Efficiency investigation of a new-design air solar plate collector used in a humidification–dehumidification desalination process

The aim of this research is to experimentally study the efficiency of a new-design plate collector used to heat air in a new desalination humidification–dehumidification process. In fact, in such processes, the air solar collectors work at unusual experimental parameters (forced convection, elevated air humidity, high solar irradiation…). At these stressed experimental conditions, few published works are available in literature. Furthermore, the comparison of the efficiency of collectors running with normal air humidity content (about 10–20 g kg⁻¹) and air of elevated humidity (20–50 g kg⁻¹) were not yet published as our knowledge. In the present investigation, a new air solar plate collector was designed and developed for its use in a desalination process. Moreover, a characterization of such collector was performed under different experimental conditions. The effect of different parameters, namely: the solar radiation, the wind velocity, the ambient temperature, the air mass flow rate, the inlet air humidity and temperature, on the collector efficiency was also investigated. The collector was optimized for its use in a new solar desalination process. In fact, the air solar collector was designed in order to lower its economic cost making them applicable for water desalination.     

Performance study of solar water pump using packed-bed collectors

In the present investigation solar water pumps using packed-bed collectors have been developed. It has been experimentally observed that the performance behaviour of such pumps is much superior to that of a solar water pump using conventional plain collectors. Among the solar water pumps developed, the one using iron-turning packed-bed collectors exhibits the best performance. It is interesting to conclude that the performance of a solar water pump using conventional (plain) collectors can be improved appreciably just by packing the collectors with metallic materials.     

Solar thermally driven desalination systems with corrosion-free collectors

There exist various desalination systems that work at operating temperatures of 60 to 80°C. As an example, the multi-effect ambient pressure desalination system with free convection of air may be mentioned. It is described in /1/ and /2/. Like other concepts and desalination systems, it is very well suited for operation with thermal solar collectors, thus using renewable energy resources. For solar thermally driven desalination systems, special corrosion-free collectors have to be developed. The paper describes the work carried out so far at the Fraunhofer ISE in Germany.     

Modelling and experimental studies on a mixed-mode natural convection solar crop-dryer

A mathematical model for drying agricultural products in a mixed-mode natural convection solar crop dryer (MNCSCD) using a single-pass double-duct solar air-heater (SPDDSAH) is presented. The model was developed in parallel with experimental work. The model comprises the air-heating process model, the drying model and the technical performance criteria model. The governing equations of the drying air temperature and humidity ratio; the material temperature and its moisture content; and performance criteria indicators are derived. The model requires the solution of a number of interrelated non-linear equations and a set of simultaneous differential equations. Results from experimental studies used for generating the required experimental data for validating the model are presented. Results of simulation runs using the model are presented and compared with the experimental data. It is shown that the model can predict the performance of the MNCSCD fairly accurately and therefore can be used as a design tool for prototype development.     

Solar desalination using humidification dehumidification processes. Part I. A numerical investigation

A numerical investigation of a humidification dehumidification desalination (HDD) process using solar energy is presented. The HDD system consists mainly of a concentrating solar water heating collector, flat plate solar air heating collector, humidifying tower and dehumidifying exchanger. Two separate circulating loops constitute the HDD system, the first for heating the feed water and the second for heating air. A mathematical model is developed, simulating the HDD system, to study the influence of the different system configurations, weather and operating conditions on the system productivity. The model validity is examined by comparing the theoretical and experimental results of the same authors. It is found that the results of the developed mathematical model are in good agreement with the experimental results and other published works. The results show also that the productivity of the unit is strongly influenced by the air flow rate, cooling water flow rate and total solar energy incident through the day. Wind speed and ambient temperature variations show a very small effect on the system productivity. In addition, the obtained results indicate that the solar water collector area strongly affects the system productivity, more so than the solar air collector area.     

Modelling and simulation of a water desalination station with solar multiple condensation evaporation cycle technique

This paper presents the study of a new generation of water desalination installation by solar energy using the SMCEC principle (Solar Multiple Condensation Evaporation Cycle). The good quality of distilled water obtained by this new concept favours its use for producing water for drinking and irrigation. The work presented in this paper includes modelling, simulation and experimental validation for this type of installation. The models of the different sections of the unit are developed from the governing heat and mass transfer equations. These models permit the sizing of the solar collectors, the evaporation tower and the condensation tower. The numeric simulation of the models allows the study of the relation among the different control parameters of the unit that would optimise its production. The obtained results are then compared against the experimental results.     

