Solar Desalination System Research Articles

Performance of tube heat pipe solar collector with phase change material for seawater desalination system

Abstract Unlimited seawater resources resulted for utilization of desalination systems using seawater treatment process emerges as a promising technology for addressing the continually escalating need for freshwater. At present, the most notable desalination processes that are reverse osmosis, membrane distillation, multistage desalination, multiple-effect distillation, and electrodialysis, require energy generated by fossil fuels to obtain fresh water. Among the noteworthy sources of renewable energy, solar energy stands out with its manifold applications. The use of solar energy has strong advantages, such as a low maintenance and operation costs. In this study, a novel solar desalination system is introduced, which integrates tube heat pipe solar collector (THP-SC) equipped with phase change material (PCM). The aim of this research is to evaluate the performance of THP-SC equipped with PCM and without PCM. The feedwater sample used is water. Parameters measured for 24 hours were temperature, solar radiation, ambient air temperature, relative humidity, and wind speed. The greatest recorded solar radiation at noon (11.52 a.m.) is 900 W/m2 while the maximum recorded ambient temperature at 12.45 p.m. is 35.2°C. The experimental study showed that from morning to afternoon (06.00-15.00), the temperature of the evaporator section of the heat pipe on the THP-SC without PCM (46.70-56.21°C) was higher than the temperature of the evaporator section of the heat pipe on the THP-SC with PCM (33.18-44.43°C). This is because solar radiation will heat the PCM first before heating the heat pipe. PCM can store heat energy and release it at night. This can be seen from the water temperature in THP-SC with PCM (28.39-36.03) which is higher than the water temperature in THP-SC without PCM (27.17-34.01) at night, but the temperature difference is not significant. This can be caused by the large amount of heat lost to the environment in THP-SC with PCM, it is best to coat the heat pipe tube with insulation and create a vacuum to reduce heat loss.

Performance modeling and cost optimization of a solar desalination system using forward osmosis with energy storage

This study presents the design and performance evaluation of a solar-driven water desalination system based on forward osmosis (FO) with thermally responsive ionic liquids (ILs). FO is a two-step process involving dilution of the ILs with water, followed by heating above a critical temperature to induce phase separation of liquid water from the IL. This regeneration step can be achieved by integrating FO with low-grade solar energy, which is abundant in regions that face severe water scarcity. A system design is presented that couples an FO membrane module with a compound parabolic concentrator solar collector and thermal energy storage to minimize solar intermittency and produce clean water at a distributed scale of 10 m3/day. To determine the optimal sizing of components in the system, a technoeconomic analysis using the TRNSYS software is performed with the goal of minimizing the levelized cost of water (LCOW). Notably, over 96 % of the energy required for regeneration comes from solar energy and/or the thermal energy storage (TES) in all cases, with auxiliary heat from electricity being used to maintain a continuous process. To evaluate the potential of solar-FO in three different locations within the United States, a case study is presented for Phoenix, AZ; San Diego, CA; and Atlanta, GA. The simulation results reveal that for a small-scale desalination system, LCOW values as low as $1.31/m3 can be attained, with the potential to approach $1/m3 by lowering the costs of the solar collector and FO module based on a sensitivity analysis.

An experimental investigation and thermo-economic performance analysis of solar desalination system by using nano-enhanced PCM

Desalination combined with nano-enhanced phase change material has the potential to significantly transform water sustainability by offering an ecologically responsible resolution. This work introduces single-slope solar still coupled with a novel helical parabolic collector, incorporating nanoparticles doped phase change materials to enhance desalination system performance. Various objective functions include as heat transfer coefficient, useful heat gain, productivity analysis, energy efficiency, overall thermal efficiency, exergy analysis (for both collector and solar still), and economic parameters are thoroughly examined. Experimental studies explore the impact on objective functions by comparing PCM coupled system to the system without PCM. Varying mass concentrations of nanoparticles (CuO/TiO2), PCM (Paraffin Wax, KCl, MgCl2.6H2O) are taken as decision values. Additionally, PCM configurations (1–6) are examined through scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The analysis resulted an average evaporative heat transfer coefficient range of 14.74–26.79 W/m2.K, maximum productivity yield of 3268 ml/m2/day. Energy and exergy efficiency are 46.23% and 10.67% respectively with a payback period of 129 days, and a cost per liter of $ 0.012. The study further highlights an increment in temperature drop between water and glass temperature and improved daily yield with PCM-3. Preheating of feed water exhibited improved efficiency of solar still desalination system. A comparative study of solar desalination systems is also included.

