Title: Exergetic analysis of passive and active solar stills

Authors: G.N. Tiwari, Vimal Dimri, Arvind Chel

Addresses: Centre for Energy Studies, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, Hauz Khas, New Delhi 110016, India. ' Centre for Energy Studies, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, Hauz Khas, New Delhi 110016, India. ' Centre for Energy Studies, Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, Hauz Khas, New Delhi 110016, India

Abstract: This paper presents an exergetic analysis for passive and active solar distillation systems. The analysis is based on mass, energy and exergy balance equations, which has not been attempted in the past for active solar stills. In the present paper, it has been tried to compare the hourly exergy and thermal efficiency of passive and active solar stills. The values of hourly exergy and thermal efficiency of passive solar still are 0.1–0.8% and 2–17% while those for active solar still are in the range 0.1–1.1% and 3 15%, respectively. In case of active solar still, the effect of water depth and number of collectors on overall exergy and thermal efficiency have been obtained.

Keywords: thermal efficiency; exergy efficiency; passive solar stills; active solar stills; solar distillation.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEX.2008.018116

International Journal of Exergy, 2008 Vol.5 No.3, pp.360 - 373

Published online: 02 May 2008 *

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