Efficiency investigation of a new-design air solar plate collector used in a humidification–dehumidification desalination process

• Published in: Renewable energy Vol. 30; no. 9; pp. 1309 - 1327
• Main Authors: Ben-Amara, Mahmoud, Houcine, Imed, Guizani, Aman-Allah, Maalej, Mohammed
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01-07-2005; Elsevier Science
• Subjects: air masses; Applied sciences; convection; Desalination; Economics; Energy; Exact sciences and technology; Flow rates; Forced convection; Humidity; Irradiation; Natural energy; Plate collector; Q1; Renewable energy; Solar air heating; Solar collectors; Solar desalination; Solar energy; Solar radiation; Solar thermal conversion; Temperature; Thermal performance; Velocity; Plate collector; Forced convection; Solar air heating; Solar desalination; Thermal performance; Costs; Temperature; Solar collector; Wind velocity; Air flow; Renewable energy; Heating; Desalination; Water content; Solar radiation
• ISSN: 0960-1481; 1879-0682
• DOI: 10.1016/j.renene.2004.09.019

The aim of this research is to experimentally study the efficiency of a new-design plate collector used to heat air in a new desalination humidification–dehumidification process. In fact, in such processes, the air solar collectors work at unusual experimental parameters (forced convection, elevated air humidity, high solar irradiation…). At these stressed experimental conditions, few published works are available in literature. Furthermore, the comparison of the efficiency of collectors running with normal air humidity content (about 10–20
g
kg
−1) and air of elevated humidity (20–50
g
kg
−1) were not yet published as our knowledge. In the present investigation, a new air solar plate collector was designed and developed for its use in a desalination process. Moreover, a characterization of such collector was performed under different experimental conditions. The effect of different parameters, namely: the solar radiation, the wind velocity, the ambient temperature, the air mass flow rate, the inlet air humidity and temperature, on the collector efficiency was also investigated. The collector was optimized for its use in a new solar desalination process. In fact, the air solar collector was designed in order to lower its economic cost making them applicable for water desalination.