Inflatable non-imaging solar concentrator based concentrating hybrid solar thermal and photovoltaic system powered water desalination system
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current solar desalination systems face inefficiencies and high costs due to the use of conventional concentrators and reliance on ambient temperatures, which limits their ability to effectively desalinate seawater with high total dissolved salt content or require auxiliary energy sources for continuity.
Innovation Solution
The integration of an Inflatable Non-imaging Solar Concentrator (INISC) with a hybrid solar thermal and photovoltaic system that cogenerates electricity and heat, using a circulation system to enhance photovoltaic panel efficiency, thermal storage for power generation, and battery storage to balance intermittence, allowing for efficient desalination with reduced costs and increased reliability.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional concentrators are used in solar desalination systems, then the system structure is stable, but the system cost is high and efficiency is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs thin-film photovoltaic cells integrated into a flexible membrane structure that serves as both the concentrator and the receiving surface. This eliminates the need for expensive conventional concentrator optics while maintaining high concentration ratios through the membrane's geometric design, thereby reducing manufacturing costs while preserving desalination efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The system integrates multiple materials with complementary properties: photovoltaic materials for electricity generation, thermal conversion materials for heat generation, and membrane materials for water vapor transport. This composite approach enables simultaneous electricity and thermal energy generation from concentrated sunlight, improving overall system productivity while using cost-effective materials
2Productivity
If solar thermal energy is used directly without concentration, then the system is simple, but the system efficiency is low and land area required is large
Solution Approach 1:
The flexible membrane with integrated photovoltaic cells acts as a concentrating element that focuses sunlight onto a small portion of the membrane surface where thermal conversion occurs. This concentration effect enables high desalination rates in a compact footprint, dramatically reducing the land area required compared to non-concentrating solar thermal systems
3Reliability
If pure thermal systems are used for seawater distillation, then the system is simple, but continuity requires auxiliary electric heating and energy storage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges photovoltaic electricity generation and solar thermal energy generation into a single integrated membrane structure. The photovoltaic cells generate electricity directly while the thermal conversion layer generates heat, both from the same concentrated sunlight. This combined approach provides both electricity and thermal energy simultaneously, ensuring system continuity without requiring separate auxiliary heating or energy storage systems
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
This configuration significantly increases the overall efficiency of the desalination system to above 70%, reduces costs by using lightweight materials, and ensures reliable power and water production by cogenerating electricity and thermal energy, while addressing intermittence in solar radiation.
Implementation Method 1
hybrid solar thermal and photovoltaic receiver
Implementation Method 2
convert the solar flux into heat
Implementation Method 3
the heat will be transferred to a thermal storage
Implementation Method 4
thermal storage with electric heater
Implementation Method 5
battery system to balance intermittence
Implementation Method 6
heat the pre-heated sea water to boiling point in a distiller
Implementation Method 7
vapor condensed on the transparent cover
Data Source
AI summary
An inflatable non-imaging solar concentrator based concentrating solar thermal and photovoltaic system powered water desalination system comprises a concentrating electricity and heat cogeneration subsystem, a battery storage subsystem, a thermal storage subsystem with electric heater, a thermal power regeneration subsystem, and a water distillation system with electric heater. The inflatable non-imaging solar concentrator makes the concentrating system substantially low cost, and the hybrid solar thermal and photovoltaic panels used to construct the cogeneration receiver make the system ultra-high efficient. The cogenerated thermal energy is stored in a thermal storage and the cogenerated electric energy is stored in a battery storage to heat the stored thermal energy to pre-set high temperature for thermal power regeneration. The thermal energy after thermal power generation is used to desalinize water with assistance of electric heater powered by the stored electricity. An extra conventional photovoltaic system is added to compensate the concentrating hybrid solar thermal and photovoltaic system.