Table 6.
Recent studies on the performance of solar distillers using thermal storage mediums
| Ref | Nature | Solar still type | Improvement-techniques | Results |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dhivagar and Mohanraj (2021) | Experimental + Theoretical | Single slope | Graphite plate fins as sensible storage materials and magnets |
The average productivity of modified distiller was 23.8% higher than the reference unit The energy efficiency improved by 21.3% compared to reference unit |
| Kabeel et al. (2020a) | Experimental | Pyramid-shaped | Hollow circular fins and paraffin wax as energy storage materials (Solid/liquid heat capacity 2.95/2.51 kJ/kg °C) |
The hollow fins utilization increases the cumulative yield to 5.75 L/m2 with 43% improvement PCM addition increases the daily yield to 8.1 L/m2 with 101.5% improvement |
| Kabeel and Abdelgaied (2017a) | Experimental | Single slope | Cylindrical parabolic concentrator + Paraffin wax as energy storage materials (Solid/liquid heat capacity 2.95/2.51 kJ/kg °C) |
Freshwater daily productivity reached 10.77 L/m2 Distillate cost reached 0.1378 LE/L Daily efficiency reached 46% |
| Kabeel et al. (2021) | Experimental + Theoretical | Tubular |
V-corrugated wick materials |
V-corrugated wick materials improve the yield to 6010 ml/m2, with an improvement of 44.82% The energy efficiency reached 51.4% |
| El-Bialy (2014) | Experimental | Single slope | Floating absorber | The daily productivity improvement ratio was 42.2%, 15.2%, 20.1% and 17.2% when mica, stainless steel, aluminum and copper are used as floating absorbers |
| Sellamia et al. (2017) | Theoretical | Single slope | Heat storage blackened layers of sponge | A 0.5 cm sponge thickness improved a yield by 57.77% |
| Kabeel and Abdelgaied (2017b) | Experimental | Single slope | Coaxial pipes in basin |
The daily yield improved by 97.8% The energy efficiency improved by 90.8% |
| Al-Harahsheh et al. (2022) | Experimental | Single slope | Solar collector as preheating unit + PV panel + Basin tube filled with sodium acetate trihydrate as storage materials (Solid/liquid heat capacity 2.79/3 kJ/kg °C) |
The daily yield reached 9.7 L/m2 and the thermal efficiency reached 54.1% The overall improvement in distillate yield reached 400% compared to reference distiller |
| Maridurai et al. (2021) | Experimental | Single slope | Flat plate solar collector + Paraffin wax as energy storage materials (heat capacity 2.2 kJ/kg °C) | The daily yield improved by 22% compared to reference unit |
| Shehata et al. (2020) | Experimental | Single slope | Ultrasonic waves, reflectors, paraffin wax as energy storage materials (Solid/liquid heat capacity 2.95/2.51 kJ/kg °C), and evacuated solar collector |
Daily yield reached 7.4 L/m2; Distillate cost reached 0.037$/L; Thermal efficiency reached 49%; Distillate yield improved by 44% compared to reference distillers |
| Malik et al. (2021) | Theoretical | Weir-type | Paraffin wax as energy storage materials (solid/liquid heat capacity 2.95/2.51 kJ/kg °C) | Exergy efficiency and annual distilled water improved by 1.47% and 4.35% compared to reference unit |
| Abu-Arabi et al. (2020) | Theoretical | Single slope | Flat plate solar collector + sodium acetate trihydrate as energy storage materials (solid/liquid heat capacity 2.79/3 kJ/kg °C) + glass cover cooling | Daily yield reached 7.4 L/m2 and thermal efficiency reached 49.2% |
| Abdelgaied et al. (2022) | Experimental | Hemispherical | Paraffin wax as energy storage materials (solid/liquid heat capacity 2.17/3.06 kJ/kg °C) and CuO-water–based nanofluid |
Distillate productivity improved by 60.41%, and daily thermal efficiency reached 63.61% Water cost 0.0065 $/L |