Functional and financial analysis of an inclined step solar desalination using phase change nanomaterials.

Recent decades have seen a shortage of water, which has led scientists to concentrate on solar desalination technologies. The present study examines the solar water desalination system with inclined steps, while considering various phase change materials (PCMs). The findings suggest that the incorporation of PCM generally enhances the productivity of the solar desalination system. Additionally, the combination of nanoparticles has been used to PCM, which is a popular technique utilized nowadays to improve the efficiency of these systems. The current investigation involves the transient modeling of a solar water desalination system, utilizing energy conservation equations. The equations were solved using the Runge-Kutta technique of the ODE23s order. The temperatures of the salt water, the absorbent plate of the glass cover, and the PCM were calculated at each time. Without a phase changer, the rate at which fresh water is produced is around 5.15 kg/m2·h. The corresponding mass flow rates of paraffin, n-PCM I, n-PCM III, n-PCM II, and stearic acid are 22.9, 28.9, 5.9, 11.9, and 73 kg/m2·h. PCMs, with the exception of stearic acid, exhibit similar energy efficiency up to an ambient temperature of around 29°. However, at temperatures over 29°, n-PCM II outperforms other PCM.

Numerical simulation and geometric optimization of a desalination system using solar energy using two-phase mixing method with alumina nanoparticles

This research paper presents 2D numerical simulations of a single-slope solar desalination system from a nanomaterial science perspective, utilizing the two-phase mixture method. Alumina nanoparticles with a volume percentage of 0.1 % are introduced into the water storage tank for thermal analysis. The system features a trapezoid-shaped glass wall to harness solar energy. Key variables studied encompass ambient temperature, glass wall angle, front wall height, glass wall temperature, and air temperature inside the system. Temperature and velocity contours within the system are obtained through numerical simulations. To enrich the analysis, artificial intelligence techniques and response surface methodology are employed to examine the maximum and minimum temperatures. The results indicate that, at medium ambient temperatures, the lowest maximum air temperature inside the desalination system occurs at a front wall height of 0.2 m and a glass angle of 45°. Additionally, the lowest air temperature is observed at an ambient temperature of 10 °C and a front wall height of 0.05 m, corresponding to a glass angle of 27.5°. On the other hand, the highest maximum air temperature is recorded at a front wall height of 0.125 m, with a glass angle of 45° and an ambient temperature of 55 °C. Increasing the ambient temperature from 10 °C to 55 °C for a wall height of 0.2 m leads to a 26.81 °C rise in the air temperature inside the system, equivalent to a 9 % increase. The findings provide valuable insights for optimizing the design and performance of single-slope solar desalination systems integrated with alumina nanoparticles from the perspective of nanomaterial science.

Energetic, exergetic, exergoeconomic, and enviroeconomic analysis of solar dish-integrated water desalination system with various nanofluids

Global demand for freshwater is increasing due to population growth and water scarcity. Traditional desalination systems are characterized by their high energy consumption, resulting in low efficiency and elevated costs. It is crucial to explore sustainable and eco-friendly desalination system to address these problems. Present study explores the impact of Al2O3 and ZnO nanofluids on a solar dish integrated water desalination system (SWDS). Performance evaluation includes energy, exergy, economic, exergoeconomic, and enviroeconomic perspectives. Compared to SWDS with water, annual freshwater productivity increased by 20.13% (Al2O3) and 12.56% (ZnO). SWDS with Al2O3 nanofluid exhibited the highest energy and exergy efficiency of 20.76% and 4.32%, respectively. Energetic parameters revealed a minimum energy payback time of 0.91 years and a maximum energy production factor of 27.18 for SWDS with Al2O3 nanofluid. The lowest cost per liter (CPL) was US$0.050 for Al2O3 nanofluids, while the highest CPL was US$0.0547 for ZnO nanofluid. The maximum exergoeconomic parameter was 2.50 kWh/US$ for SWDS with Al2O3 nanofluid. SWDS with Al2O3 nanofluid demonstrated the highest net CO2 mitigation of 72.54 tonne, with corresponding carbon credits of US$2124.08 (energy) and US$423.92 (exergy). The Al2O3 nanofluid-based SWDS demonstrated superior performance in energy and exergy perspective. Furthermore, Al2O3 nanofluid-based SWDS showed enhanced cost-effectiveness and environmental sustainability when compared to water-based SWDS.

