Concentrated photovoltaics combined with multi-stage flash distillation systems for seawater desalination

In the coastal areas of Indonesia, access to clean water remains a significant problem, particularly during the dry season. Therefore, despite their continuous need for energy sources, seawater desalination methods such as multi-stage flash distillation (MSF) are important for resolving the scarcity of drinking water in these regions. To address the energy requirements, the MSF system has been integrated with a photovoltaic system in which concentrated light from a parabolic concentrator is used to increase the power output. The aim of this study was to develop and evaluate the performance of an integrated concentrator photovoltaic (CPV) with water-based cooling and MSF system for seawater desalination. The system consisted of a parabolic concentrator, solar photovoltaic cell, cooling system, and heating tank. The results showed that the CPV system increased power generation by 52%, with a 5% increase in voltage and 47% increase in current compared with those of normal photovoltaic systems. However, because the CPV panel temperature increased by 25%, peaking at 89 degrees C, a water-based cooling system was applied, which successfully maintained the panel temperature at under 75 degrees C. Moreover, the use of seawater as the cooling agent also assisted the desalination process by increasing the initial temperature of the system and led to extra desalinated water output. A 1.8 kW power consumption could produce 1.35 L of desalination water per day. The integrated CPV and MSF system performed well, with the level of total dissolved solids in the distilled water being almost equal to that of clear water. This integrated system can be used to sustainably produce clean water in coastal areas.