Advancing water collection efficiency in hybrid solar evaporators: key factors, strategic innovations, and synergistic applications

Solar-driven interfacial evaporation (SDIE) technique is a sustainable approach that utilizes solar energy to produce steam, thus addressing freshwater scarcity. Despite several earlier research investigations, claims beyond the theoretical limit were raised due to limitations in solar-to-vapor and condensate efficiency, which remain under debate. Even under superlative conditions, low condensate and energy losses persist, indicating that the system's efficiency will never reach > 100 %. This review primarily analyzes the theoretical values of evaporation rate, structural configurations, strategic approaches, and physical factors influencing condensate yields in the SDIE process. Using a theoretical energy…

• AD
  Abu Dhabi University
• NF
  National Foundation for Science and Technology Development

  Award: 103.02- 2021.106
• NN
  National Natural Science Foundation of China
• SA
  Science and Technology Department of Hubei Province

  Award: 2024BAB096