Enhancing trays solar still performance using wick finned absorber, nano- enhanced PCM

Solar stills are famous techniques of solar desalination methods, but they suffer from the low daily water production. In this work, an experimental study was conducted to enhance the trays solar still (TSS) performance. The heat transfer rate between the saline water and absorber of TSS has been improved. So, the performance of TSSs with flat and finned absorbers shapes was studied. The tested SSs were conventional solar still (CSS), TSS, and finned TSS (FTSS). Jute wick materials were utilized to cover the finned absorbers, where the wick feed water flows slowly to upward through the porous material. The influence of installing reflecting mirrors on the internal sides of TSS was studied. For further enhancement of TSS performance, phase change materials mixed with copper oxide-nanoparticles has been utilized to test the FTSS performance. In addition, 3 electric heaters have been utilized to heat the water basin. The photovoltaic cell was added beside the back wall of the FTSS thereby using the same FTSS space and used as a power source for the electric heaters. Results indicated that the FTSS productivity was enhanced by 166 and 136% when utilizing the heaters and phase change materials with nanoparticles compared to that of the CSS, respectively. Also, the daily water productivity of the FTSS was enhanced by 196% over the CSS when using both the electrical heaters and phase change materials with nanoparticles at the same time.