Humidification-dehumidification desalination system based novel solar water heater: an experimental study
摘要
Humidification-dehumidification (HDH) is considered a promising method for treating high-salinity water. This study investigates a solar-driven HDH system that integrates a novel solar water heater, a humidifier, and a dehumidifier. The solar collector utilised is two-end open evacuated tube collector, whereas coconut fibre is employed as the packing material in the humidifier. The system’s performance is evaluated in terms of thermal efficiency, sustainability, and economic viability. The solar water heater typically achieves an average temperature increase of approximately 11–14 °C at a seawater flow rate of 100 kg h−1. The results revealed that augmenting the flow rates of seawater and air enhances the system’s efficiency and productivity. The highest energy efficiency of 39.6% and the daily productivity of 4.51 L m−2 day−1 are achieved at seawater flow rate of 200 kg h−1 and air flow rate of 175 kg h−1. The price of water per litre varied from 0.019–0.031 $, with an energy payback period ranging from 1.6–2.6 years. The SD-HDH desalination system has been successfully designed to remove 99.7% of the salt content in seawater, demonstrating its potential to meet freshwater demands at a low cost.