of the evaporation section.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein The seawater distiller also includes a thermoelectric module, which includes a thermoelectric semiconductor, a unidirectional heat transfer component, a battery, and a photovoltaic component. The unidirectional heat transfer component is close to or abuts the photothermal conversion section, the thermoelectric semiconductor abuts the unidirectional heat transfer component, the photovoltaic component is electrically connected to the battery, and the battery is electrically connected to the thermoelectric semiconductor.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the first and second heat exchangers are arranged in a counterflow configuration. The unidirectional heat transfer component includes a metal cavity, a heat-conducting liquid disposed within the metal cavity, and a plurality of spaced ribs, the ribs being disposed at the bottom of the metal cavity.

4. The seawater still as described in claim 3, characterized in that, The heat-conducting fluid occupies 10-40% of the volume of the metal cavity.

5. The seawater still as described in claim 3, characterized in that, The height of the rib accounts for 20%-50% of the total height of the metal cavity.

6. The seawater still as described in claim 2, characterized in that, The thermoelectric module also includes a heat exchanger located at the bottom of the thermoelectric semiconductor. The heat exchanger is capable of being immersed in the liquid to be distilled to absorb ambient heat.

7. The seawater still as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The condensation component includes a heat exchange section extending from the inside of the receiving cavity to the outside, the heat exchange section being able to be immersed in the liquid to be distilled.

8. The seawater still as described in claim 1, characterized in that, The photothermal conversion section uses photothermal materials that are attached to the top of the photothermal conversion section through spraying or anodizing processes; a highly transparent heat-insulating film is adhered to the photothermal conversion section.