Improved solar-powered membrane distillation system for potable water and electricity production

This study addresses the challenge of improving the efficiency and sustainability of freshwater and electricity generation in hybrid solar-driven systems. A new hybrid system is proposed, integrating a concentrating photovoltaic module with a modified membrane distillation unit through an innovative microchannel heat sink. The system converts approximately 40 % of the incident solar energy into electricity, while the remaining thermal energy is recovered to drive the distillation process. Increasing the coolant flow rate from 50 to 200 g/min improved the electrical efficiency from 37.5 % to 41 % and increased the power output from 161 to 174 W. A three-dimensional numerical model was used to investigate the impact of spacer configurations in the distillation channel on water vapor flux, temperature polarization, thermal efficiency, and specific energy consumption. The 3-spacers design achieved the highest water vapor flux and temperature polarization but at the cost of reduced thermal efficiency. To address this trade-off, a modified 3-spacers configuration was developed, resulting in improved energy efficiency and reduced energy consumption while maintaining high water production. This work advances current efforts by proposing a thermally integrated solar-electricity–driven distillation system with enhanced performance, offering a promising solution for sustainable co-generation of clean water and electricity.