RESEARCH I REVIEW
years. Throughout its lifetime the system will benefit from design and manufacturing improvements.
The HCPVT system can also be customized with further equipment to provide drinkable water and air conditioning from its hot water output. For example, salt water can pass through a porous membrane distillation system, where it is vaporized and desalinated. Such a system could provide 30–40 litters of drinkable water per square meter of receiver area per day, while still generating electricity with a more than 25 percent yield or two kilowatt hours per day—a little less than half the amount of water the average person needs per day according to the United Nations, whereas a large multi-dish installation could provide enough water for a town.
By means of a thermally driven sorption chiller, cool air can also be produced. A sorption chiller is a device that converts heat into cooling via a thermal cycle applied to a liquid or solid sorption material. Adsorption chillers, with solid silica gel adsorbers and with water as a working fluid, can replace compression chillers, which place a burden on electrical grids in hot climates and contain working fluids that are harmful to the ozone layer.
Although absorption (liquid sorption) systems are already available for combination with the HCPVT system, they provide
less cooling output compared to low-temperature driving heat for the adsorption (solid sorption) systems under development at IBM. The systems can also be customized with a transparent back for urban installations.
Initial HCPVT systems will be made available with non-optimized predecessor distillation and sorption cooling systems. Systems with optimized desalination and sorption cooling technologies require an additional two to three years of development with additional partner companies.
Airlight Energy and the IBM Corporate Service Corps (CSC) will team up to donate a HCPVT system to two deserving communities. Each winning community will receive a prototype HCPVT system from Airlight Energy, and be eligible for pro bono enablement and transformation support from IBM Corporate Service Corps.
Applications from communities will be open in 2015 and the winners will be announced in December 2015, with installations beginning in late 2016. Scientists at Airlight and IBM see the HCPVT system providing energy to locations around the world.
©2014 Permission required. Angel Business Communications Ltd.
Issue V 2014 I
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