Energy and Exergy Analysis of Solar Air Gap Membrane Distillation System for Seawater Desalination

Air gap membrane distillation (AGMD) is a widely utilized technology for producing drinking water due to its low heat loss, high thermal efficiency, and compatibility with solar energy. The application of the first and second laws of thermodynamics in energy and exergy analyses provides a comprehensive evaluation of the efficiency of thermal processes. This study aims to examine numerically the energy and exergy performance indicators of a solar AGMD system used for seawater desalination. The simulation was carried out using MATLAB 9.7 software. The total thermal efficiency and overall efficiency of each element in the AGMD system were calculated for various solar field energy outputs, and moreover, a parametric study was conducted. The results indicate that the exergetic efficiency of the AGMD system components was the lowest in the solar field, with the concentrator having the lowest energy efficiency. Additionally, the thermal and exergetic efficiency of the entire solar AGMD system decreases along with the raise of ambient temperature. An additional investigation was conducted to better apprehend the sources of exergy destruction in the solar field. The obtained results from this study can be employed as a guide to reduce exergy destruction in the whole solar AGMD desalination system with recognition of the main sources of irreversibility.

Automated summary

Air gap membrane distillation (AGMD) is a widely used technology for producing drinking water, and this study numerically examines the energy and exergy performance indicators of a solar AGMD system for seawater desalination. The results show that the exergetic efficiency of the AGMD system components is the lowest in the solar field, with the concentrator having the lowest energy efficiency. The thermal and exergetic efficiency of the entire solar AGMD system also decreases with the increase of ambient temperature.