Improving the yield of freshwater and exergy analysis of conventional solar still with different nanofluids

This experimental work intensively studies the effect of nanoparticle concentration and exergy of a conventional solar still. Experimental studies were conducted with concentration ranging from 0.05 to 0.2% with Al2O3, CuO and TiO2 on conventional solar still. The results show that the effect of nanoparticles improves the yield of freshwater from conventional solar still. The water temperature of conventional solar still with different concentration of nanofluids improved by 3 and 5% for CuO, 4.2 and 6% for TiO2 and, 3 and 7% for Al2O3. Similarly, the average water temperature of conventional solar still is higher with 0.2% concentration of Al2O3 inside the basin. There is increase in the yield of freshwater about 50% for conventional solar still respectively with Al2O3 nanofluids (φ=0.2%). The maximum exergy efficiency from the system is found as 11.12% with Al2O3 nanofluid (φ=0.2%). There is a greater possibility of negative efficiency during the start of the experiment while the ambient temperature is lower than water temperature (Ta>Tw). The daily exergy efficiency increases by 20% with increase in concentration of nano-particles in fluid (Al2O3).