Performance evaluation of a cylindrical-parabolic solar distillation unit for brackish water

Abstract

Freshwater scarcity remains a worldwide challenge, and conventional desalination knowledges are frequently expensive and energy-intensive. Solar distillation with concentrator-based systems presents a supportable alternate, yet the consequence of inclination angle on the performance of cylindrical-parabolic concentrators (CPC) has been unsatisfactorily deliberate. This study addresses the need for efficient solar distillation systems by experimentally investigating the performance of a cylindrical-parabolic solar concentrator designed for brackish water desalination to evaluate a CPC solar desalination unit, focusing on thermal behavior and freshwater productivity under different inclination angles. The objective is to evaluate how variations in the inclination angle affect thermal behavior and freshwater yield. An outdoor experimental setup was developed to measure daily water production, temperature distribution, and system efficiency. The system demonstrated an average daily efficiency of approximately 44 %, with water production ranging from 1.9 to 3.3 liters per day, peaking at 1 pm. To better quantify productivity, two performance indicators the Instantaneous Production Factor (FPI) and the Cumulative Production Factor (FPC) were introduced to quantify thermal productivity and efficiency. Comparative analysis with similar solar distillation systems confirmed the effectiveness of the proposed design. The results highlight the potential of CPC-based systems for decentralized freshwater generation in water-scarce regions and emphasize the importance of optimizing inclination angle and thermal design for improved performance.