Issue 13, 2016

Flexible artificially-networked structure for ambient/high pressure solar steam generation

Abstract

The heat localization approach has promised a new route to solar steam generation with a higher efficiency than that of the current bulk heating approaches. In this approach, the material structure localizes the absorbed solar energy, forms a hot spot, and wicks the fluid to the hot spot for steam generation. The non-equilibrium nature of this approach minimizes energy losses leading to its superior performance compared to equilibrium approaches. However, to date, the generated steam is only at ambient pressure and not suitable for high pressure applications. Herein, we report development of a flexible artificially-networked material structure that is highly efficient for ambient and high pressure steam generation with integrity for large-scale and varied geometrical implementations. This flexible material is composed of a porous polymer skeleton coated with exfoliated graphite and artificially-networked 3D veins. The porous skeleton and the interconnected veins are developed in two distinct fabrication steps. The structure generates steam in the temperature range of 100–156 °C and at the pressure range of 100–525 kPa under solar irradiation. This material structure promises a robust and highly efficient approach for solar steam generation for both ambient pressure applications (e.g. solar ponds and desalination) and high pressure applications (e.g. power generation, solar cooling technologies, and hygiene systems).

Graphical abstract: Flexible artificially-networked structure for ambient/high pressure solar steam generation

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Communication
Submitted
07 Feb 2016
Accepted
23 Feb 2016
First published
23 Feb 2016

J. Mater. Chem. A, 2016,4, 4700-4705

Flexible artificially-networked structure for ambient/high pressure solar steam generation

S. M. Sajadi, N. Farokhnia, P. Irajizad, M. Hasnain and H. Ghasemi, J. Mater. Chem. A, 2016, 4, 4700 DOI: 10.1039/C6TA01205A

To request permission to reproduce material from this article, please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

If you are an author contributing to an RSC publication, you do not need to request permission provided correct acknowledgement is given.

If you are the author of this article, you do not need to request permission to reproduce figures and diagrams provided correct acknowledgement is given. If you want to reproduce the whole article in a third-party publication (excluding your thesis/dissertation for which permission is not required) please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

Read more about how to correctly acknowledge RSC content.

Social activity

Spotlight

Advertisements