Experimental Assessment of a Multi-Effect Solar Desalination System in Southern China

Abstract

This paper presents the thermal performance of a multi-effect distillation (MED) solar desalination unit located in southern China. The system was designed and installed in April 2011, and has been in operation since that time till now. The seawater desalination system is driven by 60 m2 all-glass vacuum tubes solar collector with an additional rainwater utilization system to produce fresh water on both sunny and rainy days. The preliminary experimental results show that the water production of the system for per unit of solar collector area could reach up to more than 12.5kg/m2·day under the fine weather conditions. Water production of the system was stable in long period and the annual production could reach to 387.5 m3 in southern China. The economic performance of the system is also discussed. The cost of water production is estimated approximately 4.15 $/m3 for the 15-year service life.