Integration of phase change material and heat exchanger for enhanced solar desalination : a comparative performance investigation

Manickam, Jothilingam (author), Nanjappan, Balakrishnan (author), Chandrasekaran, Nithyanandam (author)

The performance and comparative analysis of several solar desalination systems using various configurations and materials are examined in this study. The study evaluates how these systems perform by measuring their overall productivity, temperature differentials, and thermal efficiency. A thorough assessment across a variety of characteristics was made possible by the consistent environmental conditions of the experiments. When phase change materials (PCM) were used as an energy storage medium, the overall amount of heat loss was significantly reduced. Studies comparing different solar stills revealed clear benefits, especially when using heat exchangers. Improved evaporative heat transfer coefficients, higher temperature differentials (ΔT), more usable heat absorption by the distilled water, and increased daily output were all seen in solar stills equipped with heat exchangers. The modified solar still with PCM and a heat exchanger had the best thermal efficiency, reaching 56 %, according to the results. The key objective of the research was to minimize heat losses and maximize freshwater yield. This thorough assessment and comparative study of several solar desalination systems offers insightful information for improving the productivity and efficiency of solar-powered water distillation technologies under a range of environmental circumstances.

• Language: English
• Keywords: solar desalination, phase change materials, efficiency enhancement comparative analysis
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: FS - Faculty of Mechanical Engineering
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2025
• Number of pages: 6 str.
• Numbering: Vol. 71, no. 1/2
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-171646
• UDC: 621
• ISSN on article: 2536-3948
• COBISS.SI-ID: 247030787
• Publication date in RUL: 29.08.2025

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Strojniški vestnik
• Shortened title: Stroj. vestn.
• Publisher: Fakulteta za strojništvo
• ISSN: 2536-3948
• COBISS.SI-ID: 294943232

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian

Abstract

V tej študiji sta preučena delovanje in primerjalna analiza več solarnih sistemov za razsoljevanje z uporabo različnih konfiguracij in materialov. Študija obravnava delovanje teh sistemov z merjenjem njihovega splošnega delovanja, temperaturnih razlik, zmogljivosti shranjevanja energije in toplotne učinkovitosti. Temeljito oceno različnih značilnosti so omogočili dosledni okoljski pogoji poskusov. Pri uporabi fazno spremenljivih materialov (PCM) kot medija za shranjevanje energije se je skupna količina toplotnih izgub znatno zmanjšala. Študije, v katerih so primerjali različne sončne peči, so pokazale očitne prednosti, zlasti pri uporabi prenosnikov toplote. Izboljšani koeficienti izhlapevanja, večje temperaturne razlike (ΔT), večja absorpcija uporabne toplote v destilirani vodi in večja dnevna proizvodnja so bili opaženi pri sončnih pečeh, opremljenih s prenosniki toplote. Glede na rezultate je imel spremenjeni solarni destilator s PCM in prenosnikom toplote najboljšo toplotno učinkovitost, ki je dosegla 56 %. Ključni cilj raziskave je bil čim bolj zmanjšati toplotne izgube in povečati donos sladke vode. Ta zasnova se je izkazala za najuspešnejšo metodo za pridobivanje sladke vode. Ta temeljita ocena in primerjalna študija več solarnih sistemov za razsoljevanje vode ponuja pomembne informacije za izboljšanje produktivnosti in učinkovitosti tehnologij za destilacijo vode na sončni pogon v različnih okoljskih okoliščinah.

• Keywords: solarno razsoljevanje, fazno spremenljivi materiali, primerjalna analiza povečanja učinkovitosti