Performance Improvement of Solar Desalination System Based on CeO2-MWCNT Hybrid Nanofluid

Abstract

There is a scarcity of freshwater resources and their quality is deteriorating. As a result, meeting human needs is getting more and more challenging. Additionally, significant health problems are brought on by a shortage of freshwater. Therefore, finding a sustainable alternative technique for producing clean water is necessary. Solar distillation is one of the methods that can be implemented to enhance the overall production of pure water. In this work, a hybrid nanofluid was prepared using a two-step method with cerium oxide (CeO2) nanoparticles and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) in a ratio of 80:20. The concentrations of hybrid nanofluids investigated were 0.02%, 0.04%, and 0.06%. The surfactant cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) was used to keep the hybrid nanofluid stable. The studies were carried out over three days in both conventional and modified stills at a constant depth of 1 cm of hybrid nanofluid. The modified still (MS) achieved a maximum production of 1430 mL compared to the conventional still’s (CS) maximum output of 920 mL. The CPL (Cost per liter) for MS was USD 0.039, and for CS, it was USD 0.045. The levels of TDS in the MS and CS were 96.38% and 92.55% lower than those in saline water. The fluoride ion level of saline water was 0.635 mg/L, whereas the distilled water of MS and CS are 0.339 mg/L and 0.414 mg/L, respectively.