Low temperature desalination using solar collectors augmented by thermal energy storage

A low temperature desalination process capable of producing 100 L/d freshwater was designed to utilize solar energy harvested from flat plate solar collectors. Since solar insolation is intermittent, a thermal energy storage system was incorporated to run the desalination process round the clock. The requirements for solar collector area as well as thermal energy storage volume were estimated based on the variations in solar insolation. Results from this theoretical study confirm that thermal energy storage is a useful component of the system for conserving thermal energy to meet the energy demand when direct solar energy resource is not available. Thermodynamic advantages of the low temperature desalination using thermal energy storage, as well as energy and environmental emissions payback period of the system powered by flat plate solar collectors are presented. It has been determined that a solar collector area of 18 m2 with a thermal energy storage volume of 3 m3 is adequate to produce 100 L/d of freshwater round the clock considering fluctuations in the weather conditions. An economic analysis on the desalination system with thermal energy storage is also presented.

► A new low temperature desalination process using solar collectors was investigated.
► A thermal energy storage tank (TES) was included for continuous process operation.
► Solar collector area and TES volumes were optimized by theoretical simulations.
► Economic analysis for the entire process was compared with and without TES tank.
► Energy and emission payback periods for the solar collector system were reported.