Seawater desalination using renewable energy sources

Present status of solar distillation

Thermal performance of a single basin solar still with PCM as a storage medium

Effect of water depths on heat and mass transfer in a passive solar still: in summer climatic condition

Solar water heating (SWH) systems have a widespread usage and applications in both domestic and industrial sectors. According to Renewable Energy Policy Network data (2010), 70 million houses worldwide were reported to be using SWH systems. Solar water heating is not only environmentally friendly but requires minimal maintenance and operation cost compared to other solar energy applications. SWH systems are cost effective with an attractive payback period of 2–4 years depending on the type and size of the system. Extensive research has been performed to further improve the thermal efficiency of solar water heating. This paper presents a detailed review exclusively on the design aspects of SWH systems. The first part of the paper provides a consolidated summary on the development of various system components that includes the collector, storage tank and heat exchanger. The later part of this paper covers the alternative refrigerant technology and technological advancements in improving the performance as well as the cost effectiveness of the SWH system.

Recent advances in the solar water heating systems: A review

The present work enables prediction of the performance of a solar still through simple calculations. Estimation of the temperature of the glass cover by an empirical relation developed in this work permits calculation of the heat-transfer coefficients, the upward heat flow, and evaporation. Since some of the heat-transfer coefficients vary substantially and nonlinearly with temperature, the empirical relation developed for glass cover temperature is based on an approximate solution of the heat balance equation. Hence, the overall upward heat flow factor is obtained with a maximum absolute error of three percent compared to the value obtained through a numerical solution of the heat balance equation along with the relations for vapor pressure and latent heat. The fraction of upward heat flow utilized for evaporation is determined with a maximum absolute error of 0.5 percent. The range of variables covered is 30{degrees}C to 80{degrees}C in water temperature, 5W/m{sup 2}K to 40W/M{sup 2}K in wind heat-transfer coefficient, and 5{degrees}C to 40{degrees}C in ambient temperature.

Estimation of Heat-Transfer Coefficients, the Upward Heat Flow, and Evaporation in a Solar Still

Computation of glass-cover temperatures and top heat loss coefficient of flat-plate solar collectors with double glazing

Approximate method for computation of glass cover temperature and top heat-loss coefficient of solar collectors with single glazing

Effect of absorption of solar radiation in glass-cover(s) on heat transfer coefficients in upward heat flow in single and double glazed flat-plate collectors

This paper reports on an analytical equation for the top heat loss factor of a flat-plate collector with double glazing that has been developed. The maximum computational errors resulting from the use of this equation are plus or minus three percent compared to numerical solution of the heat balance equations. The equation is considerably more accurate than the currently used semi-empirical equations over the entire range of variables covered. It is found that the computational errors resulting from simplification of the proposed equation by approximation of the individual heat-transfer coefficients are much lower than the errors resulting from the use of semi-empirical equations.

S. C. Mullick

Papers

Estimation of Heat-Transfer Coefficients, the Upward Heat Flow, and Evaporation in a Solar Still

Computation of glass-cover temperatures and top heat loss coefficient of flat-plate solar collectors with double glazing

Approximate method for computation of glass cover temperature and top heat-loss coefficient of solar collectors with single glazing

Effect of absorption of solar radiation in glass-cover(s) on heat transfer coefficients in upward heat flow in single and double glazed flat-plate collectors

Analytical Equation for the Top Heat Loss Factor of a Flat-Plate Collector With Double Glazing