Issue 2, 2020

Solar evaporation for simultaneous steam and power generation

Abstract

The rapid development of photothermal materials and their integrated systems has fostered recent technology breakthroughs in solar evaporation for both steam and power generation. Here, we discuss this new and emerging area that aims to directly couple photothermal materials and solar steam devices towards clean water and electricity generation. The photothermal conversion physics and engineering strategies of solar absorbers were first described. The electricity generation mechanisms to be covered include triboelectric, pyroelectric, piezoelectric, thermoelectric, thermal-electrochemical and salinity gradient effects. The diverse systems were then systematically scrutinized and discussed towards better harvesting and conversion of solar energy. The operation principles were described and the performance requirements were elaborated together with the advantages and the limitations. Comparisons of the solar evaporation and electric performances were additionally made for such developed systems. Finally, the future research directions of the systems were highlighted, and the potentials for new applications and hybrid approaches in the development of a Synergy City were outlined.

Graphical abstract: Solar evaporation for simultaneous steam and power generation

Article information

Article type
Perspective
Submitted
06 Nov 2019
Accepted
26 Nov 2019
First published
26 Nov 2019

J. Mater. Chem. A, 2020,8, 513-531

Solar evaporation for simultaneous steam and power generation

G. Liu, T. Chen, J. Xu, G. Li and K. Wang, J. Mater. Chem. A, 2020, 8, 513 DOI: 10.1039/C9TA12211G

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