Hybrid Solar Desalination System for rural Morocco: Development and performance analysis

Abstract

This study investigates a hybrid solar desalination system powered by both solar thermal energy and photovoltaic (PV) technology. The focus is on optimizing the desalination process for low-quality well water in arid regions, using a sustainable, low-cost, and energy-efficient solution. Designed at the Jülich Solar Institute in Germany and implemented in Morocco’s Oriental region, the system integrates a basin and eight stages, utilizing four flat thermal collectors and photovoltaic panels (2 kWp). It aims to purify low-quality well water with conductivity levels around 4100 μS/cm and total dissolved solids (TDS) of 3 g/L. Operating solely with solar thermal collectors under an illuminance of 1000 W/m² and an ambient temperature of 25°C, the system achieved stage temperatures ranging from 80°C to 30°C, producing 45 kg/day of distilled water with a maximum hourly flow rate of 6 kg/h. When both thermal collectors and photovoltaic panels (1.9 kWp) were used, the system reached higher stage temperatures (93°C to 26°C), producing 93 kg/day of distilled water at a peak flow rate of 8.53 kg/h. This demonstrates a significant improvement in both water output and energy efficiency compared to systems relying only on thermal collectors. The distilled water obtained had a conductivity of 90 μS/cm and TDS of 0.05 g/L, indicating high purity. By blending 80 % distilled water with 20 % well water, the system produced 100–120 liters/day of drinking water with a conductivity of 990 μS/cm and TDS of 0.60 g/L. These values conform to national and international drinking water standards, offering acceptable taste and ensuring health safety. This hybrid system represents a sustainable, cost-effective solution with considerable advantages over conventional desalination methods, such as reduced operational costs and better scalability for arid regions. The results demonstrate the system’s potential to provide high-quality drinking water, addressing critical challenges in water and energy security. This research highlights the adaptability of the hybrid solar desalination system, with the potential for deployment in other regions globally, especially in remote areas with abundant solar resources and water scarcity.

Keywords

• Solar energy
• Thermal and photovoltaic energy
• Multi-stage solar desalination
• Flat plate solar collector
• Photovoltaic panels
• Saline well water