Numerical Analysis for Enhanced Water Desalination in Solar Stills with Optimized Glass Cover Angles

Abstract

This research focuses on optimizing the design of solar stills to determine the ideal glass cover tilt angle for maximum distillate productivity, tailored specifically to Baghdad's climate and time constraints. Utilizing SOLIDWORKS for modeling and ANSYS CFD for simulations, the study analyzes custom solar stills on July 25th, 2023. MATLAB algorithms, developed based on Baghdad's ambient conditions and key heat transfer equations, perform numerical analysis to compute hourly distillate output for tilt angles ranging from 25° to 40° during the 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. operational timeframe. Additionally, ANSYS CFD simulations provide numerical analysis of performance metrics such as evaporation rates, solar irradiation, and temperature profiles for each angle. This multi-software modeling approach finds the best orientation for the highest desalination yield in simulated conditions. It's a cost-effective way to make things work better in real life without having to do a lot of physical testing.