An integrated solar desalination with evacuated tube heat pipe solar collector and new wind ventilator external condenser

Over the recent decades, many investigations have been performed to enhance the performance of solar desalination. Some of these studies improved the saline water temperature, while others decreased the glass cover temperature. This study has investigated single-slope solar still using an evacuated tube heat pipe solar collector (ETHP-SC) and a new design of external condenser. The ETHP-SC increased the saline water temperature. On the other hand, the external condenser enhanced the condensation rate using a wind ventilator and a water cooling system. The pressure inside the modified solar desalination decreased by the suction of water vapor with the wind ventilator. The water vapor flowed to the external condenser and was distilled by hitting the perforated copper plate connected to the water cooling system. Results revealed that the freshwater generation of solar desalination using an external condenser and ETHP was about 2.13 times those of conventional ones. The yield fraction of the external condenser was about 18.62% of the total water productivity. Moreover, the carbon dioxide mitigation was almost 29.19 tons and 0.51 tons based on environmental and exergoenvironmental analysis in the modified solar desalination, respectively.

Automated summary

This study improved the performance of solar desalination by using an evacuated tube heat pipe solar collector and an external condenser. The results showed that the freshwater generation of the modified system was 2.13 times that of conventional systems, and the yield fraction of the external condenser was about 18.62% of the total water productivity. Additionally, the system contributed to significant carbon dioxide mitigation.