Solar Desalination Pump Control via Temperature Feedback
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing desalination systems face challenges in providing a compact, reliable, and transportable solution for producing fresh water in regions with scarce electricity supply and poor infrastructure, as they often rely on expensive and finite battery power and require complex assembly and maintenance.
Innovation Solution
A solar-powered desalination system comprising a controller, salt water tank, solar collector, photovoltaic panel, pump, water condenser tank, and sensors that operate the pump only when the solar collector reaches a predetermined temperature, optimizing energy use and incorporating a movable platform to track the sun's movement and a reflector for increased energy efficiency, allowing for automated water collection and storage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the pump operates continuously to transfer saltwater to the solar collector, then the water supply to the collector is maintained, but energy is wasted when the collector temperature is insufficient for vaporisation
Solution Approach 1:
The system employs a temperature detector that continuously monitors the solar collector temperature and provides feedback to the controller. The controller uses this feedback signal to intelligently control the pump operation - activating it only when the temperature reaches the predetermined threshold suitable for vaporisation, thereby eliminating energy waste while ensuring reliable water supply when needed
Solution Approach 2:
The controller is programmed with predetermined temperature thresholds that trigger pump activation in advance of the actual desalination process. This preliminary action ensures the pump starts at the optimal moment when the collector reaches sufficient temperature, avoiding both premature operation (energy waste) and delayed operation (supply interruption)
2Ease of operation
If the system is designed to be compact and transportable for remote areas, then mobility and ease of deployment are improved, but the complexity of assembly and infrastructure requirements worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The desalination system is divided into modular components including the solar collector assembly, condenser unit, saltwater tank, and control system. Each module can be independently transported and assembled at the deployment site, significantly reducing transportation difficulty and assembly complexity compared to a monolithic system design
Solution Approach 2:
The solar collector serves multiple functions: it acts as both the heating element for vaporisation and the structural support for the entire system. The controller integrates multiple control functions including temperature monitoring, pump control, and system coordination into a single unit, reducing the number of separate components that need to be transported and assembled
3Duration of action of moving object
If acid batteries are used to store electrical energy for continuous operation, then power supply duration is extended, but cost and finite life span worsen
Solution Approach 1:
The system is designed to be self-sufficient by directly coupling the photovoltaic panel to the pump operation. When sunlight is available, the PV panel generates electricity that immediately powers the pump without requiring battery storage. This eliminates the need for expensive acid batteries while maintaining continuous operation during daylight hours, and the system automatically shuts down when energy is unavailable rather than relying on finite battery life
Solution Approach 2:
The battery storage component is completely removed from the system architecture. Instead of storing energy for later use, the system extracts and uses solar energy in real-time when available, matching the pump operation directly to solar irradiance availability and eliminating the reliability issues and costs associated with battery 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
The system efficiently produces fresh water by optimizing energy use and reducing operational costs, enabling reliable operation in remote areas without relying on national power infrastructure, while being compact and easily transportable.
Implementation Method 1
a photovoltaic (PV) panel operable to convert incident solar energy to electrical energy
Implementation Method 2
a solar collector in fluid communication with the salt water tank and adapted to receive salt water therein
Implementation Method 3
when the temperature signal is indicative of a predetermined temperature... the predetermined temperature at the plates of the solar collector is at or above 90 °C
Implementation Method 4
avoiding the situation where salt water is being drip-fed to the solar collector before the plates of the solar collector are at a temperature sufficient to begin the vapourisation process
Implementation Method 5
a water condenser tank in fluid communication with the first pump and arranged to receive water vapour from the solar collector and to condense such received water vapour
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4~5
AI summary
The invention provides a desalination system comprising: a controller; a salt water tank operable to receive salt water therein; a solar collector in fluid communication with the salt water tank and adapted to receive salt water therein; a first pump operable to pump salt water from the salt water tank into the solar collector; a photovoltaic (PV) panel operable to convert incident solar energy to electrical energy, and operable to supply electrical energy to the first pump;a water condenser tank in fluid communication with the first pump and arranged to receive water vapour from the solar collector and to condense such received water vapour; and a temperature detector operable to generate a temperature signal indicative of a temperature of the solar collector, and to supply such a temperature signal to the controller,wherein the controller is arranged to receive a temperature signal from the temperature detector, and is operable to control the first pump in dependence upon such a received temperature signal, such that the first pump operates to transfer saltwater from the saltwater tank to the solar collector when the temperature signal is indicative of a predetermined temperature.