Experimental and analytical examinations of a single-glazed solar still desalination with a spray-feeding water system with an artificial neural network

Using solar stills to desalinate salt water effectively provides clean water in remote areas at affordable prices. It is well-established that a crucial factor in enhancing the efficiency of solar desalination systems is increasing brackish water's surface evaporation rate by minimizing surface tension and boosting thermal energy. However, recent studies and proposed ideas indicate a limited and insufficient focus on this aspect. As a response, this research introduces a novel approach to raising the temperature of saline water. This is achieved through a system that involves simultaneous saline water spraying and circulation, affecting all factors and effectively reducing the surface evaporation rate. This approach impacts factors influencing surface evaporation rates and offers advantages such as low thermal inertia, reduced surface tension, and enhanced thermal energy within the desalination system. Therefore, the main goal of this study will be to improve the performance of the solar desalination system through circulating preheated salt water spray and using artificial neural networks and machine learning algorithms to obtain the function of predicting the amount of fresh water produced. The results of this study show that the evaporative heat transfer coefficient of the introduced system is significantly larger than that of the conventional solar still unit, with an average difference of about 43.98%. Also, the results of daily water output in both systems show a significant increase and superiority of 28.75% in freshwater production for the modified system. Also, the efficiency of the improved system is 65.18% higher than that of the passive solar distillation system, and the cost per liter was 0.059 ($/L/m2). The results of this study highlight the effectiveness of the saltwater spraying technique in enhancing the performance of solar desalination systems, making it a valuable prospect for future industrial applications in desalination systems and into energy systems for smart cities as a sagacious strategy towards clean and sustainable process.

Effect of patterned condensation surface on the performance of a newly designed basin-type solar desalination unit

Evaporative solar desalination systems present a cost-effective solution for generating clean water from brine solutions or seawater. This study investigates the impact of condensation surface inclination, surface pattern, and wettability on the performance of a newly proposed basin-type solar desalination unit using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) based simulations. The proposed design of the system shows better performance in terms of water production compared to previously developed conventional units. It was observed that the wettability-based patterning with different arrangements on the condensation surface has a significant effect on the rate of water condensation. Five different cases of surface patterning on the condensation surface were considered. In one case, coatings of alternating hydrophobic and hydrophilic strips were considered (termed as Pattern-I, Pattern-II and Pattern-II for different cases based on the hydrophilic and hydrophobic coverages). In another case, small rectangular patches of hydrophilic (or hydrophobic) layers were coated on a hydrophobic (or hydrophilic) base substrate (termed as checkerboard Pattern-IV or V). The result shows 75.0% more efficiency for a checkerboard-based surface (Pattern-IV) and 150% more efficiency for a strip-based (Pattern-II) pattern than the pristine wettability surface of conventional design. Furthermore, the validation of the surface characteristics was performed based on available literature which implied satisfactory performance.

Highly efficient 3D-screen printed interfacial solar water desalination system

Interfacial solar steam generation (ISSG) using floating devices is one of the most efficient and simple methods of purifying saline water. In this work, multi-layered solar steam generation systems are fabricated using 3D-screen printing. The printed devices with a uniform layer-by-layer structure contain light-harvesting, thermal insulation, thermal conduction, and water-transfer layers. The graphite (Gr) photothermal layer as an absorber layer is screen printed on the felt substrate with three different 3D patterns, which is isolated by transparent hydrophobic silica aerogel (SA) as a light scattering agent to provide efficient photon capturing and heat localization. Furthermore, to transfer the generated heat to the water proficiently, a copper (Cu) layer is coated on the downside of the absorber layer. The devices with the best performances are introduced by evaluating the effect of the fabricated layers thickness and different configurations. The multi-layered device containing a photothermal layer with SP1-3rd pattern and different thicknesses of SA 32 μm (under Cu), Cu 16 μm, Gr 32 μm, and SA 32 μm (on top of the Gr) shows a steam generation efficiency of 97 %, and water evaporation flux of 1.43 kg.m−2.h−1, which are 86 % higher than the performance of the reference system.

