Energy and Exergy Analysis of Pyramid-Type Solar Still Coupled with Magnetic and Electrical Effects by Using Matlab Simulation

Abstract

In the face of an escalating global water crisis, countries worldwide grapple with the crippling effects of scarcity, jeopardizing economic progress and hindering societal advancement. Solar energy emerges as a beacon of hope, offering a sustainable and environmentally friendly solution to desalination. Solar distillation technology, harnessing the power of the sun, transforms seawater into freshwater, expanding the availability of this precious resource. Optimizing solar still performance under specific climatic conditions and evaluating different configurations is crucial for practical implementation and widespread adoption of solar energy. In this study, we conducted theoretical investigations on three distinct solar still configurations to evaluate their performance under Baghdad’s climatic conditions. The solar stills analyzed include the passive solar still, the modified solar still coupled with a magnetic field, and the modified solar still coupled with both magnetic and electrical fields. The results proved that the evaporation heat transfer coefficient peaked at 14:00, reaching 25.05 W/m².°C for the convention pyramid solar still (CPSS), 32.33 W/m².°C for the magnetic pyramid solar still (MPSS), and 40.98 W/m².°C for elecro-magnetic pyramid solar still (EMPSS), highlighting their efficiency in converting solar energy to vapor. However, exergy efficiency remained notably lower, at 1.6%, 5.31%, and 7.93% for the three still types, even as energy efficiency reached its maximum of 18.6% at 14:00 with a corresponding peak evaporative heat of 162.4 W/m².