Dual enhancement of solar distiller using phase change material and internal fans: An experimental 11-E study for sustainable water production

IF 6.6 2区工程技术 Q1 THERMODYNAMICS

Case Studies in Thermal Engineering Pub Date : 2026-04-01 Epub Date: 2026-02-28 DOI:10.1016/j.csite.2026.107882

A.E. Kabeel , Khaled Ramzy , Abdulrhman Alshaabani , Eslam Ahmed abdelAziz , Mohamed Bassyouni , Mohamad A. Alawad

{"title":"Dual enhancement of solar distiller using phase change material and internal fans: An experimental 11-E study for sustainable water production","authors":"A.E. Kabeel , Khaled Ramzy , Abdulrhman Alshaabani , Eslam Ahmed abdelAziz , Mohamed Bassyouni , Mohamad A. Alawad","doi":"10.1016/j.csite.2026.107882","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This research conducts a comprehensive experimental study of a solar distillation configuration enhanced with phase change material and internal electric fans, in a single-slope solar stills. Despite their operational simplicity, conventional single-slope solar stills are fundamentally limited by low distillate yields due to significant thermal losses and the formation of a stagnant vapor boundary layer that impedes efficient mass transfer. An experimental arrangement was constructed and tested at Faculty of Engineering, Sinai University, Egypt, and analyzed using 11-E framework, which encompasses assessments of energetic, exergetic, economic, environmental, and sustainability aspects. Four operating scenarios were examined: (i) conventional solar still (CSS), (ii) Enhanced solar still with fans only (ESSF), (iii) Enhanced solar still with paraffin wax only (ESSP), and (iv) Enhanced solar still with both paraffin wax and fans (ESSPF). The results indicated that integrating PCM beneath the absorber plate extended operation into post-sunset hours by providing latent heat storage. At the same time, fans improved internal convection, accelerated vapor transport, and enhanced condensation. The combined configuration (ESSPF) yielded the highest performance, with a supreme daily freshwater productivity of 5.26 ± 0.01 kg/m<sup>2</sup>, representing an 87.90 ± 0.01% increase compared with the conventional one. Energy and exergy productivity rates for ESSPF reached 49 ± 0.05% and 2.0 ± 0.05%, respectively, while the water production cost decreased to 0.00772 $/L, resulting in a reduced payback period of 5.25 months. An environmental analysis confirmed a substantial decrease in CO<sub>2</sub> emissions resulting from a decrease in dependence on traditional fuel-based water production. Furthermore, sustainability and improvement potential indices indicated that the enhanced stills provide a more viable long-term solution. Overall, the integration of paraffin wax and internal fans provides a cost-effective, reliable, and scalable modification to conventional solar stills, supporting global strategies for sustainable and environmentally friendly water desalination.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":9658,"journal":{"name":"Case Studies in Thermal Engineering","volume":"80 ","pages":"Article 107882"},"PeriodicalIF":6.6000,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Case Studies in Thermal Engineering","FirstCategoryId":"5","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214157X26002443","RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"2026/2/28 0:00:00","PubModel":"Epub","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"THERMODYNAMICS","Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Abstract

