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Enhancement of pyramid-shaped solar stills performance using a high thermal conductivity absorber plate and cooling the glass cover

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  • Kabeel, A.E.
  • Abdelgaied, Mohamed

Abstract

This study aims to enhance the performance of pyramid-shaped solar stills using a high thermal conductivity absorber plate (graphite) and cooling the glass cover. To achieve this aim experimentally, the absorbent surface manufacture from a graphite material with a thickness of 25 mm. The graphite is characterized by the high thermal conductivity, as well as, the graphite represents a sensible store medium where the thermal energy is stored during the period of the high value of solar radiation and is reclaimed back into the basin water during the period of lower solar radiation intensity and after sunset. Also, the outside surface of the glass cover is cooled to increase the rate of water vapor condensation and then improve the distillate water production. A traditional pyramid-shaped still and a pyramid-shaped still using a high thermal conductivity absorber plate and cooling the glass cover (modified pyramid-shaped still) have been constructed and tested in Tanta University-Egypt, to get the effect of using graphite as an absorber surface and cooling the glass cover on the performance of pyramid-shaped still. The experimental results show that daily production of both modified pyramid-shaped still and a traditional pyramid-shaped still ranges from 9 to 9.19 and 4.37–4.43 l/m2day, respectively at the same ambient conditions. The improvement in the daily production of the modified pyramid-shaped still ranges between 105.9 and 107.7% as compared to a traditional pyramid-shaped still. Also, use the graphite with cooling the glass cover improves the everyday efficiency of the modified pyramid-shaped still by 97.2–98.9% as compared to a traditional pyramid-shaped still. The economic analysis presented that use the graphite and cooling the glass cover reduce the cost of distillate water produced from the pyramid-shaped solar still by 13.6%.

Suggested Citation

  • Kabeel, A.E. & Abdelgaied, Mohamed, 2020. "Enhancement of pyramid-shaped solar stills performance using a high thermal conductivity absorber plate and cooling the glass cover," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 146(C), pages 769-775.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:renene:v:146:y:2020:i:c:p:769-775
    DOI: 10.1016/j.renene.2019.07.020
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    6. Nazari, Saeed & Safarzadeh, Habibollah & Bahiraei, Mehdi, 2019. "Experimental and analytical investigations of productivity, energy and exergy efficiency of a single slope solar still enhanced with thermoelectric channel and nanofluid," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 135(C), pages 729-744.
    7. Arunkumar, T. & Velraj, R. & Denkenberger, D.C. & Sathyamurthy, Ravishankar & Kumar, K. Vinoth & Ahsan, Amimul, 2016. "Productivity enhancements of compound parabolic concentrator tubular solar stills," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 88(C), pages 391-400.
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    9. Rashidi, Saman & Bovand, Masoud & Rahbar, Nader & Esfahani, Javad Abolfazli, 2018. "Steps optimization and productivity enhancement in a nanofluid cascade solar still," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 118(C), pages 536-545.
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    Cited by:

    1. Modi, Kalpesh V. & Nayi, Kuldeep H., 2020. "Efficacy of forced condensation and forced evaporation with thermal energy storage material on square pyramid solar still," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 153(C), pages 1307-1319.
    2. Abdelgaied, Mohamed & Kabeel, A.E., 2021. "Performance improvement of pyramid solar distillers using a novel combination of absorber surface coated with CuO nano black paint, reflective mirrors, and PCM with pin fins," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 180(C), pages 494-501.
    3. Kabeel, A.E. & Attia, Mohammed El Hadi & Zayed, Mohamed E. & Abdelgaied, Mohamed & Abdullah, A.S. & El-Maghlany, Wael M., 2022. "Performance enhancement of a v-corrugated basin hemispherical solar distiller combined with reversed solar collector: An experimental approach," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 190(C), pages 330-337.
    4. Faris Alqurashi & Rached Nciri & Abdulrahman Alghamdi & Chaouki Ali & Faouzi Nasri, 2022. "Experimental Performance Investigation of an Original Rotating Solar Still Design under Realistic Meteorological Conditions," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(11), pages 1-16, May.
    5. Chemseddine Maatki, 2023. "Numerical Analysis of Entropy Generation in a Double Stage Triangular Solar Still Using CNT-Nanofluid under Double-Diffusive Natural Convection," Mathematics, MDPI, vol. 11(13), pages 1-19, June.
    6. Shatar, Nursyahirah Mohd & Sabri, Mohd Faizul Mohd & Salleh, Mohd Faiz Mohd & Ani, Mohd Hanafi, 2023. "Investigation on the performance of solar still with thermoelectric cooling system for various cover material," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 202(C), pages 844-854.
    7. Elminshawy, Nabil A.S. & Gadalla, Mamdouh A. & Bassyouni, M. & El-Nahhas, Kamal & Elminshawy, Ahmed & Elhenawy, Y., 2020. "A novel concentrated photovoltaic-driven membrane distillation hybrid system for the simultaneous production of electricity and potable water," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 162(C), pages 802-817.
    8. Chen, Yingxu & Ji, Xu & Yang, Bianfeng & Jia, Yicong & Wang, Mengqi, 2024. "Performance enhancement of compound parabolic concentrating vaporized desalination system by spraying and steam heat recovery," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 220(C).
    9. Taheri Mousavi, Seyed Mahdi, 2024. "Investigation of the effect of different absorber plate configurations of hemispherical solar still," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 237(PB).
    10. Nadal-Bach, Joel & Bruno, Joan Carles & Rovira, Miquel & Tarragona, Joan, 2026. "Experimental analysis of energy and exergy efficiency in a novel solar evaporator prototype for brine treatment," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 258(C).
    11. Mohamed E. Zayed & A. E. Kabeel & Mohamed Abdelgaied, 2025. "Comparative performance analysis of pyramid-shaped solar distiller augmented with phase change materials enriched with graphite nanoparticles: experimental study," Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, Springer, vol. 27(8), pages 19383-19403, August.
    12. Aghakhani, Saeed & Kavehfarsani, Mohammadamin & Hajatzadeh Pordanjani, Ahmad & Afrand, Masoud, 2025. "Energy and exergoeconomic analysis of solar stills integrated with thermoelectric technology: A case study on environmental and economic sustainability," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 239(C).

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