Floating Solar Still for Offshore Water Transport
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional solar distillation systems face limitations in efficiently producing potable water from natural contaminated water bodies like oceans and seas due to complexities in transferring water, high salt and impurity concentration, and limited production capacity.
Innovation Solution
A solar still apparatus with a geometrical projection cover that captures solar heat and vaporizes water, using a floatable base and anchorage device to float over water bodies, and a water transportation system that utilizes evaporation-condensation zones and conduits to transport distilled water from offshore to land reservoirs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If traditional solar distillation systems are installed on land with water fed from nearby sources, then the distillation process can be performed, but the system complexity and limitations in transferring non-potable water increase
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of bringing water to the distillation system on land, the patent inverts the approach by placing the distillation system directly on the water body (ocean/sea). The floating solar still apparatus is positioned in the contaminated water body itself, eliminating the need for complex water transfer infrastructure and allowing direct access to abundant seawater for distillation.
2Productivity
If traditional solar distillation systems use fixed reservoirs on land, then the distillation process is stable, but the production capacity is limited to the size of the reservoirs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a floating apparatus that can dynamically adjust its position and scale on the water body. The floating solar still can be deployed in various configurations and sizes depending on production requirements, and can be easily relocated or expanded by adding more floating units, providing both stability and adaptability for scaled production.
3Reliability
If traditional systems require removal of highly concentrated salts and impurities after purification, then water quality standards are met, but the system complexity and maintenance requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential distillation function from complex water treatment systems. By using simple solar-powered evaporation and condensation in a floating apparatus, the system produces distilled water that meets quality standards without requiring additional complex impurity removal equipment, as the distillation process itself effectively separates salts and contaminants.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system effectively produces distilled water directly from natural water bodies, reducing salt and impurity concentration and increasing production capacity by using solar energy and a floating apparatus to collect and transport water to land.
Implementation Method 1
the wall is adapted to be in thermal communication with the external environment for capturing solar heat
Implementation Method 2
heating the contaminated water to form a vapor
Implementation Method 3
the chamber being adapted to be in fluid communication with the opening for receiving the vapor formed and condensing said vapor for forming condensed distillate water therefrom
Data Source
AI summary
There is provided a water transportation system comprising evaporation zones for converting water into water vapour; condensation zones for condensing the water vapour into condensed water, the condensation zones being in fluid communication with the evaporation zones; water vapour conduits adapted to enable the fluid communication of the water vapour between the evaporation zones and the condensation zones; condensed water conduits adapted to enable the fluid communication of condensed water between the condensation zones and the evaporation zones; wherein the evaporation zones and the condensation zones alternate in position along a water transportation path between a water source site and a water destination site for enabling the transport of water from the water source site to the water destination site through alternating processes of evaporation-condensation and condensation-evaporation of the water.