Solar-powered hybrid adsorption desalination/humidification-dehumidification system

Eco-friendly materials used in adsorption desalination system represent a good alternative to avoid the problems of pollution and global warming. Adsorption desalination technology has low relative performance and still needs more development. This work investigates novel configurations of solar-powered adsorption desalination system using composite sodium polyacrylate (SP) as adsorbent material integrated with humidification-dehumidification desalination system driven by solar energy or waste heat. Cost analysis of those novel configurations and weather effects were studied beside the performance. MATLAB and TRNSYS used hot regions' weather data to carry out the model. Sodium polyacrylate in the forms of raw sodium polyacrylate and SP/CaCl2 is used as adsorbent material. Findings reveal that for conventional solar adsorption desalination system using raw sodium polyacrylate or SP/CaCl2, the highest specific cooling power is introduced by the composite adsorbent. When utilizing raw sodium polyacrylate in the hybrid system with heat recovery, it gives relatively high values of specific daily water production, reaching 55.8 m3/ton in June, and it decreased to 41.7 m3/ton in December. Gained output ratio has been studied, and it changes from 1.73 in January to 1.58 in June and 1.75 in December. When utilizing SP/CaCl2, The hybrid system with heat recovery reached a SDWP value of 77.3 m3/ton in June, and it decreased to 51.8 m3/ton in December. Results also reveal that the SP/CaCl2 system powered by waste heat provides the cheapest desalinated water among all systems at 0.49 $/m3.

Experimental investigation on the effective condenser glass area of solar still hybrid with photovoltaic cells

AbstractSolar desalination is a broad research field in the production of freshwater. The efficiency of the natural conversion solar desalination system is the only limitation to becoming its commercialization. It needs 1 m2 area for getting approximately 4.5 L of fresh water/day. In active methods 1 m2 area of solar still produce yield up to 10 L/day. In this study a new technology of fixing the photovoltaic cell (PV cells) in the natural passive solar still condenser glass to harvest both freshwater as well as electrical power generation is proposed. The experiments were carried out with conventional solar still of a glass surface area of 0.5 m2, still with an effective glass surface area of 0.3812 m2 and 36 PV cells taken up area of 0.1188 m2, and still with effective glass surface area of 0.3020 m2 and 60 PV cells taken up area of 0.198 m2. The study found that conventional solar still produced 2140 mL/day of yield, still with 36 PV cells produced 1380 mL/day of yield and 98 W of electrical power and still with 60 PV cells produced 840 mL/day of yield and 165 W of electrical power. This hybrid system, solar still with PV cells, produce both fresh water and electrical power. The fresh water yield and electrical power generation depends on the effective area of the solar still glass surface area and area occupied by PV cells attached to the solar still glass cover.

Experimental investigation of a solar still system with a preheater and nanophase change materials

Solar desalination systems are crucial for generating fresh water, particularly in regions with water scarcity. They harness renewable solar energy, making them sustainable and cost-effective in remote areas. Solar desalination addresses water scarcity challenges with a sustainable, decentralized, and efficient approach. The objective of this study is to analyze the impact of varying depths of basin water on the overall productivity of distillate in a solar distillation system. The research specifically investigates three distinct scenarios, focusing on the concentration of freshwater at different depths. The investigation extends to the analysis of temporal variations in heat transfer loss for three different phase change materials (PCMs) namely paraffin wax + nano CuO, paraffin wax, and lauric acid. This study also examines the impact of varying depths of basin water on the overall productivity of distillate in three distinct scenarios. In all instances, it has been observed that the more concentrated form of freshwater can be found at a depth of 20 mm. The water basin temperature lowered by 44.78% for paraffin wax + nano CuO composite, in comparison to paraffin wax (45.31%) and lauric acid (47.37%) when the water depth was increased from 20 mm to 60 mm. The equations pertaining to energy conservation and heat transfer in the solar distillation system are presented. The investigation also encompassed the analysis of temporal variations in heat transfer loss for three unique PCMs. The study recorded an increase in the total distillate freshwater of 3480, 1248.5, and 2637 ml/m2/day for paraffin wax + nano CuO, lauric acid, and paraffin wax correspondingly. Lauric acid has exhibited a level of performance in terms of total distillate.

