Enhancement performance of trays solar stills using vertical wicks, corrugated absorbers, and silver nano-PCM

The development of highly effective and scalable solar desalination systems is vital due to the global freshwater shortage situation. This work presents a novel hybrid system that combines a vertical corrugated wick solar still (VCWSS) with a trays solar still (TSS) in a synergistic manner to improve productivity through increased energy storage and thermal recycling. By using a closed-loop feed mechanism, the VCWSS raises the operating temperature of the TSS by preheating the feed water. By employing passive cooling with a phase-change material (PCM) composite infused with silver nanoparticles (Ag-NPs) underneath absorber/walls to absorb and release thermal energy, elevated glass temperatures caused by accelerated evaporation/condensation cycles were reduced. This represents a significant 265.5 % increase in contrast to the production of the standalone conventional single-basin solar still (CSS) system. Regarding efficiency, TSS, MTSS (Modified trays SS), MCTSS (Modified trays SS with corrugated absorber), and MCTSS with PCM-Nano exhibited efficiencies of 40.9 %, 56 %, 64 %, and 69 %, respectively. The costs incurred for desalinated fresh water were determined to be 0.024 and 0.012 dollars per liter ($/L) for the conventional SS and the MCTSS with enhancements. Additionally, the thermal exergy efficiency of the distiller was around 2.5, 2.7, and 3.01 % for MTSS, and MCTSS and MCTSS+PCM, respectively.