Simultaneous saltwater desalination and power generation using an aluminum-powered cell

Abstract In this study, an air-cathode-aluminum-air desalination battery as a new technology for simultaneous desalination and electrical power generation was developed through the optimization of its operating parameters. Nitrogen-sulfur co-doped carbon was synthesized and characterized as a cheap and efficient catalyst for oxygen reduction reaction in the cathode. By optimizing the aluminum anode parameters, utilizing the fabricated air-cathode and modifying the operational conditions, the salt removal and average generated energy reached 2.06 g/L (in 90 min) and 0.55 Wh/L of the processed water, respectively, consuming 0.26 g of aluminum per hour. Moreover, using cost analysis this technology was found competitive with other desalination systems for high salinity water, consuming 2.05 Wh for 1 g salt removal with initial salinity of 12 g/L. Overall, this assembly is a low cost and environmentally friendly process, and with advantages such as continuous desalination and reasonable desalination rate, seems to be a promising candidate for desalination purposes.