Experimental validation of the distillation module of a desalination station using the SMCEC principle

This paper presents the simulation and the experimental validation of the distillation module of a desalination unit, currently operating in Sfax, Tunisia. The desalination process is based on the Solar Multiple Condensation Evaporation Cycle (SMCEC) principle.The work presented in this paper focuses on modelling the desalination module as it is supplied with either water heated by solar energy or geothermal water. Geothermal water resources are abundant in Tunisia with salinity levels of 1–50 g/l. The simulation of the dynamic behaviour of the desalination module with and without disturbances on the inlet temperature was carried out to predict the variations of key output variables subjected to thermal variations. Such variables include water temperature, air temperature, humidity in the evaporation and condensation chambers and the amount of produced distilled water. To validate the dynamic model of the distillation module, a series of experiments was conducted. Experimental results were compared with the simulation results. It was shown that the developed model is able to predict accurately the trends of the heat and mass characteristics of the evaporation and condensation chambers. As a result, the proposed model can be used to design and test the behaviour of such a type of desalination unit.     

Modeling of heat and mass transfer in parallel plate liquid-desiccant dehumidifiers

In the last few years there has been renewed interest in solar driven air-conditioning. One concept that has been investigated is the use of liquid-desiccant cooling systems. Such systems have the advantage of improved humidity control, particularly in applications with high ventilation rates. Moreover, lower regeneration temperatures can be employed, allowing for a more efficient use of heat from low temperature sources, e.g., flat plate solar collectors. In the present work, mathematical and numerical models were developed for internally cooled liquid-desiccant dehumidifiers, using three different approaches. The first approach is based on heat and mass transfer correlations. The second one numerically solves, by the finite-difference method, the differential equations for energy and species assuming a constant film thickness. The third approach introduces a variable film thickness. All approaches assume fully developed laminar flow for the liquid and air streams. The variable thickness model results closely matched the experimental data available in the literature.     

Field study of various air based photovoltaic/thermal hybrid solar collectors

In the present work a comparative study for thermal and electrical performance of different hybrid photovoltaic/thermal collectors designs for Iraq climate conditions have been carried out. Four different types of air based hybrid PV/T collectors have been manufactured and tested. Three collectors consist of four main parts namely, channel duct, glass cover, axial fan to circulate air and two PV panels in parallel connection. The measured parameters are, the temperature of the upper and the lower surfaces of the PV panels, air temperature along the collector, air flow rate, pressure drop, power produced by solar cell, and climate conditions such as wind speed, solar radiation and ambient temperature. The thermal and hydraulic performances of PV/T collector model IV have been analyzed theoretically based on energy balance. A Matlab computer program has been developed to solve the proposed mathematical model.The obtained results show that the combined efficiency of collector model III (double duct, single pass) is higher than that of model II (single duct double pass) and model IV (single duct single pass). Model IV has the better electrical efficiency. The pressure drop of model III is lower than that of models II and IV. The root mean square of percentage deviations for PV outlet temperature, and thermal efficiency of model IV are found to be 3.22%, and 18.04% respectively. The calculated linear coefficients of correlation (r) are 0.977, 0.965 respectively.     

Determination of rational design parameters of a multi-stage solar water desalination still using transient mathematical modelling

The paper describes the experimental investigations of the performance of a multi-stage water desalination still connected to a heat pipe evacuated tube solar collector with aperture area of 1.7 m². The multi-stage solar still water desalination system was designed to recover latent heat from evaporation and condensation processes in four stages. The variation in the solar radiation during a typical mid-summer day in the Middle East region was simulated on the test rig using an array of 110 halogen floodlights covering the area of the collector. The results of tests demonstrate that the system produces about 9 kg of fresh water per day and has a solar collector efficiency of about 68%. However, the overall efficiency of the laboratory test rig at this stage of the investigations was found to be at the level of 33% due to excessive heat losses in the system. The analysis of the distilled water showed that its quality was within the World Health Organization guidelines. The still's operation was numerically simulated by employing a mathematical model based on a system of ordinary energy and mass conservation differential equations written for each stage of the still. A computer program was developed for transient simulations of the evaporation and condensation processes inside the multi-stage still. Experimental results obtained and theoretical predictions were found to be in good agreement. The results on the determination of rational design dimensions and number of stages of the still for a given aperture of the solar collector are also presented in this work.     

