Innovation: The TEC layers that separate the distillation stages heat the water above them to drive evaporation and cool the surface beneath them to accelerate vapour condensation. By this, waste heat is repeatedly re-used in the unit

Sector/Industry Application: Renewable Energy

Description: Clean water, a necessity of life, is sadly in short supply in both rural and urban settings in Nigeria. In numerous communities the need to purify saline or brackish water exists but is hampered by absence of simple and cost-effective solutions. The multistage thermoelectric-driven water distillation system consists of two distillation stages, a make-up water stage, inter-stage thermoelectric Cooler (TEC) layers; and condensed water outlet trough. The TEC layers separating the stages heat the water above them to drive evaporation and cool the surface beneath them to accelerate vapour condensation, and the distilled condensates are then collected via troughs.

Problem: Energy-efficient, low cost clean water production.