Exergy and energy analysis of a tubular solar still with and without fins: a comparative theoretical and experimental approach

One of the major challenges faced by human society is the freshwater crisis and shortage of conventional energy. Solar still is considered as one of the promising sources for the production of freshwater from saline water by desalination method. This paper represents the theoretical and experimental study of tubular solar still with and without fins. In this experimental study, the readings were recorded from 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM. The results of this experiment show that the efficiency of tubular solar still (TSS) with fins and without fins is found as 23.39 and 13.76% respectively. The rate of irreversibility from the basin of TSS with flat is higher than TSS with finned absorber and also the rate of irreversibility from water is significantly reduced by TSS with the finned absorber. The exergy analysis showed the maximum exergy efficiency of about 11.8% from the TSS with fins and about 10.6% from the TSS with a flat absorber.