Development of a Novel Humidification-Dehumidification Solar Distillation System Prototype
Authors
Hemenway, Robert L.
Issue Date
2024
Type
Thesis
Language
Keywords
Alternative Title
Abstract
This thesis explores a novel solar distillation unit designed to be sufficiently simple and cost-effective that an individual with modest skill and means could reproduce it and use it to distill water. The design centers around solar heated air which heats and evaporates water in a moisturizer filter. Subsequently the nearly saturated air is cooled in an air-to-water heat exchanger, condensing vapor for collection. Two different heat rejection systems were considered and tested, appropriate for different seasons. A system was built and tested at the Desert Research Institute in Reno Nevada, which features abundant sunshine throughout the year. A mathematical model initially predicted a reasonable estimated distilled water collection. However, the system as built and tested contained a design flaw which was identified only after testing was completed, namely that air velocity through the heat exchanger-condenser blew suspended atomized water droplets past the collection area and returned them to the solar collector, bypassing useful collection and diminishing the apparent system efficiency. A second mathematical model correctly estimated both the expected distilled water collection and also the realized product. The approach can deliver more distilled product than a sloping glass passive solar still, but more research is required for a proper demonstration.