Solar cooling system using concentrating collectors for office buildings: A case study for Greece

On a European level there is intense research activity to broaden the applications of solar thermal systems beyond their established domains (hot water, space heating support) and to foster their participation in the energy maps of the EU-Member States. Concentrated Solar Thermal (CST) systems are expected to play a key role in this effort, especially for achieving the medium and high temperatures needed, for electricity generation, for industrial applications but also for hybridized solar heating/cooling and desalination applications.This paper presents a proposal for implementation of a CST system in the building sector, based on a research carried out in the Laboratory of Environmental and Energy Efficient Design of Buildings and Settlements at the University of Thrace. Specifically, an integrated solar cooling system using parabolic trough solar collectors and double-effect chiller is discussed, used to cover the cooling needs of typical office building in Greece.As it was shown, the use of concentrating solar collectors leads to significantly higher output temperatures that can enable the use of two stage absorption chillers with a higher COP. Alternatively, when low or medium temperature heat is required, the use of CST systems takes less space to cope with it than traditional flat plate collectors. The combination of these parameters can contribute to removing key barriers associated with the broader diffusion of solar cooling technology, enhancing the potential to become more competitive to the conventional air conditioning technologies.     

Augmentation of solar-assisted humidification-dehumidification water desalination system using heat recovery and thermal energy storage system

In previous investigations, humidification-dehumidification (HDH) solar-assisted desalination systems were designed produce the daily fresh water during sun hours which lead to big sizes and unsteady systems. In the present study, integration of solar-assisted HDH desalination system with heat recovery and thermal energy storage unit is developed to enhance system productivity, reduces auxiliary power consumptions and system size and assure system continuous operation. The mathematical modelling based on energy and mass conservation equations is presented and solved using iterative techniques by C++ and engineering equation solver software. Detailed parametric study of the developed system is conducted for wide ranges of operating conditions and design parameters to study the effects of integrating the HDH system with solar collectors, heat recovery and thermal energy storage units on the system performance. The results revealed that (i) this integration improves system productivity and reduces operating cost, (ii) increasing air to water mass ratio and sea water temperature and decreasing ambient humidity decrease water productivity and gained output ratio (GOR) and increase operating cost parameter (OCP) and (iii) increasing air inlet temperature and sea water flow rates increase GOR and decrease OCP. Comparison with previous systems showed that the proposed system reduces the electric heating power of the system at solar noon by 37% at MR = 0.5 and gives daily fresh water productivity (123.7 kg/h) two times more than previous systems with comparable OCP (0.099 $/kg).     

Computational evaluation of solar heating systems using concrete solar collectors

This paper uses the F-chart technique to evaluate three types of solar heating systems, namely; space solar heating and domestic hot water system (SHDHW), domestic hot water system (DHW) and solar swimming pool heating system (SPHS), using three types of concrete solar collectors, models A, B, and C, and one conventional metallic solar collector.

The economical analysis of SHDHW system revealed that the concrete collectors provided about 49 and 63% of the annual load when the collecting area of the solar panel increased from 55 to 88 M² (25 to 40% of the building roof area). The corresponding solar contributions when conventional metallic collectors were used are 41 and 53%, respectively. This represents an improvement of the annual solar fraction of about 19% when concrete collectors are used instead of the metallic collectors.

It was found that solar heating systems with concrete solar collector models gave higher solar fractions and total life cycle savings than the conventional solar metallic collector.     

Experimental and modelling performances of a roof-integrated solar drying system for drying herbs and spices

This paper presents experimental performance of solar drying of rosella flower and chili using roof-integrated solar dryer and also presents modelling of the roof-integrated solar dryer for drying of chili. Field-level tests for deep bed drying of rosella flower and chili demonstrated that drying in the roof-integrated solar dryer results in significant reduction in drying time compared to the traditional sun drying method and the dry product is a quality dry product compared to the quality products in the markets. The payback period of the roof-integrated solar dryer is about 5 years. To simulate the performance of the roof-integrated solar dryer for drying herbs and spices using hot air from roof-integrated solar collectors, two sets of equations were developed. The first set of equations was solved implicitly and the second set of equations was solved explicitly using finite difference technique. The simulated air temperatures at the collector outlet agreed well with the observed air temperatures. Good agreement was also found between experimental and simulated moisture contents.     

Thermal and exergy analysis of solar air collectors with passive augmentation techniques

One of the main disadvantages of solar air collectors in practical applications is their relatively low efficiency. In this experimental investigation, the shape and arrangement of absorber surfaces of the collectors were reorganised to provide better heat transfer surfaces suitable for the passive heat transfer augmentation techniques. The performance of such solar air collectors with staggered absorber sheets and attached fins on absorber surface were tested. The exergy relations are delivered for different solar air collectors. It is seen that the largest irreversibility is occurring at the conventional solar collector in which collector efficiency is smallest.     

THE THERMAL CHARACTERISTICS AND ECONOMIC ANALYSIS OF A SOLAR POND COUPLED LOW TEMPERATURE MULTI STAGE DESALINATION PLANT PART I: THERMAL CHARACTERISTICS

Salt Gradient Solar Ponds (SGSP) have the potential of providing low grade energy with the advantage of an annual thermal energy storage cycle. The development of Multi-Stage Flash (MSF) distillation plants operating below 100°C allows SGSP to be considered as the heat source for these systems.

