Techno-economic analysis of solar stills using integrated fuzzy analytical hierarchy process and data envelopment analysis

Abstract

Desalination using solar stills is an ancient economic method for water desalination. Over the years, research and development in the area of solar still has resulted in increased distillate yield by means of integration of PCM (phase change material), photo-voltaic thermal (PVT), etc with the still. Nano-PCM is an upcoming technology which modifies the thermal performance of PCM. The aim of this research is to analyze the efficiency of 20 solar stills including nano-PCM based solar stills considering various input and output criteria using integrated fuzzy analytical hierarchy process (AHP) and data envelopment analysis (DEA). The efficiency derived here is relative with regard to the parameters and stills considered in this study. The result infers that, even though the productivity of stepped solar still with sun tracking system was high, but when techno-economic aspects were considered it is not among the top solar stills. The analysis indicated pyramid type solar still, single slope solar still with PVT, solar still with NPCM (paraffin + copper oxide), solar still with NPCM (paraffin + titanium dioxide) and solar still with PCM (paraffin) occupies the top five positions with relative efficiency of 100, 100, 88.47, 88.46 and 76.93% respectively.

Fuzzy Analytical Processes in Economic Justification of Rapid Prototyping Systems

“…The importance of solar stills is understood by utilizing a fuzzy analytical process to improve their productivity. Rufuss et al [14] suggested that the use of Fuzzy logic is beneficial in providing firm control over the temperature of the upper saline water of multi-stage desalination plants. The process was beneficial in providing input and output criteria.…”

Feasibility of desalination by solar stills for small community scale freshwater demand

“…This manuscript aims at identifying low-cost, durable, solar still materials to accomplish the eventual goal of producing and increasing accessibility of freshwater in small remote rural communities, especially in developing countries. A simple single basin solar still is considered for analysis in view of the increased complexity of stepped solar stills or solar still integrated with solar tracker (Dsilva Winfred Rufuss et al, 2018). The organization of the manuscript is as follows: firstly, low-cost, durable solar still materials with low embodied energy are identified from the literature based on the component requirements.…”

Evaluation of Ergonomics‐Related Disorders in Online Education Using Fuzzy AHP

“…Even after complex calculations, fuzzy AHP is able to deal with the general appraisal of ambiguity because of human tendency [47]. e advantage of fuzzy logic is much accurate computation of the factors prioritizing and hierarchy creation [48]. Popular technique, fuzzified analytical hierarchical process is capable of solving the complicated problems Computational Intelligence and Neuroscience related to selection of vendors [49].…”