Energy matrices, exergo-economic and enviro-economic analysis of an active single slope solar still integrated with a heat exchanger: A comparative study

Abstract

This paper presents an analysis of energy matrices, production cost of water and electricity, exergo-economic and enviro-economic analyses of an active single slope solar still integrated with a heat exchanger under optimized conditions on the bases of energy and exergy. Analyses have been done considering four climatic conditions (a, b, c and d) for each month of year for three cases: (i) N – partially covered Photovoltaic Thermal Flat Plate Collectors Single Slope Solar Still (Partially – PVT – FPC – SS – SS), (ii) N – fully covered Photovoltaic Thermal Flat Plate Collectors Single Slope Solar Still (Fully – PVT – FPC – SS – SS) and (iii) N – Flat Plate Collector Single Slope Solar Still (FPC – SS – SS). We report that the cost of potable water is lowest for case (i) followed by case (iii) and then case (ii) at the interest rate of 2% and 5%. However, case (ii) performs better for electricity generation followed by case (i) and the computed kWh per unit cost (exergo-economic parameter) based on energy is highest for case (ii) i.e. 1.73 kWh/₹.