Photovoltaic desalination system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016310899-A1
Application number	US-201615136475-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 22, 2016
Priority date	Apr 23, 2015
Publication date	Oct 27, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A photovoltaic desalination system can comprise a solar cell, configured to receive solar radiation, including an n-doped semiconductor layer, a p-doped semiconductor layer, the two semiconductor layers forming a p-n junction, and an channel array, formed in the p-n junction; an input reservoir, coupled to the solar cell, the input reservoir configured to contain a salty fluid, and to release the salty fluid to the solar cell; an output fluid management system, coupled to the solar cell, the output fluid management system configured to receive an output fluid from the solar cell; wherein the channel array is configured to receive the salty fluid from the input reservoir, and to output the output fluid to the output fluid management system.

First claim

1 . A photovoltaic desalination system, comprising:
a solar cell, to receive solar radiation, including a p-doped semiconductor layer, an n-doped semiconductor layer, the two semiconductor layers forming a p-n junction, and a channel array comprising channels for fluid to pass through, formed in the p-n junction; an input reservoir, coupled to the solar cell, wherein the input reservoir
contains a salty fluid, and
releases the salty fluid to the solar cell; and
an output fluid management system, coupled to the solar cell, the output fluid management system to receive an output fluid from the solar cell; wherein the channel array
receives the salty fluid from the input reservoir, and
outputs the output fluid to the output fluid management system.

2 . The photovoltaic desalination system of claim 1 , comprising:
a pump, to pump the salty fluid from the input reservoir to the channel array.

3 . The photovoltaic desalination system of claim 1 , wherein:
the channels of array are formed perpendicular to the two semiconductor layers through the p-n junction.

4 . The photovoltaic desalination system of claim 1 , wherein:
the channels of the array are formed parallel to the two semiconductor layers in the p-n junction.

5 . The photovoltaic desalination system of claim 1 , wherein:
a separation of the channels of the array is less than 1,000 nm.

6 . The photovoltaic desalination system of claim 5 , wherein:
a separation of the channels of the array is less than 200 nm.

7 . The photovoltaic desalination system of claim 1 , wherein:
an areal density of channels is greater than 10 6 channels/m 2 .

8 . The photovoltaic desalination system of claim 7 , wherein:
an areal density of channels is greater than 10 7 channels/m 2 .

9 . The photovoltaic desalination system of claim 1 , wherein:
an area fraction of the channels is in the range of 10-50%.

10 . The photovoltaic desalination system of claim 1 , wherein:
an area fraction of the channels is in the range of 50-90%.

11 . The photovoltaic desalination system of claim 1 , wherein:
a radius of the channels is less than 100 nm.

12 . The photovoltaic desalination system of claim 11 , wherein:
a radius of the channels is less than 20 nm.

13 . The photovoltaic desalination system of claim 1 , comprising:
a system controller, to operate the photovoltaic desalination system in a cyclic manner, including a desalination phase; and a flushing phase.

14 . The photovoltaic desalination system of claim 13 , wherein:
the photovoltaic desalination system outputs the output fluid, wherein the output fluid has a reduced salinity in the desalination phase, and hae an enhanced salinity in the flushing phase.

15 . The photovoltaic desalination system of claim 13 , comprising:
an illumination controller, to adjust a solar illumination of the solar cell; wherein the system controller controls the illumination controller
to decrease a solar illumination of the solar cell in the desalination phase, and
to increase the solar illumination of the solar cell in the flushing phase.

16 . The photovoltaic desalination system of claim 13 , wherein:
the system controller applies a voltage to the solar cell, and synchronously controls an illumination controller to control the solar illumination of the solar cell.

17 . The photovoltaic desalination system of claim 13 , wherein the output fluid management system is switchably coupled to
a reduced-salinity-fluid system, and a brine system; wherein the system controller controls the output fluid management system to switchably guide the output fluid to the reduced-salinity-fluid system during a portion of the desalination phase, and to the brine system during a portion of the flushing phase.

18 . The photovoltaic desalination system of claim 17 , wherein the output fluid management system comprises:
at least one of an output fluid switch, an output fluid deflector, and a twin channel array.

19 . The photovoltaic desalination system of claim 17 , wherein:
the reduced-salinity-fluid system comprises a reduced-salinity-fluid container, and the brine system comprises a brine container, wherein the system controller moves the two containers to receive the output fluid in a cyclic manner.

20 . The photovoltaic desalination system of claim 13 , wherein:
the system controller operates the photovoltaic desalination system with the flushing phase lasting less than twice the desalination phase.

21 . The photovoltaic desalination system of claim 13 , wherein:
the system controller operates the photovoltaic desalination system with the flushing phase lasting less than the desalination phase.

22 . The photovoltaic desalination system of claim 1 , wherein:
the solar cell is coupled to a second solar cell, and the second solar cell receives a salty fluid from the input reservoir after the salty fluid has been outputted as the output fluid of the solar cell.

23 . The photovoltaic desalination system of claim 1 , wherein:
the solar cell and the second solar cell are part of a stack of solar cells.

24 . The photovoltaic desalination system of claim 1 , wherein:
a portion of the system is powered by the solar cell.

25 . The photovoltaic desalination system of claim 1 , wherein:
a portion of the system is powered by an external power source.

26 . The photovoltaic desalination system of claim 1 , comprising:
a transparent cover over a frontal portion of the solar cell, to form a pressurized fluid input space.

27 . A photovoltaic desalination system, comprising:
a doped semiconductor layer, to receive solar illumination; a channel array, comprising channels for fluid to pass through formed in the doped semiconductor layer; an input reservoir, coupled to the semiconductor layer, wherein the input reservoir
contains a salty fluid, and
releases the salty fluid to the doped semiconductor layer; and
an output fluid management system, coupled to the doped semiconductor layer, the output fluid management system to receive an output fluid from the doped semiconductor layer; wherein the channel array
receives the salty fluid from the input reservoir, and
outputs the output fluid to the output fluid management system.

Assignees

• Univ California

Inventors

• Bordain Yemaya C
• Gartia Manas Ranjan
• Liu Gang Logan
• Plucinski Lisa
• Qu Luman
• Radousky Harry B
• Trenhaile Brent
• Zimanyi Gergely T

Classifications

• H10F77/50

  Encapsulations or containers (for photovoltaic modules H10F19/80) · CPC title

• H10F19/00

  Integrated devices, or assemblies of multiple devices, comprising at least one photovoltaic cell covered by group H10F10/00, e.g. photovoltaic modules · CPC title

• Y02A20/142

  Solar thermal; Photovoltaics · CPC title

• Y02E10/547

  Monocrystalline silicon PV cells · CPC title

• C02F2201/46165

  Special power supply, e.g. solar energy or batteries · CPC title