Supercritical solar desalination for high-salinity brine treatment and zero liquid discharge

Yanjie Zheng; Ziye Zhu; Xinglong Ma; Shen Liang; Jun Shen

doi:10.1038/s41545-026-00597-0

Supercritical solar desalination for high-salinity brine treatment and zero liquid discharge

Yanjie Zheng
, Ziye Zhu
, Xinglong Ma^*
, Shen Liang^*
, Jun Shen^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Beijing Institute of Technology
Nanjing Normal University
College of Mechanical & Energy Engineering
Beijing University of Technology

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

Abstract

Conventional solar-thermal desalination underutilizes the high-grade heat available from concentrating solar technologies, constraining exergy efficiency and high-salinity brine treatment. This Perspective explores supercritical solar desalination as a high-temperature pathway toward zero liquid discharge. We discuss how supercritical water properties reduce phase-change penalties, promote salt precipitation, and enable hybrid heat regeneration and power–water–salt cogeneration, offering guidance for next-generation solar desalination systems.

Original language	English
Article number	69
Journal	npj Clean Water
Volume	9
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/s41545-026-00597-0
Publication status	Published - Dec 2026
Externally published	Yes

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title = "Supercritical solar desalination for high-salinity brine treatment and zero liquid discharge",

abstract = "Conventional solar-thermal desalination underutilizes the high-grade heat available from concentrating solar technologies, constraining exergy efficiency and high-salinity brine treatment. This Perspective explores supercritical solar desalination as a high-temperature pathway toward zero liquid discharge. We discuss how supercritical water properties reduce phase-change penalties, promote salt precipitation, and enable hybrid heat regeneration and power{\textendash}water{\textendash}salt cogeneration, offering guidance for next-generation solar desalination systems.",

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AU - Ma, Xinglong

AU - Liang, Shen

AU - Shen, Jun

PY - 2026/12

Y1 - 2026/12

N2 - Conventional solar-thermal desalination underutilizes the high-grade heat available from concentrating solar technologies, constraining exergy efficiency and high-salinity brine treatment. This Perspective explores supercritical solar desalination as a high-temperature pathway toward zero liquid discharge. We discuss how supercritical water properties reduce phase-change penalties, promote salt precipitation, and enable hybrid heat regeneration and power–water–salt cogeneration, offering guidance for next-generation solar desalination systems.

AB - Conventional solar-thermal desalination underutilizes the high-grade heat available from concentrating solar technologies, constraining exergy efficiency and high-salinity brine treatment. This Perspective explores supercritical solar desalination as a high-temperature pathway toward zero liquid discharge. We discuss how supercritical water properties reduce phase-change penalties, promote salt precipitation, and enable hybrid heat regeneration and power–water–salt cogeneration, offering guidance for next-generation solar desalination systems.

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DO - 10.1038/s41545-026-00597-0

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Supercritical solar desalination for high-salinity brine treatment and zero liquid discharge

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