PV-Li-ion-micropump membrane systems for portable personal desalination

Mark P. McHenry; P. V. Brady; M. M. Hightower; Mark P. McHenry; P. V. Brady; M. M. Hightower

doi:10.3934/energy.2016.3.444

AIMS Energy

2016, Volume 4, Issue 3: 444-460. doi: 10.3934/energy.2016.3.444

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Research article

PV-Li-ion-micropump membrane systems for portable personal desalination

1.
School of Engineering and Information Technology, Murdoch University, Australia
2.
Geoscience Research & Applications Group, Sandia National Laboratories, USA
3.
Energy Systems Analysis Department, Sandia National Laboratories, USA

Received: 30 December 2015 Accepted: 24 March 2016 Published: 29 March 2016

This research presents a technical simulation of theoretically portable desalination systems utilising low-energy and lightweight components that are either commercially available or currently in development. The commercially available components are small-scale flexible and portable photovoltaic (PV) modules, Li-ion battery-converter units, and high pressure low voltage brushless DC motor-powered micropumps. The theoretical and conventional small-scale desalination membranes are compared against each other: low-pressure reverse osmosis (RO), nanofilters, graphene, graphene oxide, and graphyne technology. The systems were designed with the identical PV-Li-ion specifications and simulation data to quantify the energy available to power the theoretical energy demand for desalinating a saline water at 30,000–40,000 ppm total dissolved solid (TDS) to reliably supply the minimum target of 3.5 L d−1 of freshwater for one theoretical year. The results demonstrate that modern portable commercially available PV-battery systems and new generations of energy-efficient membranes under development have the potential to enable users to sustainably procure daily drinking water needs from saline/contaminated water resources, with the system exhibiting a net reduction in weight than carrying water itself.
- desalination,
- portable,
- photovoltaic,
- membrane,
- graphene
Citation: Mark P. McHenry, P. V. Brady, M. M. Hightower. PV-Li-ion-micropump membrane systems for portable personal desalination[J]. AIMS Energy, 2016, 4(3): 444-460. doi: 10.3934/energy.2016.3.444

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Abstract

This research presents a technical simulation of theoretically portable desalination systems utilising low-energy and lightweight components that are either commercially available or currently in development. The commercially available components are small-scale flexible and portable photovoltaic (PV) modules, Li-ion battery-converter units, and high pressure low voltage brushless DC motor-powered micropumps. The theoretical and conventional small-scale desalination membranes are compared against each other: low-pressure reverse osmosis (RO), nanofilters, graphene, graphene oxide, and graphyne technology. The systems were designed with the identical PV-Li-ion specifications and simulation data to quantify the energy available to power the theoretical energy demand for desalinating a saline water at 30,000–40,000 ppm total dissolved solid (TDS) to reliably supply the minimum target of 3.5 L d−1 of freshwater for one theoretical year. The results demonstrate that modern portable commercially available PV-battery systems and new generations of energy-efficient membranes under development have the potential to enable users to sustainably procure daily drinking water needs from saline/contaminated water resources, with the system exhibiting a net reduction in weight than carrying water itself.

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