Exploring water desalination in an arid climate: An experimental and numerical analysis of a compact solar chimney

Water scarcity has been proclaimed one of the biggest challenges in the 21st century. This study developed a novel compact solar desalination system based on a chamber (basin) and a chimney where water is evaporated and condensed, respectively. A transient numerical model based on fundamental principles was developed, which uses actual weather conditions to predict the performance of the solar tower desalination system. It was validated with the obtained experimental hourly water production and temperatures in the chimney in a city with a desert climate. A detailed thermal analysis with contours of temperature and mass fraction and streamlines is presented. Also, profiles of water evaporated/condensed are exhibited. Finally, the overall and condensation efficiencies were computed. The transient computational model could replicate experimental hourly water production and temperatures in the chimney with good agreement. The system in the actual state could produce up to 6052 mL of clean water under summer weather conditions. The increase in air velocity to 3.5 m/s improved clean water production by 19.82 % and condensation efficiency by 18.38 %.

Structural integration of solar desalination system

Structural integration of solar desalination system

Analysis of the performance of V-type solar stills coupled with flat plate collectors and the potential use of artificial intelligence

The exponential rise in global population and pollution from industrialization exacerbates water scarcity. Solar desalination offers a carbon-neutral solution to freshwater production. The V-type double-sloped solar desalination system, renowned for its simplicity and compact size, outperforms single-sloped systems. This study compares the performance of a double inward slope desalination still with and without a flat plate collector. Results show a 74% increase in water production with the modified still, achieving 3020 mL/day and 633 mL/hr on clear, sunny days. Energy efficiency also improves by 18% to 0.13 mL/kJ with the addition of the flat plate collector. Conducted in Thalassery, India, the experiment demonstrates potential for home applications. Shadowing on the collector plate can diminish solar energy gain, addressed through mathematical modeling using Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) in this study.

A Development in Solar Desalination System with Flashing of Solar Heated Water

Solar still was successfully used for the desalination of saline water in many arid and oceanic regions of the world. But the yield of solar still was found very low and fluctuating. The new develop system with the flashing of solarheated water is found possible during the study of flashing of hot water in many thermal processes used during the chemical and pharmaceutical processes. A compact and effective desalination system using solar energy had designed during the research work from the design reviews collected from flashing hot water devices used in many thermal processes. The compact flash chamber and flash steam condenser are critical components developed for the novel desalination system using locally available materials during the research work. In present experimental work a flash chamber is designed for flashing of solar heated water. Experimental work shows that by increasing the mass flow rate of water from 0.01 kg/sec to 0.02 kg/sec the distillate output of water could be increased with higher temperature of water. It shows that around 38% of higher distillate output in water could be achieved with development of new system.

Applications of different types of heat pipes in solar desalinations: A comprehensive review.

Desalination processes are energy consuming and it is required to apply clean energy sources for supplying them to prevent environmental issues. Solar energy is one of the attractive clean energy sources for desalination. In solar thermal desalination systems, different thermal components could be used for heat transfer purpose. In solar desalination technologies, heat pipe as efficient heat transfer mediums could be employed to transfer absorbed and/or stored thermal energy. The objective of this study is to review applications of heat pipes in solar energy desalination systems. Regarding the performance dependency of these thermal systems on the variety of factors, scholars have investigated these systems by consideration of the effect of different influential factors. Based on the results, it is concluded that use of heat pipes could lead to proper performance of solar desalination systems. Aside from direct transfer of absorbed heat from solar radiation, heat pipes can be applied in the storage units of solar desalination systems to keep the systems active in night-hours or low solar irradiation conditions. The overall performance of the solar desalinations systems with heat pipes can be influenced by some factors such as filling ratio and operating fluid that affect the performance of heat pipes.