In this paper, two schemes of matching the SGSP with the MSF distillation plant are presented. The first scheme is based on the assumption that the solar pond is to be used as the sole heat source for the distillation plant (i.e. all the plant's thermal energy requirements are provided by the solar pond). The second scheme considers a hybrid system (solar + fuel), where a 20,000 m² solar pond is linked to an otherwise stand alone, fuel driven desalination plant. Both options are simulated with the same daily product water output of 1000m³/day. The thermal simulation of the MSF desalination process was predicted by using a mathematical model based on stage by stage calculations taking into account the variations in fluid properties and flow conditions. The generated simultaneous equations of the mass and energy balances were combined and arranged in a matrix form and then translated into algorithm to predict process variables such as temperature and flash evaporation rates.     

Numerical 3-D heat flux simulations on flat plate solar collectors

A transient 3-D mathematical model for solar flat plate collectors has been developed. The model is based on setting mass and energy balances on finite volumes. The model allows the comparison of different configurations: parallel tubes collectors (PTC), serpentine tube collectors (STC), two parallel plate collectors (TPPC), and other non-usual possibilities like the use of absorbent fluids with semitransparent or transparent plates. Transparent honeycomb insulation between plate and cover can also be modelled. The effect of temperature on the thermal properties of the materials has also been considered. The model has been validated experimentally with a commercial PTC. The model is a useful tool to improve the design of plate solar collectors and to compare different configurations. In order to show the capabilities of the model, the performance of a PTC collector with non-uniformity flow is analysed and compared with experimental data from literature with good agreement.     

Indoor simulation and testing of photovoltaic thermal (PV/T) air collectors

An indoor standard test procedure has been developed for thermal and electrical testing of PV/T collectors connected in series. For this, a PV/T solar air heater has been designed, fabricated and its performance over different operating parameters were studied. Based on the energy balance equations, in a steady state condition, a thermal model has been developed. Comparison between experimental and theoretical results were also been carried out. The thermal and electrical efficiency of the solar heater is 42% and 8.4%, respectively. This test procedure can be used by manufacturers for testing of different types of PV modules in order to optimize its products.     

THE THERMAL CHARACTERISTICS AND ECONOMIC ANALYSIS OF A SOLAR POND COUPLED LOW TEMPERATURE MULTI STAGE DESALINATION PLANT PART II: ECONOMIC ANALYSIS

This paper presents the thermal performance and economic feasibility of matching the SGSP with the MSF destilation plant with a daily product water output of 1000 m³/day. The analysis are based on the assumption that the solar pond is to be used as the sole heal source (thermal energy) for the distillation plant. The thermal simulation of the MSF desalination process was predicted by using a mathematical model based on stage by stage calculations taking into account the variations in fluid properties and flow conditions. The generated simultaneous equations of the mass and energy balances were combined and arranged in a matrix form and then translated into algorithm to predict process variables such as temperature and flash evaporation rates.

The paper discusses optimisation of the size of the pond and the number of stages for three different storage zone temperatures taking into account the large variation in quantity of energy supplied by the pond between summer and winter. One result is that oversizing the pond, leading to some rejection of the heat collected during the summer (which is referred to as peak clipping), will result in a higher utilisation factor of the desalination plant and a reduction in the summer/winter yield ratio. Optimum peak clipping days, leading to the minimum product water cost, for each storage zone temperature and performance ratio is presented.

The sensitivity analysis of the various factors affecting the overall water costs show that the capital costs comprise about two thirds (2/3) of the total desalinated water costs. This demonstrates and re-emphasises the inherent and basic fact that solar desalination is a capital intensive enterprise. Each 1% increase in interest rate increases solar pond thermal energy costs by about 13–15% and desalinated water costs from SP/MSF combination by about 10–13%.     

Performance of a solar dryer using hot air from roof-integrated solar collectors for drying herbs and spices

A solar dryer for drying herbs and spices using hot air from roof-integrated solar collectors was developed. The dryer is a bin type with a rectangular perforated floor. The bin has a dimension of 1.0 m×2.0 m×0.7 m. Hot air is supplied to the dryer from fiberglass-covered solar collectors, which also function as the roof of a farmhouse. The total area of the solar collectors is 72 m². To investigate its performance, the dryer was used to dry four batches of rosella flowers and three batches of lemon-grasses during the year 2002–2003. The dryer can be used to dry 200 kg of rosella flowers and lemon-grasses within 4 and 3 days, respectively. The products being dried in the dryer were completely protected from rains and insects and the dried products are of high quality. The solar air heater has an average daily efficiency of 35% and it performs well both as a solar collector and a roof of a farmhouse.