ST. PETERSBURG, Nov. 28 (Xinhua) -- Russian scientists have developed and patented a computer program that uses waste heat from solar panels to desalinate seawater and groundwater, TASS news agency reported on Friday.
According to Olga Kornyakova, a lecturer at South Ural State University's (SUSU) Department of Industrial Heat Power Engineering, the new software is expected to be in demand among industrial facilities involved in chemical water treatment.
She noted that the program addresses the long-standing problem of excess heat produced by solar panel installations, allowing this previously unused thermal energy to be fed into a desalination device.
Kornyakova explained that SUSU researchers had patented a device capable of purifying seawater and groundwater using electricity generated by solar panels. In the past, she said, solar panels would heat up during operations, releasing waste heat that went unused. With the new system, special heating elements are connected to the panels to absorb this thermal energy.
The software automatically collects digital data from these heating elements, calculates temperatures, and displays the water temperature. Researchers said this integration allows the panel-generated water heat to warm other heat-transfer media as well.
Kornyakova added that the program, written in Python, is user-friendly and does not require specialized training. The development is expected to benefit enterprises engaged in chemical water purification and facilities operations powered by renewable energy sources. Enditem
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