INDORE: The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Indore has developed a cost-effective water-purification system primarily based on photo voltaic vitality, particularly for folks residing in distant locations and coastal areas, an official mentioned on Monday. A workforce led by professor Rupesh Devan at IIT Indore has made important progress in desalinating saline water utilizing ISSG expertise that mixes photo voltaic vitality with superior photothermal supplies to effectively and economically purify water, the official mentioned.
He mentioned the researchers have developed specialised inks utilizing steel oxide and carbide supplies to beat challenges like hydrophobicity in standard carbon-primarily based photothermal supplies.
These inks take in photo voltaic radiation and convert it into warmth, producing steam instantly from saltwater on the air-water interface with out exterior vitality sources, the official mentioned.
IIT Indore director Prof Suhas Joshi mentioned, “Unlike traditional desalination processes such as reverse osmosis that are energy-intensive and infrastructure-heavy, ISSG is a simpler and low-energy alternative.”
He mentioned when uncovered to daylight, the photothermal materials quickly heats up, inflicting the water to evaporate, leaving salts and contaminants behind. The ensuing steam is condensed into purified water, making the method environment friendly and environmentally pleasant.
Talking in regards to the system, Prof Devan mentioned, “Our goal was to develop a scalable and cost-effective water purification method. Using metal oxide-based inks, we achieved high evaporation rates, essential for practical applications.”
He mentioned, “The technology is particularly suitable for remote and coastal areas where seawater is abundant and conventional energy resources are scarce. We are refining the inks for broader use, including integrating them into ISSG-based desalination systems for deployment in real-world scenarios. .”