Effects of external reflector and glass cover cooling on thermo-enviro-economic performance of a stepped solar still

In the current research work, performance enhancement of stepped solar still (SSS) having an external reflector (ER) and glass cover cooling (GCC) arrangements is presented. The individual and combined effects of ER and GCC on the performance of SSS have been evaluated and compared with simple SSS. The GCC reduces the glazing temperature significantly and results in increased distillate. The ER reflected the solar radiation inside the basin that increases the water temperature, consequently increasing distillate. The SSS having ER and GCC (SSS-ER-GCC) gave a maximum distillate of 4.340 kg/m² which was observed, respectively, 12.43%, 3.21%, and 1.36% higher than that of simple SSS, SSS with ER (SSS-ER) and SSS with GCC (SSS-GCC). The average energy efficiency of SSS-ER-GCC was evaluated as 40.78%, which was found to be 14.36%, 7.84%, and 10.64%, respectively, higher than that of simple SSS, SSS-ER, and SSS-GCC. The carbon credits earned and CO₂ mitigation were found the maximum for SSS-ER-GCC having values $65.96 and 4.40 tons, respectively. The economic payback period was found the minimum (490 days) for SSS-ER-GCC.     

Experimental investigation on pyramid solar still with single and double collector cover—Comparative study

Sun radiation is the heat energy source for solar still. That should be utilized maximum for increasing the evaporative rate at the top surface of the brine. The pyramid shape solar still (PSSS) can receive solar input radiation from all four directions. In this research, the top layer of conventional pyramid shape solar still (CPSSS) is covered with air‐packed cover and analysed the effect in the modified still after air packed in between the two glasses, finally, that result is compared with the CPSSS. The air inside the two glasses will be receiving maximum radiation and retain in it. It can be used as top side insulation and which can ensure the maximum insulation for heat energy inside the PSSS. The CPSSS and air‐packed pyramid shape solar still (APPSSS) were fabricated and experimented. The experiments were conducted at an ambient condition of the Chennai, Tamil Nadu (12.9416°N, 80.2362°E). The CPSSS gives good yield at evening when an increase in wind velocity. The APPSSS gives a lower performance as compared to the CPSSS due to the air‐packed cover.     

Monthly optimum inclination of glass cover and external reflector of a basin type solar still with internal and external reflector

In this report, we present a theoretical analysis of a basin type solar still with internal and external reflectors. The external reflector is a flat plate that extends from the back wall of the still, and can presumably be inclined forwards or backwards according to the month. We have theoretically predicted the daily amount of distillate produced by the still throughout the year, which varies according to the inclination angle of both the glass cover and the external reflector, at 30°N latitude. We found the optimum external reflector inclination for each month for a still with a glass cover inclination of 10-50°. The increase in the average daily amount of distillate throughout the year of a still with inclined external reflector with optimum inclination in addition to an internal reflector, compared to a conventional basin type still was predicted to be 29%, 43% or 67% when the glass cover inclination is 10°, 30° or 50° and the length of external reflector is half the still’s length.     

A solar water heater with a built-in latent heat storage

In this paper, we have investigated the performance of a novel built-in storage type water heater containing a layer of PCM-filled capsules at the bottom. The PCM layer is introduced with a view of getting hot water during off-sunshine hours. The moving solid-liquid boundary layer problem for the PCM material is simplified to a stationary boundary layer problem, and the effect of latent heat is included in the specific heat by replacing the semi-melted PCM by a fictitious solid. The performance of the water heater is then predicted analytically for two depths of PCM and for different flow rates, both constant and intermittent. The case of sudden withdrawal of water over very short periods is also studied.     

Stand alone triple basin solar desalination system with cover cooling and parabolic dish concentrator

A stand-alone triple basin solar desalination system is experimentally tested and the results are discussed in this paper. This system mainly consists of a triple basin glass solar still (TBSS), cover cooling (CC) arrangement, parabolic dish concentrator (PDC) and photovoltaic (PV) panel. Four triangular hollow fins are attached at the bottom of the upper and middle basin in order to increase the heat transfer rate and place the energy storing materials. The performance of the system is studied by, conventional TBSS system, integrating the TBSS with CC, TBSS with PDC, and TBSS with CC and PDC. Also, each configuration is tested further by using fins without energy storing material, fins filled with river sand, and fins filled with charcoal. The results of the test reveal that, TBSS with charcoal and TBSS with river sand enhance the distillate by 34.2 and 25.6% higher than conventional TBSS distillates. TBSS with cover cooling reduces the glass temperature to about 8 °C compared to the conventional TBSS. The presence of concentrator increases the lower basin water temperature upto 85 °C. The maximum distillate yield of 16.94 kg/m².day is obtained for TBSS with concentrator, cover cooling and charcoal in fins.     

