EXPERIMENTAL ANALYSIS OF A PANCAKE TYPE SOLAR THERMAL COLLECTOR INTEGRATED WITH DIRECT CONTACT MEMBRANE DESALINATION SYSTEM

With rising global climate concerns, the countries worldwide are swiftly turning toward renewable energy. This study includes an approach to extract such resources by using an integrated desalination system based on direct contact membrane to desalinate water. A flat plate pancake-type solar thermal collector has been used to enhance the thermal efficiency. It includes copper tubes to exchange the energy absorbed. A direct contact membrane desalination unit is used to absorb energy effectively. The performance evaluation of the system is experimentally done under the climatic conditions of Jamshoro, Pakistan. This study aims at evaluating the efficiency and performance of the thermal collector and the desalination unit. The experimental results indicate that the freshwater production rate of 5.64 l/m<sup>2</sup>h with a relatively low total dissolved solids of 40. The modification in the shape of the thermal collector proved as a more efficient system as it offers less resistance to the flow of fluid and the average consumption of energy is 696.84 W. The maximum overall efficiency of this Pancake-shaped thermal collector is found about 98%, and the temperature difference maximum achieved between the inlet and outlet is 44.8°.