IJFANS International Journal of Food and Nutritional Sciences

ISSN PRINT 2319 1775 Online 2320-7876

Utilization of cooled tank water stored in an air cooler for enhancing performance of wick type of solar still

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Dhagate Mohan Dnyandeo, Aneesh Somwanshi

Abstract

This study explores the integration of an air cooler with a multi-wick solar still to enhance its performance. The water from cooler tank is allowed to flow off the cover it is collected and recirculated back into the cooler's tank, creating a continuous cycle. A mathematical model of this system was developed, and its thermal performance was evaluated numerically for both a summer day and a winter day in Jodhpur, India (26.2389° N, 73.0243° E). The system produced 7.082 kg/m² of distilled water on a summer day and 2.926 kg/m² on a winter day. As the water flow rate over the glass cover increased, the daily output also saw a slight rise. For instance, when the flow rate increased from 0.010 kg/s to 0.070 kg/s, the output improved by 1.2%. Compared to a single-slope solar still integrated with a cooler, the multi-wick solar still demonstrated significantly better performance, with a 19.95% increase in output during summer and a 29.98% increase in winter. The thermal efficiency of the system reached 51.85% in summer and 38.03% in winter, indicating the effectiveness of the proposed design.

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