This research conducts a comprehensive experimental study of a solar distillation configuration enhanced with phase change material and internal electric fans, in a single-slope solar stills. Despite their operational simplicity, conventional single-slope solar stills are fundamentally limited by low distillate yields due to significant thermal losses and the formation of a stagnant vapor boundary layer that impedes efficient mass transfer. An experimental arrangement was constructed and tested at Faculty of Engineering, Sinai University, Egypt, and analyzed using 11-E framework, which encompasses assessments of energetic, exergetic, economic, environmental, and sustainability aspects. Four operating scenarios were examined: (i) conventional solar still (CSS), (ii) Enhanced solar still with fans only (ESSF), (iii) Enhanced solar still with paraffin wax only (ESSP), and (iv) Enhanced solar still with both paraffin wax and fans (ESSPF). The results indicated that integrating PCM beneath the absorber plate extended operation into post-sunset hours by providing latent heat storage. At the same time, fans improved internal convection, accelerated vapor transport, and enhanced condensation. The combined configuration (ESSPF) yielded the highest performance, with a supreme daily freshwater productivity of 5.26 ± 0.01 kg/m², representing an 87.90 ± 0.01% increase compared with the conventional one. Energy and exergy productivity rates for ESSPF reached 49 ± 0.05% and 2.0 ± 0.05%, respectively, while the water production cost decreased to 0.00772 $/L, resulting in a reduced payback period of 5.25 months. An environmental analysis confirmed a substantial decrease in CO₂ emissions resulting from a decrease in dependence on traditional fuel-based water production. Furthermore, sustainability and improvement potential indices indicated that the enhanced stills provide a more viable long-term solution. Overall, the integration of paraffin wax and internal fans provides a cost-effective, reliable, and scalable modification to conventional solar stills, supporting global strategies for sustainable and environmentally friendly water desalination.

Abstract Image

查看原文本刊更多论文

相变材料和内部风机对太阳能蒸馏器的双重强化：可持续产水的实验研究

本研究在单坡太阳能蒸馏器中对相变材料和内部电风扇增强的太阳能蒸馏结构进行了全面的实验研究。尽管操作简单，传统的单斜面太阳能蒸馏器由于严重的热损失和阻碍有效传质的停滞蒸汽边界层的形成，从根本上受到低馏分收率的限制。在埃及西奈大学工程学院构建和测试了一个实验安排，并使用11-E框架进行了分析，该框架包括对能源、活力、经济、环境和可持续性方面的评估。研究了四种操作方案：(i)常规太阳能蒸馏器（CSS），（ii）仅带风扇的增强型太阳能蒸馏器（ESSF），（iii）仅带石蜡的增强型太阳能蒸馏器（ESSP）和（iv）同时带石蜡和风扇的增强型太阳能蒸馏器（ESSPF）。结果表明，在吸收板下集成PCM通过提供潜热储存将运行时间延长到日落后的时间。同时，风扇改善了内部对流，加速了蒸汽输送，增强了冷凝。组合配置（ESSPF）性能最佳，最高日淡水产量为5.26±0.01 kg/m2，比常规配置提高87.90±0.01%。ESSPF的能源生产率和火用生产率分别达到49±0.05%和2.0±0.05%，产水成本降至0.00772美元/升，投资回收期缩短了5.25个月。一项环境分析证实，由于减少了对传统燃料制水的依赖，二氧化碳排放量大幅减少。此外，可持续性和改善潜力指数表明，强化蒸馏器提供了更可行的长期解决方案。总的来说，石蜡和内部风扇的集成为传统的太阳能蒸馏器提供了一种经济、可靠和可扩展的改造，支持可持续和环保的海水淡化全球战略。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

求助全文

约1分钟内获得全文求助全文

来源期刊

Case Studies in Thermal Engineering Chemical Engineering-Fluid Flow and Transfer Processes

CiteScore

8.60

自引率

11.80%

发文量

812

审稿时长

76 days

期刊介绍： Case Studies in Thermal Engineering provides a forum for the rapid publication of short, structured Case Studies in Thermal Engineering and related Short Communications. It provides an essential compendium of case studies for researchers and practitioners in the field of thermal engineering and others who are interested in aspects of thermal engineering cases that could affect other engineering processes. The journal not only publishes new and novel case studies, but also provides a forum for the publication of high quality descriptions of classic thermal engineering problems. The scope of the journal includes case studies of thermal engineering problems in components, devices and systems using existing experimental and numerical techniques in the areas of mechanical, aerospace, chemical, medical, thermal management for electronics, heat exchangers, regeneration, solar thermal energy, thermal storage, building energy conservation, and power generation. Case studies of thermal problems in other areas will also be considered.