A small-scale adsorption desalinator

Adsorption desalinators produce potable water from seawater by utilising low-grade heat 50-90 degrees C. Experimental systems were introduced in a number of studies and proved the feasibility of the concept. However, the proposed experimental systems have large bed sizes of up to 36 kg, which leads to an inflexibility in their operation and the change of components. Here we introduce a novel, small-scale adsorption desalinator, which is currently the world's smallest with a bed size of 0.2 kg. The small scale will enable us to test advanced, non-commercial adsorption materials, which are not available in large quantities yet. Moreover, different component designs will be assessed to optimise the performance. The starting point of the investigation will be a series of experiments with Siogel silica gel. The results represent a benchmark case for further investigations, provide compelling insight into the process, and contribute to the advancement of temperature swing adsorption. (C) 2019 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.