Exploring Trapezoidal Salt Gradient Solar Pond Performance A Combined Numerical and Experimental Analysis with and without Reflective Covered Surface

<div class="section abstract"><div class="htmlview paragraph">This research explores the use of salt gradient solar ponds (SGSPs) as an environmentally friendly and efficient method for thermal energy storage. The study focuses on the design, construction, and performance evaluation of SGSP systems integrated with reflectors, comparing their effectiveness against conventional SGSP setups without reflectors. Both experimental and numerical methods are employed to thoroughly assess the thermal behavior and energy efficiency of these systems. The findings reveal that the SGSP with reflectors (SGSP-R) achieves significantly higher temperatures across all three zones—Upper Convective Zone (UCZ), Non-Convective Zone (NCZ), and Lower Convective Zone (LCZ)—with recorded temperatures of 40.56°C, 54.2°C, and 63.1°C, respectively. These values represent an increase of 6.33%, 11.12%, and 14.26% over the temperatures observed in the conventional SGSP (SGSP-C). Furthermore, the energy efficiency improvements in the UCZ, NCZ, and LCZ for the SGSP-R are considerable, showing increases of 39.18%, 35.46%, and 39.64%, respectively, when compared to the SGSP-C. The numerical simulations are in strong agreement with the experimental results, exhibiting minimal deviations of less than 5% in both temperature distribution and energy efficiency across all zones. This study underscores the potential of SGSPs with reflectors for enhanced thermal storage performance.</div></div>