Numerical Investigation of the Effect of Wind Speed on Performance of Single-Slope Solar Still

Abstract

Pure water is an essential element for human life and other living organisms, as well as for industrial and construction processes. Many technologies have been used to produce drinking water. Most of them depend on fossil fuels as an energy source, but due to the continuous rise in fuel prices, the phenomenon of global warming, the weakness of infrastructure in many developing countries, and other factors, renewable energy has become the ideal solution to be an energy source. In this study, the effect of air velocity on the internal vapor content and its relationship with the performance of a conventional single-slope solar still was investigated numerically by Comsol Multiphsics 5.3 software. It was found that the productivity of a solar still is directly affected by the air velocity directed towards the glass cover. The forced directed air works to cool the glass cover, which leads to an increase in the temperature difference between the turbid water layer and the transparent cover layer, which enhances the condensation rates of the vapor mass at the glass cover, thus increasing the yield rate. The results showed that the total productivity of fresh water increased by about 4.7%, 10.3%, and 16% when the air velocity on the glass cover was (1.5, 3, and 4.5) m/s, respectively, compared to 0.5 m/s.