Case Studies in Thermal Engineering (Jan 2024)
Enhancement the production of trays solar still via nano phase change material and preheating feed-water
Abstract
The researchers devise novel approaches to find freshwater meeting to growing industry and population. Solar stills can create drinkable water, although their output isn't exceptionally high. The goal of this work was to improve the rate of evaporation of a trays solar still (TSS) by implementing four modifications. An experimental investigation has been conducted using both a conventional solar still (CSS) and a modified TSS. The modified TSS has been tested by employing two copper spiral water heating coils, internal reflectors, vapor exhaust fan, and phase change material mixed with Nano (PCM-Ag Nano). In five sets of testing, the performance of trays SS and CSS was compared under the same environmental conditions. Results achieved indicated that, the total yield of the TSS with copper coils, internal reflectors and PCM-Ag was enhanced by 146 % over that of the CSS. Additionally, the total freshwater production of the TSS was enhance by 164 % when using copper coils, internal reflectors and vapor exhaust fan in comparison to the CSS. Under these conditions, the distillation values of conventional distiller and modified TSS were 3200 and 8450 mL/m2.day. Addition, the reported costs for treating water for CSS and modified TSS with modifications were found to be 0.026 and 0.018 $ per liter. The environmental parameter of modified TSS was 34.2 tons of CO2 per year.
