EVALUATION OF THE POSSIBILITY OF APPLYING SEWAGE SLUDGE AS A LIGHT ABSORPTION MATERIAL IN SOLAR-TO-STEAM DEVICES

Abstract

Solar-to-steam technology is a promising sustainable technology to mitigate the global energy crisis and clean water scarcity. Advanced materials contribute significantly to improving the evaporation efficiency of solar-to-steam generators. In this study, we evaluate the possibility of using domestic wastewater sludge as a light-absorbing membrane for solar-to-steam devices. The characteristic properties of carbon material, light absorbing membranes generated from wastewater sludge were evaluated by scanning electron microscope, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, The Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) method. The optimal evaporation rate was 1.88 kg.m^-2.h^-1 under 0.6 kW/m² irradiation. The obtained results which indicate the industrial sludge can be applied as efficient solar absorbed materials in solar-driven water evaporation systems.