Enhancing solar distillation through beeswax-infused tubular solar still with a heat exchanger using parabolic trough collector

This scholarly investigation elucidates the imperative for advancing solar thermal desalination systems, an exigency compounded by the twin global challenges of burgeoning solar implementational proliferation alongside intensifying non-potable water scarcity. The primary research objective underlines manifesting the latent productivity within passive tubular solar still (TSS) configurations via an amalgamated active system through the integration of metallic thermal transfer constituents (heat exchanger) alongside parabolic trough collector (PTC). Additionally, accelerated vapor condensation kinetics are catalyzed by the inclusion of beeswax phase change material (PCM) within the tubular metallurgies. A thorough empirical analysis of said system scrutinizes the synergistic fusion of concentrated solar thermal capacities using concentrated solar power (CSP) paradigms in tubular solar photo-thermal frameworks with beeswax constituting the auxiliary PCM thermal sink. A bifurcated data set provides experimental controls lacking PCM alongside PCM incorporation with repeating data gathering phases assessing comparative solar distillation system performance. The culminating system productivity and efficiency results exhibit a 66.18 % and 54.04 % respectively enhancement. Thus, the amalgamation of PTC-augmented TSS with metallic thermal exchangers & PCM beeswax integration introduces pragmatic pathways for advancing intensive solar-powered desalination output. Further academic interrogation of enabling thermal and optical phenomena driving said performance optimization remains imperative.

Optimal design and economic analysis of a stand-alone integrated solar hydrogen water desalination system case study agriculture farm in Kairouan Tunisia

In the contemporary global discourse on environmental and developmental issues, the dual challenges of sustainable green energy and water supply stand paramount. These elements are vitally intertwined with the socio-economic vitality of the world. Notably, regions plagued by freshwater scarcity are increasingly turning to desalination which consists of a reliable and unconventional water source. The intersection of renewable energy with desalination and water purification processes presents a compelling synergy. This approach is particularly pertinent in areas where freshwater shortages coexist with abundant solar energy availability. Additionally, these technologies boast the advantage of low operational and maintenance costs. This paper delves into the design, optimization and financial analysis of a novel, standalone hybrid energy system, integrating photovoltaic and fuel cell technologies, for an agriculture farm situated in Kairouan, Tunisia. Unlike conventional systems, this model foregoes battery storage in favour of hydrogen storage, generated through water electrolysis powered by solar energy. This system harnesses solar energy for direct electrical power generation and hydrogen gas production. A segment of the generated electricity is allocated to electrolysis for green hydrogen production. In times of solar unavailability, the stored hydrogen is reconverted to electricity via a fuel cell. An intriguing aspect of this system is the utilization of saline well water, which, due to its high salt content, necessitates purification through desalination to prevent damage to the electrolysis unit and to render it suitable for agricultural irrigation.

Solar desalination system for fresh water production performance estimation in net-zero energy consumption building: A comparative study on various machine learning models.

This study employs diverse machine learning models, including classic artificial neural network (ANN), hybrid ANN models, and the imperialist competitive algorithm and emotional artificial neural network (EANN), to predict crucial parameters such as fresh water production and vapor temperatures. Evaluation metrics reveal the integrated ANN-ICA model outperforms the classic ANN, achieving a remarkable 20% reduction in mean squared error (MSE). The emotional artificial neural network (EANN) demonstrates superior accuracy, attaining an impressive 99% coefficient of determination (R2) in predicting freshwater production and vapor temperatures. The comprehensive comparative analysis extends to environmental assessments, displaying the solar desalination system's compatibility with renewable energy sources. Results highlight the potential for the proposed system to conserve water resources and reduce environmental impact, with a substantial decrease in total dissolved solids (TDS) from over 6,000 ppm to below 50 ppm. The findings underscore the efficacy of machine learning models in optimizing solar-driven desalination systems, providing valuable insights into their capabilities for addressing water scarcity challenges and contributing to the global shift toward sustainable and environmentally friendly water production methods.