Leveraging Grewia optiva leaf extract as a doping phase change material for enhanced solar desalination performance: Simulation prediction and diverse technologies

Finding environmentally sustainable ways to produce freshwater is crucial, and solar distillation is a viable option. However, conventional solar stills (CSS) have limited water production capabilities. This study introduces a novel solar desalination system incorporating Grewia Optiva leaf extract (GO) and hexahydrate magnesium chloride (MgCl 2 •6H 2 O) phase change materials (PCM) into a single basin distiller (SBS). The system demonstrates significant improvements in productivity, exergy efficiency, and environmental sustainability compared to conventional solar stills. Integrated MCGO in SBS increased productivity by 40 %, and MCGO-enhanced SBS achieved 57 % higher distillate production (5642 kg/m 2 /day) with 59.5 % efficiency compared to the conventional still (2231 kg/m 2 /day with 3.1 % efficiency). SBS with PCMs exhibited 4 % exergy efficiency compared to 3.1 % for the conventional still. The cost of producing 1 L of distilled water was $0.066 for CSS and $0.043 for SBS with MCGO. SBS with MCGO reduced yearly CO2 emissions by 27.7 tons. The Z′ value, a composite environmental sustainability index that considers exergy efficiency, cost, and emissions, was 335 for CSS and 365 for SBS with MCGO, indicating improved environmental sustainability. This study highlights the potential of integrating bio-nanoparticles and phase change materials in SBS for enhanced performance, reduced costs, and environmental benefits. • Evaluated SBS with MgCl 2 ·6H 2 O modified by Grewia optiva leaf extract. • SBS with 15 % MCGO gave 103 % higher output vs. conventional solar still. • Exergy efficiencies of CSS and SBS (15 %) with MCGO were 3.1 % and 4.2 %, respectively. • Distilled water ($ 1L) was $0.066 for CSS, $0.043 for SBS at $0.024 with MCGO.