Innovator Xiaohui Xu and his team at Princeton University have introduced a new sustainable water purification device.
The purifier is based on an advanced hydrogel that soaks up and cleans water when it’s cool; releasing the clean water when heated up by the sun. It’s a path-breaking invention that can lead to more efficient, low-cost and renewable off-grid water purification.
Xu stated that the device was inspired by the pufferfish; which absorbs water to increase its size in front of predators and then releases the water later to take back its miniscule size again.
Lack of clean water is a global issue, with one out of three people not having access to clean drinking water. This new device can revolutionize the water purification process, it’s not only an affordable option but also environmentally friendly and fully powered by renewable, green energy.
The purifier is based on CSP, which means it uses solar energy to heat up the hydrogel and release the clean water.
The hydrogel has multiple layers; the top ones filter out microbes, heavy metals, organic molecules and other toxic traits. The inner layer is a dark polydopamine, which converts the sunlight into heat.
Xu tried the device in a lake at Princeton, and in just 2 hours the hydrogel had highest rate of passive solar-powered water purification ever.
Based on a solar system, the invention’s running costs are low to none; the device’s accessibility and its photovoltaic properties make it a great off-grid solar-based purification system.
Inventions like these go on the prove that solar is the future of renewable living, more and more people are actively moving towards using solar energy for fulfilling daily energy usage. EBR Energy continues to brighten your homes, and commercial and industrial buildings with its prompt solar energy solutions.
With EBR Energy, you can take all the right steps to sustainably harness power from the sun and cut your electric costs to almost zero. Contact team EBR Energy via email or reach out to us on social media to discuss your energy requirements.