Conference article

Comparative Energy and Exergy Analysis of Various Passive Solar Distillation Systems

Ragh Vendra Singh
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Jamia Milia Islamia, Jamia Nagar, India

Rahul Dev
Centre for Energy Studies, Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi, India

M. M. Hasan
Department of Mechanical Engineering, Jamia Milia Islamia, Jamia Nagar, India

G. N. Tiwari
Centre for Energy Studies, Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi, India

Download articlehttp://dx.doi.org/10.3384/ecp110573929

Published in: World Renewable Energy Congress - Sweden; 8-13 May; 2011; Linköping; Sweden

Linköping Electronic Conference Proceedings 57:34, p. 3929-3936

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Published: 2011-11-03

ISBN: 978-91-7393-070-3

ISSN: 1650-3686 (print), 1650-3740 (online)

Abstract

In this communication; a comparative energy and exergy analysis of various conventional solar distillation systems has been presented. The study includes passive solar distillation systems such as single and double slope solar stills. In a single slope solar still category; three solar stills with inclination angles 15°; 30° and 45º and a 15° inclined single slope multi wick solar still have been considered. Whereas one double slope solar stills and one double slope multi wick solar still; both inclined at 15° with east-west orientation; have been considered in double slope solar still category. The embodied energy is an important factor which depends on locally available materials and their manufacturing technologies. Materials like concrete; wood; steel etc are considered to calculate the embodied energy for the solar still equivalent to the fibre reinforced plastic after deriving the formulae. It has been found that the energy; exergy and embodied energy of single slope solar still are found higher than that of double slope solar still. Those materials which have lower thermal conductivity and low embodied energy than that of FRP such as concrete; PVC; wood can replace the FRP to save the embodied energy for similar performance. The metals have high embodied energy hence these can not be considered in terms of embodied energy despite the use of insulation.

Keywords

Solar distillation; Water purification; Energy; Exergy; Embodied energy

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