First Lab-Scale Experimental Results from a Hybrid Solar Water Purification and Photovoltaic System

Abstract

A series of initial experiments to demonstrate the feasibility of hybrid photocatalyticphotovoltaic systems for simultaneous water purification and electricity generation have been conducted. Commercial TiO2 (Aeroxide P25) suspended nanoparticles have been used as a photocatalyst and an organic dye (Methylene Blue) as a pollutant. The photovoltaic output of the hybrid system was observed to be related to MB dye photodegradation, whereby as the pollutant degraded the optical transmission to the cell improved. When the dye decolourisation was complete, the increase in photovoltaic output was between 32 and 37% depending on the initial dye concentration. The findings indicate both technologies can work simultaneously, producing drinking water and generating electricity to feed a pump, which establishes the path for a complete autonomous system.