Experimental Evaluation of Stepped Solar Stills Augmented with Magnets as Granular Porous Media
Journal Title: Power Engineering and Engineering Thermophysics - Year 2024, Vol 3, Issue 2
Abstract
The provision of fresh, drinkable water is essential for human survival. Solar stills, devices that utilize solar energy to produce pure water, face the disadvantage of low productivity. This study proposes a novel solar still design aimed at enhancing thermal performance through the incorporation of stepped types and additional modifications, such as the integration of magnets, to further augment thermal efficiency. Experimental evaluations were conducted outdoors under the climatic conditions of Thi-Qar throughout the year 2023. The findings indicate that solar stills with the innovative stepped design achieved a productivity increase of 39.329% and 31.745%, respectively, compared to conventional designs. Furthermore, the inclusion of magnets resulted in an additional enhancement of 136.2% in productivity compared to the same design without magnets. Solar evaporation is highly regarded for passive water desalination due to its abundant resources, high efficiency, and lack of carbon emissions. Recent advancements have seen the development of bio-inspired solar evaporators that efficiently harvest solar energy and convert it into heat. However, challenges persist regarding the relatively low freshwater production rate and harvesting efficiency. Key areas for improvement include the absorption properties of the evaporator material and the evaporation efficiency of saline water. Water evaporation primarily occurs at the top surface of saline water, with the rate significantly influenced by the temperature difference between the evaporating surface and the surrounding atmosphere. To achieve a substantial temperature difference, broad-band solar absorbers with advanced microstructures have been designed to enhance solar absorptance and minimize heat loss via radiation on evaporating surfaces. Despite the development of sophisticated photothermal materials and evaporators, practical solar evaporation under simple fabrication processes remains elusive.
Authors and Affiliations
Alaa M. Lafta, Karima E. Amori, Mustafa M. Mansour
Keywords
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- EP ID EP752419
- DOI https://doi.org/10.56578/peet030203
- Views 20
- Downloads 0
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