Preliminary Analysis of Photovoltaic-Powered Electrodialysis for In-Home Water Desalination in Rural India

Extending access to drinking water in rural India is challenging as it is constrained by the lack of reliable electricity networks and the limited budget for water systems. Solar photovoltaic-powered electrodialysis (PV-ED) desalination has a potential to become a sustainable water solution with much lower cost, as ED systems have improved energy efficient, higher recovery, and lower cost, over current reverse osmosis systems for brackish water desalination. This study presents a preliminary analysis of home-use PV-ED system by developing a PV-ED mathematical model and a preliminary design of the DC-DC converter. By validating and analysing the simulation results, the developed model and the DC-DC converter design were proved to perform satisfactorily, which builds a foundation for further optimization studies.