An unsteady CFD modelling of a single slope solar still. (2021)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Mittal, Gaurav
• Is Part Of: Materials today. Volume 46:Part 20(2021)
• Page Start: 10991
• Page End: 10995
• Publication Date: 2021
• Subjects: Solar still -- CFD -- Distillate yield; Materials science -- Congresses -- Periodicals; 620.1
• DOI: 10.1016/j.matpr.2021.02.090
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2214-7853

Abstract

Abstract: An unsteady CFD modelling of a single slope solar still is done using ANSYS Fluent. In the model, only the humid zone (air + water vapour mixture) is considered with specified temperatures at the bottom (water) and top (glass) level. The boundary conditions of temperature are specified for 24-hour duration, and the unsteady simulations are also conducted for 24-hour duration. Evaporation and condensation rates are derived based on water vapour mass fraction gradient at the evaporating (bottom) and condensing (top) surfaces. A number of User Defined Functions (UDFs) are used to implement this approach. The approach gives instantaneous as well as daily distillate output. The approach is computationally non-expensive and can help in evaluating the distillate output from a variety of configurations when temperatures at the bottom and top surfaces are known.