The merger of membrane capacitive deionization (MCDI) for water desalination and photovoltaic (PV) technology is realized in a prototype system and advanced Maximum Salt Adsorption Tracking (MSAT) control algorithm engineered at École de technologie supérieure, Canada.

The system does not require storage media between the PV panel and the MCDI desalination cell. Instead, operation is governed by the dedicated algorithm for the application of PV energy to the desalination process, as well as a new maximum power point tracking technology based on flow adjustment and not electrical power conversion. Flow rate is controlled to optimize power produced by the solar module via application of MSAT.

Prototype testing under different operating conditions demonstrated that the PV-powered MCDI cell was able to produce 28 l of desalinated water on a sunny summer day, compared to 24 l for a conventional MCDI unit. Data published in Desalination also demonstrate an MSAT tracking efficiency of 98.6%, which is considered comparable to that of conventional tracking methods.

[See also: Solar evaporator supports efficient water desalination]

By eliminating the need for energy storage units and DC to DC converters, this solar-driven approach to desalination offers a lower-cost route to stable water production.