Energy, Exergy Analysis, and Optimizations of Collector Cover Thickness of a Solar Still in El Oued Climate, Algeria

Abstract

Researches in many laboratories on solar still desalination are concerned with increasing efficiency using only solar energy. One of the techniques is the difference in the thickness of the glass cover of the distiller. In order to see the influence of this parameter on efficiency, three similar stills with three different glass coverings were investigated. The flow of heat goes through the cover, and higher glass temperature leads to solar still productivity becoming lower. This paper presents an optimization of glass thickness ( G t ) of a conventional solar still (CSS) in El Oued climate, Algeria. Based on the experimental results, the distilled water production rate, energy, and energy efficiency of the CSS have been discussed. The results showed that the suitable G t of the CSS was 3 mm. The distilled water of around 3.15, 2.02, and 1.13 kg was produced by the CSS at energy efficiency of 30.71, 19.02, and 11.44% with the G t of 3, 5, and 6 mm, respectively. The daily average exergy efficiency of 2.46, 1.38, and 0.84% was calculated for the CSS at G t of 3, 5, and 6 mm, respectively.

Thermal Desalination Systems: From Traditionality to Modernity and Development

“…In addition, numerous modifications were performed to improve the distiller performance. These modifications included the use of condensation unit [87][88][89], nanofluids [90,91], heat exchanger [92], floating aluminum sheet [93], desiccant [94], solar ponds [95], glass cooling [44], volcanic rocks [96], wick materials [71], rotating parts [97][98][99], coated absorbers [100,101], phase change materials (PCM) [102][103][104], fins [105], half barrel and corrugated absorbers [106], solar collectors [107], sun-tracking systems [108], multiple-effect basins [109], reflectors [110], vapor extraction [111][112][113], and reusing latent heat of evaporation [114].…”

An Exhaustive Review on a Solar Still Coupled with a Flat Plate Collector

“…Also, efficiency of the solar still with freshwater was 4% higher than efficiency of the solar still with saline water. Khechekhouche et al [60] investigated the effect of glass cover thickness on efficiency of a solar still considering three different glass thicknesses. They stated that the solar energy flows through the glass cover as heat; therefore, the higher glass cover's temperature, the lower solar still's productivity.…”

“…In this part, the exergy efficiency of the solar still coupled with a flat plate collector is presented and its significant outcomes are investigated. Khechekhouche et al [60] calculated the exergy efficiency of a conventional solar still at different cover thicknesses of 3, 5, and 6 mm, which were 2.46, 1.38, and 0.84%, respectively. They stated that the exergy efficiencies of the 3 mm cover thickness, in comparison to the cover thicknesses of 5 and 6 mm, are 44.01% and 65.81% higher, respectively.…”

“…Khechekhouche et al [60] measured the productivity of a conventional solar stills at different cover thicknesses of 3, 5, and 6 mm, which were 3.15, 2.02, and 1.13 kg, respectively. That is, the productivity of the solar still with a cover thickness of 3 mm is 40.48% and 65.15% higher than that of the solar still with cover thicknesses of 5 and 6 mm, respectively.…”

Small iron pieces effect on the output of single slope solar still

“…According to statistics, increasing the thickness of the glass decreases the performance of the solar still because the resistance to heat transmission increases, which leads the glass to cool more slowly and delays the condensation of the water value [12]. According to another research on the thickness of the cover glass, thicknesses of 4 to 5 mm gave an improvement of 27%, while the thickness of 6 mm gave only 12% [13]. To confirm that any increase in the thickness of the glass leads to a decrease in the output of pure water, a study used a double cover, i.e.…”