Improving the performance of solar still by using PCM as a thermal storage medium under Egyptian conditions

• Published in: Desalination Vol. 383; pp. 22 - 28
• Main Authors: Kabeel, A.E., Abdelgaied, Mohamed
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01-04-2016
• Subjects: Construction; Daily efficiency; Desalination; Distilled water; Freshwaters; Heat storage; Performance enhancement; Phase change material; Productivity; Productivity enhancement; Solar desalination; Solar stills; Thermal storage; Egypt, Arab Rep; Solar stills; Daily efficiency; Productivity enhancement; Phase change material; Solar desalination
• ISSN: 0011-9164; 1873-4464
• DOI: 10.1016/j.desal.2016.01.006

The objective of the present work is to improve the performance of a solar still through increasing the productivity of freshwater. In order to improve the performance of a solar still, a phase change material (PCM) was added as a heat storage medium. Two solar stills were designed, constructed and tested in the present experimental study to compare the productivity of the solar desalination system. One of them is a solar still with PCM and the other is the conventional solar still. The experimental results show that, the daily freshwater productivity for solar still with PCM is higher than that of conventional solar still. The daily freshwater productivity approximately reached 7.54L/m2day for solar still with PCM, while its value is recorded 4.51L/m2day for the conventional solar still. The results show that the daily freshwater productivity for solar still with PCM is 67.18% higher than that of the conventional solar still. Also, the solar still with PCM is superior in daily freshwater productivity (67%–68.8% improvement) compared to a conventional solar still in the period from June to July 2015 under the ambient conditions of Tanta city (Egypt). In this case study the estimated cost of 1L of distillate water reached approximately 0.24 LE (0.03 $) and 0.252 LE (0.032 $) for solar still with PCM and conventional solar still, respectively.
•The impact of PCM on the behavior of still was investigated experimentally under Egyptian conditions•The improvement in the productivity for still with PCM is 67.18% higher than that for conventional still•The amount of distillate water reaches approximately 7.54L/m2 day for still with PCM