Experimental investigation on thermal and exergetic performance improvement of a half-cylindrical solar still using PCM and reflectors

Authors

Ahmed Saad Soliman, School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, ChinaFollow
Ping Cheng, School of Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Shanghai University, Shanghai 200444, China
Ahmed A. Sultan, Mechanical Power Engineering Department, Mansoura University, El-Mansoura 35516, Egypt
Osama Abdelrehim, Mechanical Power Engineering Department, Mansoura University, El-Mansoura 35516, Egypt
Asmaa Khater, Mechanical Power Engineering Department, Mansoura University, El-Mansoura 35516, Egypt
Mohamed A. Sultan, Mechanical Engineering Department, Higher Future Institute of Engineering and Technology, El-Mansoura 35516, Egypt

Subject Area

Mechanical Power Engineering

Article Type

Original Study

Abstract

This study explores the potential of enhancing solar still performance by integrating a corrugated absorber with phase change material (PCM) and a reflector. The study aims to improve water yield, extend operation beyond sunset, and boost thermal and exergy efficiencies compared to a conventional flat absorber. Experiments were carried out on flat, corrugated, and corrugated-with-PCM absorbers, both with and without reflectors, to evaluate the effect of each modification. The results show that using a reflector with a flat absorber improved daily productivity by 22%. A corrugated absorber increased accumulated productivity by 38%, and when combined with a reflector, the improvement reached 40%. Incorporating PCM into the corrugated absorber increased productivity by 49%, while the highest gain of 68% was achieved when both PCM and a reflector were applied together. The corrugated absorber with PCM also extended still operation after sunset. Thermal and exergy efficiencies increased by 61% and 92%, respectively, compared to the flat absorber baseline. These findings confirm that coupling corrugation, PCM storage, and reflector-assisted solar input can significantly enhance solar still performance, offering a practical approach for improving freshwater production in sunny regions.

Keywords

Solar still; Phase change material; half-cylindrical solar still; Thermal efficiency, Water productivity.

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Recommended Citation

Soliman, Ahmed Saad; Cheng, Ping; Sultan, Ahmed A.; Abdelrehim, Osama; Khater, Asmaa; and Sultan, Mohamed A. (2025) "Experimental investigation on thermal and exergetic performance improvement of a half-cylindrical solar still using PCM and reflectors," Mansoura Engineering Journal: Vol. 50 : Iss. 6 , Article 13.
Available at: https://doi.org/10.58491/2735-4202.3341