Annual performance analysis of adding different nanofluids in stepped solar still

• Published in: Journal of thermal analysis and calorimetry Vol. 138; no. 5; pp. 3175 - 3182
• Main Authors: Panchal, Hitesh, Sathyamurthy, Ravishankar, Kabeel, A. E., El-Agouz, S. A., Rufus, DSilva, Arunkumar, T., Muthu Manokar, A., Winston, D. Prince, Sharma, Atul, Thakar, Nishant, Sadasivuni, Kishor Kumar
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cham Springer International Publishing 01-12-2019; Springer; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Analytical Chemistry; Chemistry; Chemistry and Materials Science; Distillates; Inorganic Chemistry; Magnesium oxide; Measurement Science and Instrumentation; Nanofluids; Physical Chemistry; Polymer Sciences; Thermal conductivity; Titanium dioxide; Distillate output; Concentration; Stepped solar still; Nanofluids
• ISSN: 1388-6150; 1588-2926
• DOI: 10.1007/s10973-019-08346-x

The use of MgO and TiO
2
nanofluids at different concentrations was investigated annually to evaluate the distillate output of stepped solar stills. Nanofluids concentrations ranged from 0.1 to 0.2% in the present research work. Results confirm that the stepped solar still distillate output is increased by 45.8%, 33.33%, 20.4% and 4.1% with use of MgO nanofluids (0.2% and 0.1% concentrations) and TiO
2
nanofluids (0.2% and 0.1% concentrations). The reason for higher distillate output of MgO nanofluid over TiO
2
in stepped solar still is lower specific heat capacity and higher thermal conductivity. Finally, the energy payback time was also calculated, and it was still only 3 months for stepped solar stills with the use of 0.2% nanofluid concentration.