Experimental investigation of the effect of using the cylindrical parabolic collector,different solar panels and their cooling on seawater desalination in double-slope solar still

ABSTRACT

The present study was aimed at examining the effect of using solar panels and cylindrical parabolic collectors, or CPCs, on solar still unit. Cooling of the solar panels up to 25°C has been also conducted in order to rise the amount of produced freshwater. In the first setup, the solar still unit has been made up of 300 W and 600 W solar panels along with the CPC devices of lengths 1 m and 2 m outside for water heating. The second setup was designed in a way that water is heated by the solar panels as well as the CPC device with the copper pipe circulation inside the solar still unit, so the hot water within the pipe has raised the temperature of the water as a heat exchanger inside the solar still. Based on the results, the second setup had a higher efficiency than the first setup. Moreover, the highest amount of fresh water was 4.215 kg and 5.091 kg during one day in the first setup and the second setup, respectively. Cases 1 to 6 are related to the first setup and cases 7 to 12 are related to the second setup. The lowest fresh water production in case 1 was 2.852 kg. the highest water temperature in experimental setup 1 was 71.9 °C and in experimental setup 2 was 84.8°C.     

带内集管的分体式太阳能热水器及其实验研究

为了实现太阳能热水器和建筑的结合,设计了一种分体式全玻璃真空管太阳能热水器。它由集热器、室内储水箱、上升管和下降管组成,其集热器的每根真空管内有一个分水管,分水管通过集箱内的集管与下降管相连。与已有的太阳能热水器相比,其分水管把真空管内的冷、热水流道分开,减少了冷热水流相互干扰,提高了热水器效率,同时实现了分体式太阳能热水器系统的自然循环。实验表明,带内集管的分体式太阳能热水器比不带内集管的分体式太阳能热水器有更高的效率。     

Year around distilled water production,energy, and economic analysis of solar stills—A comparative study

In this paper, a year around energy efficiency (EnE) and economic analysis of single slope solar still (SSSS), the single slope solar still with glass cooling (SSSSGC), the single slope solar still with basin heating (SSSSBH), and the single slope solar still with glass cooling and basin heating (SSSSGCBH) was carried out based on the distilled water production. The annual yield production from the SSSS, SSSSGC, SSSSBH, and SSSSGCBH were 476.16, 637.44, 970.24, and 1167.36 kg, respectively. The yearly yield produced from the SSSSBH and SSSSGCBH was increased by 50.92% and 59.21%, respectively, as compared with the SSSS. Moreover, the annual EnE of the SSSSGCBH was 28.75%. However, the EnE of the SSSS was 11.73%. Also, freshwater making cost is found to be 18.9, 24.9, 37.9, and 45.6 Rs/day for the SSSS, SSSSGC, SSSSBH, and SSSSGCBH, respectively, if the buying cost of freshwater is Rs 10.     

A photovoltaic/thermal system with a combination of a booster diffuse reflector and vacuum tube for generation of electricity and hot water production

Using water as a coolant to reduce the temperature of solar cells is one of the best methods for improving the efficiency of a photovoltaic/thermal system. However the heat absorbed from the solar cell panel is not enough for providing domestic hot water. In this article, a new architecture of photovoltaic/thermal system is proposed and investigated. A silicon monocrystalline photovoltaic module is used with appropriate reflectors in order to increase insolation in conjunction with a closed loop cooling facility to efficiently extract the panel's heat. The absorbed heat from the photovoltaic/thermal panel, is used to preheat the water flow before entering four vacuum tube solar water heaters placed on both sides of the photovoltaic/thermal panel. Performance evaluation of this system in comparison to a similar bare photovoltaic panel, showed a significant increase in the system's electrical and thermal energy output.