Paper-Based Solar Still Costs Less, Works Better

Jan-31-17 An inexpensive solar still made of carbon-coated paper could offer twice the efficiency of conventional devices.

Created by an international team of researchers, the device, called a “solar vapor generator,” is made up of polystyrene foam and a porous paper that has been coated in carbon black. When the still is floated on the surface of the water, the paper will absorb water while the carbon block focuses the sun’s energy to convert the water to vapor—which can then be harvested as clean water. Since the still only converts surface water instead of heating the entire body, the evaporation occurred at just 111° F and offered a thermal efficiency of 88 percent—resulting in up to 2.6 gallons of purified water each day.

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[WILEY.COM]
[BUFFALO.EDU]

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