Cold Vapor Generation beyond the Input Solar Energy Limit

Haomin Song; Youhai Liu; Zhejun Liu; Matthew H. Singer; Chenyu Li; Alec R. Cheney; Dengxin Ji; Lyu Zhou; Nan Zhang; Xie Zeng; Zongmin Bei; Zongfu Yu; Suhua Jiang; Qiaoqiang Gan

doi:10.1002/advs.201800222

Cold Vapor Generation beyond the Input Solar Energy Limit

Haomin Song, Youhai Liu, Zhejun Liu, Matthew H. Singer, Chenyu Li, Alec R. Cheney, Dengxin Ji, Lyu Zhou, Nan Zhang, Xie Zeng, Zongmin Bei, Zongfu Yu, Suhua Jiang, Qiaoqiang Gan^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

248 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

100% efficiency is the ultimate goal for all energy harvesting and conversion applications. However, no energy conversion process is reported to reach this ideal limit before. Here, an example with near perfect energy conversion efficiency in the process of solar vapor generation below room temperature is reported. Remarkably, when the operational temperature of the system is below that of the surroundings (i.e., under low density solar illumination), the total vapor generation rate is higher than the upper limit that can be produced by the input solar energy because of extra energy taken from the warmer environment. Experimental results are provided to validate this intriguing strategy under 1 sun illumination. The best measured rate is ≈2.20 kg m⁻² h⁻¹ under 1 sun illumination, well beyond its corresponding upper limit of 1.68 kg m⁻² h⁻¹ and is even faster than the one reported by other systems under 2 sun illumination.

Original language	English
Article number	1800222
Journal	Advanced Science
Volume	5
Issue number	8
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1002/advs.201800222
Publication status	Published - Aug 2018
Externally published	Yes

Keywords

cold vapor generation
perfect energy conversion
solar still
solar–thermal conversion
water purification

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10.1002/advs.201800222

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title = "Cold Vapor Generation beyond the Input Solar Energy Limit",

abstract = "100% efficiency is the ultimate goal for all energy harvesting and conversion applications. However, no energy conversion process is reported to reach this ideal limit before. Here, an example with near perfect energy conversion efficiency in the process of solar vapor generation below room temperature is reported. Remarkably, when the operational temperature of the system is below that of the surroundings (i.e., under low density solar illumination), the total vapor generation rate is higher than the upper limit that can be produced by the input solar energy because of extra energy taken from the warmer environment. Experimental results are provided to validate this intriguing strategy under 1 sun illumination. The best measured rate is ≈2.20 kg m−2 h−1 under 1 sun illumination, well beyond its corresponding upper limit of 1.68 kg m−2 h−1 and is even faster than the one reported by other systems under 2 sun illumination.",

keywords = "cold vapor generation, perfect energy conversion, solar still, solar–thermal conversion, water purification",

author = "Haomin Song and Youhai Liu and Zhejun Liu and Singer, {Matthew H.} and Chenyu Li and Cheney, {Alec R.} and Dengxin Ji and Lyu Zhou and Nan Zhang and Xie Zeng and Zongmin Bei and Zongfu Yu and Suhua Jiang and Qiaoqiang Gan",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2018 The Authors. Published by WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim",

year = "2018",

month = aug,

doi = "10.1002/advs.201800222",

language = "English",

volume = "5",

journal = "Advanced Science",

issn = "2198-3844",

publisher = "Wiley-VCH Verlag",

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T1 - Cold Vapor Generation beyond the Input Solar Energy Limit

AU - Song, Haomin

AU - Liu, Youhai

AU - Liu, Zhejun

AU - Singer, Matthew H.

AU - Li, Chenyu

AU - Cheney, Alec R.

AU - Ji, Dengxin

AU - Zhou, Lyu

AU - Zhang, Nan

AU - Zeng, Xie

AU - Bei, Zongmin

AU - Yu, Zongfu

AU - Jiang, Suhua

AU - Gan, Qiaoqiang

PY - 2018/8

Y1 - 2018/8

N2 - 100% efficiency is the ultimate goal for all energy harvesting and conversion applications. However, no energy conversion process is reported to reach this ideal limit before. Here, an example with near perfect energy conversion efficiency in the process of solar vapor generation below room temperature is reported. Remarkably, when the operational temperature of the system is below that of the surroundings (i.e., under low density solar illumination), the total vapor generation rate is higher than the upper limit that can be produced by the input solar energy because of extra energy taken from the warmer environment. Experimental results are provided to validate this intriguing strategy under 1 sun illumination. The best measured rate is ≈2.20 kg m−2 h−1 under 1 sun illumination, well beyond its corresponding upper limit of 1.68 kg m−2 h−1 and is even faster than the one reported by other systems under 2 sun illumination.

AB - 100% efficiency is the ultimate goal for all energy harvesting and conversion applications. However, no energy conversion process is reported to reach this ideal limit before. Here, an example with near perfect energy conversion efficiency in the process of solar vapor generation below room temperature is reported. Remarkably, when the operational temperature of the system is below that of the surroundings (i.e., under low density solar illumination), the total vapor generation rate is higher than the upper limit that can be produced by the input solar energy because of extra energy taken from the warmer environment. Experimental results are provided to validate this intriguing strategy under 1 sun illumination. The best measured rate is ≈2.20 kg m−2 h−1 under 1 sun illumination, well beyond its corresponding upper limit of 1.68 kg m−2 h−1 and is even faster than the one reported by other systems under 2 sun illumination.

KW - cold vapor generation

KW - perfect energy conversion

KW - solar still

KW - solar–thermal conversion

KW - water purification

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SN - 2198-3844

VL - 5

JO - Advanced Science

JF - Advanced Science

IS - 8

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ER -

Cold Vapor Generation beyond the Input Solar Energy Limit

Abstract

Keywords

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