DataVXACS Energy LettersPaper
journal article·2023-05-12

Improving Solar Vapor Generation by Eliminating the Boundary Layer Inhibition Effect of Evaporator Pores

Zhiyang Zhang, Wenlong Xu, Jian Wang, Mi Hu, Dongming Zhang, Lujie Jia, Azhen Kang, Yonglan Xi, Xiaomei Ye, Shuang Cheng, Enhui Sun, Yu Chen, Zhijun Wang, Hongzhen Lin, Qingbo Xiao

ACS Energy Letters· Volume 8· Issue 5
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Source abstract

Abstract

Solar-driven water evaporation is highly demanded in various applications. However, the pore structures of the solar evaporators are commonly randomly designed, which seriously hinder vapor diffusion and thus limit water producibility. Herein, the boundary layer inhibition effect is uncovered for the first time, and we propose that low-tortuosity channels with a reduced boundary layer thickness is adequate for breaking through the long-existing vapor diffusion limitation. As a demo, nature-inspired low-tortuosity channels are constructed for a solar evaporator. Due to elimination of the boundary layer inhibition, the vapor diffusion flux can easily escape from the evaporator, yielding an evaporation rate of 16.8 kg m –2 h –1 under a convective flow of 4.0 m s –1 and 1 sun irradiation. Moreover, the 3D radial interconnection of the channels enables stable water evaporation under an arbitrary direction of convective flow. Our work provides a promising solution to eliminate the boundary layer inhibition effect of a solar evaporator.
Source: openalex_inverted_index · Quality: baseline

Research context

OpenAlex topics: Solar-Powered Water Purification Methods · Solar Thermal and Photovoltaic Systems · Fluid Dynamics and Thin Films

SciVX discovery tags are terminology-based. OpenAlex topics are source-provided classifications.

Affiliations

Institute of Agricultural Resources and Environment, Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Nanjing 210014, People’s Republic of China

Key Laboratory of Agro-Environment in Downstream of Yangtze Plain, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, Nanjing 210014, People’s Republic of China

i-Lab, Suzhou Institute of Nano-tech and Nano-bionics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Suzhou, 215123, People’s Republic of China

Helmholtz Institute Ulm (HIU), Ulm D89081, Germany

Institute of Advanced Materials, Chengdu University, Chengdu 610106, People’s Republic of China

Department of Bridge Engineering, School of Civil Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 610031, People’s Republic of China

Funding

Jiangsu Agricultural Science and Technology Independent Innovation Fund · Jiangsu Academy of Agricultural Sciences · Ministry of Science and Technology of the People's Republic of China · Chengdu University · Natural Science Foundation of Jiangsu Province · Jiangsu Agriculture Research System · Alexander von Humboldt-Stiftung · National Natural Science Foundation of China · Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province

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