Experimental studies on solar air collector and heat pump integrated humidification dehumidification thermal desalination systems

Abstract

The two essential commodities influencing the economy of newlinecountry are energy and water. The conventional energy resource availability is newlinedepleting continuously. In addition, the carbon-dioxide emissions caused due newlineto the consumption of fossil fuel is the major threat. The availability of water newlinefor drinking purpose is depleting constantly, which needs major attention. To newlinemeet the above requirements effectively, it is essential to identify an energy newlineefficient approach to recycle the industrial or domestic sewage water or to newlinepurify the sea water. The year-round availability of solar irradiation in tropical newlinelocations makes it possible to integrate the solar energy resources with thermal newlinedesalination technologies to supplement the energy requirement. newlineIn this research work, an attempt has been made to investigate the newlineperformance of a solar thermal desalination system by integrating with a solar newlineair collector and a compression heat pump. A prototype compression heat newlinepump and solar air collector assisted solar thermal desalination model was newlinedeveloped with necessary instrumentation to monitor the performance. The newlineinfluences of solar heat flux, ambient wind speed and ambient temperature on newlinethe energy performance of the system are investigated. The experimental trials newlinehave been made under the climatic conditions of Coimbatore city in India newlineduring the year 2021. The observations have been made in three seasons newlinenamely summer, winter and monsoon. During each season, the experiments newlinehave been made for the period of eighty four days and the average values were newlineconsidered for performance comparison. newline