Design and Fabrication of a Novel Hybrid Solar Distillation System with the Ability to Brine Recycling

Abstract

This study investigates the novel design of a hybrid solar distillation system. The system includes a parabolic trough collector (PTC), cascade solar still and a single slope single basin solar still as the recycling unit. Thermodynamic parameters of saline water were considered in our energy balance calculations, which improved the accuracy of our results. The experiments were conducted in Tabriz, Iran, during September. Using these three stages, the production rate achieved about 6 kg/m 2 .day in cascade solar still, 4 kg/m 2 .day for the single basin solar still and 450g solid salt. Usually, cascade solar stills have better performance in comparison to other solar stills. To prevent salt deposition among the stairs of cascade solar still, the water should flow through the stairs causing the brine to leave. Recycling brine could remove one of the biggest environmental disadvantages of cascade solar stills. PTC can generate more efficiently than evacuated tubes and flat-plate solar collectors. The total efficiency of the hybrid solar distillation reached 41%. The novel hybrid solar distillation system improved the efficiency of the distillation system and removed brine of cascade solar still.