Hemispherical Solar Distiller Performance Utilizing Hybrid Storage Media, Paraffin Wax with Nanoparticles: An...

Area of Science:

• Renewable Energy
• Materials Science
• Water Desalination

Background:

• Traditional water purification relies on fossil fuels, contributing to greenhouse gas emissions.
• Renewable energy offers a sustainable and cost-effective alternative for freshwater production.
• Phase change materials (PCMs) can improve solar distillation efficiency.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the impact of aluminum oxide (Al2O3) nanoparticles in paraffin wax as a phase change material (PCM) on hemispherical solar still performance.
• To compare the freshwater yield of a conventional hemispherical distiller (CHD) with modified versions incorporating PCM and Al2O3-nanoparticle-enhanced PCM.

Main Methods:

• Three hemispherical solar stills were tested: a conventional design (CHD), one with paraffin wax PCM (CHD-PCM), and another with Al2O3 nanoparticles in paraffin wax PCM (CHD-N-PCM).
• All stills were operated under identical climatic conditions.
• Daily freshwater yield was measured for each configuration.

Main Results:

• The conventional hemispherical distiller (CHD) produced 4.85 L/m²/day.
• The addition of paraffin wax (CHD-PCM) increased the daily yield by 27.84% to 6.2 L/m²/day.
• Incorporating Al2O3 nanoparticles into the paraffin wax (CHD-N-PCM) further enhanced the yield by 71.13% over CHD, reaching 8.3 L/m²/day.

Conclusions:

• Al2O3 nanoparticles significantly enhance the thermal energy storage and release capabilities of paraffin wax in solar stills.
• The use of Al2O3-nanoparticle-enhanced PCM in hemispherical solar stills offers a highly effective method for increasing freshwater production.
• This technology presents a promising advancement in sustainable water desalination using renewable energy sources.