Robert, one of the reasons why I advocate humanitarian aid before commercialism is that idea's can be field tested. Then the potential something has would be better known. What is often missed is around Northern Africa and the Middle East, there are many places where there is more than sufficient solar energy. It could be a matter of logistics, moving the water. Still, around places like Iran and Egypt, it might be viable. What you seem to miss is that if the heat in condensed steam is used to heat water back to temperature (there would be some loss), then about the only heat needed would be the 540 calories per gram of water being converted into steam. And with an efficient heat exchanger, once the system is up and running, most of the solar energy would be used for converting hot water into steam. And if the rate of entropy is known for heating water to be treated with condensed steam, then the operational parameters would pretty much be known. And for something like this, it might even be possible to have it stand in the upright position. It would then only be replacing a glass enclosure for copper pipes. Still, did not read where vacuum is used in such a set up to lower the boiling point of water. Who knows, that might be something that's been over looked as pressure or force/power is usually the norm when work is performed. Myself, I haven't seen many instances where vacuum is incorporated into the design of something. Even the PX Pressure Exchanger uses vacuum to save energy, up to 60% they say for a typical R.O. facility. So I guess with their success, there might be an upside worth pursuing in a design like this.

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Robert, one of the reasons why I advocate humanitarian aid before commercialism is that idea's can be field tested. Then the potential something has would be better known. What is often missed is around Northern Africa and the Middle East, there are many places where there is more than sufficient solar energy. It could be a matter of logistics, moving the water. Still, around places like Iran and Egypt, it might be viable. What you seem to miss is that if the heat in condensed steam is used to heat water back to temperature (there would be some loss), then about the only heat needed would be the 540 calories per gram of water being converted into steam. And with an efficient heat exchanger, once the system is up and running, most of the solar energy would be used for converting hot water into steam. And if the rate of entropy is known for heating water to be treated with condensed steam, then the operational parameters would pretty much be known. And for something like this, it might even be possible to have it stand in the upright position. It would then only be replacing a glass enclosure for copper pipes. Still, did not read where vacuum is used in such a set up to lower the boiling point of water. Who knows, that might be something that's been over looked as pressure or force/power is usually the norm when work is performed. Myself, I haven't seen many instances where vacuum is incorporated into the design of something. Even the PX Pressure Exchanger uses vacuum to save energy, up to 60% they say for a typical R.O. facility. So I guess with their success, there might be an upside worth pursuing in a design like this.