Experimental Analysis of a Humidification- Dehumidification Solar Desalination System Equipped with a Photovoltaic-Thermal Collector

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman

2 Department of Biosystems Engineering, Faculty of Agriculture, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, Kerman, Iran.

Abstract

In this study, a novel solar water desalination system was proposed. The designed system worked based on the humidification – dehumidification (HD) method. It was comprised of a photovoltaic-thermal (PVT) evaporator, a condenser, fresh and saline water tanks, an air blower, and a water pump. The performance evaluation tests were conducted at three velocities of air leaving the exhaust pipe (1, 1.5 and 2m/s) and three levels of saline water passing over the photovoltaic module (94, 189 and 283kg.h-1 per m2 collector surface). The results showed that the highest evaporator efficiency was about 80% and the maximum daily evaporated water was about 7.4kg, which were observed at the water flow rate of 189kg.h-1m-2 and the air velocity of 2m/s. Whereas, a maximum condenser effectiveness of 61% and fresh water production of about 4.8kg per day were found at the water flow rate of 189kg.h-1m-2 and the air velocity of 1m/s. Although operating temperature of the conventional photovoltaic module was considerably higher than the PVT collector at the different working conditions, its electrical efficiency was also higher due to the more absorption of solar energy.

Keywords

Main Subjects


 
 
Akbari, A., gholinezhad, M., pourali, O. & amidpour, M. (2016). Two-objective optimization of heat recovery and desalinated water production from a once-through cooling system. Sharif: Mechanical Engineering, 32(3), 137-147. (In farsi)
Al-Karaghouli, A. & Kazmerski, L. L. (2013). Energy consumption and water production cost of conventional and renewable-energy-powered desalination processes. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 24, 343-356.
Ali, M. T., Fath, H. E. & Armstrong, P. R. (2011). A comprehensive techno-economical review of indirect solar desalination. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 15(8), 4187-4199.
Bahadori, M. N., Dehghani-Sanij, A. & Sayigh, A., (2016). Wind Towers. Springer, Place: Published.
Chandrashekara, M. & Yadav, A. (2017). Water desalination system using solar heat: A review. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 67, 1308-1330.
Cohen-Tanugi, D. & Grossman, J. C. (2012). Water desalination across nanoporous graphene. Nano letters, 12(7), 3602-3608.
Duffie, J. A. & Beckman, W. A., (2013). Solar engineering of thermal processes. John Wiley & Sons, Place: Published.
Giwa, A., Fath, H. & Hasan, S. W. (2016). Humidification–dehumidification desalination process driven by photovoltaic thermal energy recovery (PV-HDH) for small-scale sustainable water and power production. Desalination, 377, 163-171.
Goetzberger, A. & Hoffmann, V. U., (2005). Photovoltaic solar energy generation. Springer Science & Business Media, Place: Published.
Hasanuzzaman, M., Rahim, N., Hosenuzzaman, M., Saidur, R., Mahbubul, I. & Rashid, M. (2012). Energy savings in the combustion based process heating in industrial sector. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 16(7), 4527-4536.
Jahanshahi Javaran, E., Hossein Khani, A. & Mohammadi, S. M. H. (2016). Manufacturing and simulation of a solar humidification-dehumidification desalination system. Modares Mechanical Engineering, 16(12), 239-248. (In Farsi)
Kabeel, A., Hamed, M. H., Omara, Z. & Sharshir, S. (2014). Experimental study of a humidification-dehumidification solar technique by natural and forced air circulation. Energy, 68, 218-228.
Zamen, M.,  Rezakhani, N., Rejabi, M.& Zeinali Danaloo, M. Al. A. (2015). Performance Evaluation of the Hybrid System of Domestic Solar Water Heater /Desalination System. Nashrieh Shimi va Mohandesi Shimi Iran, 34(3), 91-102. (In Farsi)
Narayan, G. P., Sharqawy, M. H., Summers, E. K., Lienhard, J. H., Zubair, S. M. & Antar, M. (2010). The potential of solar-driven humidification–dehumidification desalination for small-scale decentralized water production. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 14(4), 1187-1201.
Qiblawey, H. M. & Banat, F. (2008). Solar thermal desalination technologies. Desalination, 220(1-3), 633-644.
Sahay, A., Sethi, V., Tiwari, A. & Pandey, M. (2015). A review of solar photovoltaic panel cooling systems with special reference to Ground coupled central panel cooling system (GC-CPCS). Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 42, 306-312.
Mohammadi Sarduei, M., Mortezapour, H. & Naeimi, K. J. (2017). Numerical analysis of using hybrid photovoltaic-thermal solar water heater in Iran. Journal of Agricultural Machinery, 7(1), 221-233. (In Farsi)
Shalaby, S., Bek, M. & Kabeel, A. (2017). Design Recommendations for Humidification-dehumidification Solar Water Desalination Systems. Energy Procedia, 107, 270-274.
Sharon, H. & Reddy, K. (2015). A review of solar energy driven desalination technologies. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 41, 1080-1118.
Shatat, M., Worall, M. & Riffat, S. (2013). Opportunities for solar water desalination worldwide. Sustainable cities and society, 9, 67-80.
Skoplaki, E. & Palyvos, J. A. (2009). On the temperature dependence of photovoltaic module electrical performance: A review of efficiency/power correlations, Solar energy, 83(5), 614-624.
Tabrizi, F. F., Khosravi, M. & Sani, I. S. (2016). Experimental study of a cascade solar still coupled with a humidification–dehumidification system. Energy Conversion and management, 115, 80-88.
Thole, B. 2013. Ground water contamination with fluoride and potential fluoride removal technologies for East and Southern Africa, Perspectives in Water Pollution. InTech.
Tyagi, V., Kaushik, S. & Tyagi, S. (2012). Advancement in solar photovoltaic/thermal (PV/T) hybrid collector technology. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 16(3), 1383-1398.
van Helden, W. G., van Zolingen, R. J. C. & Zondag, H. A. (2004). PV thermal systems: PV panels supplying renewable electricity and heat. Progress in Photovoltaics: Research and Applications, 12(6), 415-426.