Indoor experiments of a horizontal multiple effects diffusion solar still: Influence of heat input and the number of stages

Abdulrahman Almutlaq; Abdulrahman Almutlaq

doi:10.3934/energy.2024025

AIMS Energy

2024, Volume 12, Issue 2: 532-547. doi: 10.3934/energy.2024025

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Research article

Indoor experiments of a horizontal multiple effects diffusion solar still: Influence of heat input and the number of stages

Abdulrahman Almutlaq ^,

Department of Mechanical Engineering, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran 31261, Saudi Arabia

Received: 18 January 2024 Revised: 19 March 2024 Accepted: 29 March 2024 Published: 02 April 2024

Clean water is important for human life, and obtaining it with the least amount of energy is significant. This research aims to desalinate water using a horizontal multiple effects diffusion solar still (DSS). A small distillation device with an area of 10 × 10 cm² was designed and 3D printed. An electric heater was used to simulate solar radiation at 400, 700, and 1000 W/m². The amount of water produced when using 1, 3, and 5 effects was recorded. The most notable results were: maximum water yield reached 1.93 kg/m² h at 1000 W/m², at which the solar to vapor conversion efficiency was 107%. The daily water yields throughout the year were estimated, and the maximum production was 10.16 kg/m² during a day in June, when the global horizontal irradiance was 7.01 kWh/m². The results were also compared with other distillation systems.
- solar energy,
- seawater,
- desalination,
- sustainability,
- solar still,
- wick
Citation: Abdulrahman Almutlaq. Indoor experiments of a horizontal multiple effects diffusion solar still: Influence of heat input and the number of stages[J]. AIMS Energy, 2024, 12(2): 532-547. doi: 10.3934/energy.2024025

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Abstract

Clean water is important for human life, and obtaining it with the least amount of energy is significant. This research aims to desalinate water using a horizontal multiple effects diffusion solar still (DSS). A small distillation device with an area of 10 × 10 cm² was designed and 3D printed. An electric heater was used to simulate solar radiation at 400, 700, and 1000 W/m². The amount of water produced when using 1, 3, and 5 effects was recorded. The most notable results were: maximum water yield reached 1.93 kg/m² h at 1000 W/m², at which the solar to vapor conversion efficiency was 107%. The daily water yields throughout the year were estimated, and the maximum production was 10.16 kg/m² during a day in June, when the global horizontal irradiance was 7.01 kWh/m². The results were also compared with other distillation systems.

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