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Optical-irradiance performance investigation to optimize a solar still with internal reflectors and double external boosters

Untersuchung der Leistung der optischen Bestrahlungsstärke zur Optimierung eines Solardestillierapparats mit internen Reflektoren und doppelten externen Boostern

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Abstract

This study was performed to optimize the single slope solar still with internally reflecting walls and externally reflecting, top and bottom, flat booster reflectors using an optical irradiance model. The model uses a 3‑D hybrid recursive ray tracing method developed in this study. The model was validated in a couple of geometrical scenarios. To measure irradiance, the rays were generated using the Latin Hypercube Sampling (LHS) technique and traced to determine how many were received by the still’s basin. The different varieties of stills were considered in these regards. The results were compared with those stills with the same geometry but lacking the reflectors/boosters. The model was then used to obtain the optimum values for the boosters’ lengths and angles for various designs of stills, to gain the desired optical-irradiance performance. Due to high dimensionality of the problem, Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) was utilized for the purpose. Contour plots were also developed to show the effects of changing the booster angles on the performance.

Zusammenfassung

Diese Studie wurde durchgeführt, um den Single-Slope-Solardestillierapparat mit innen reflektierenden Wänden und außen reflektierenden flachen Booster-Reflektoren oben und unten mithilfe eines optischen Bestrahlungsstärkemodells zu optimieren. Das Modell verwendet eine in dieser Studie entwickelte hybride rekursive 3D-Raytracing-Methode. Das Modell wurde in einigen geometrischen Szenarien validiert. Um die Bestrahlungsstärke zu messen, wurden die Strahlen mit der Latin Hypercube Sampling (LHS)-Technik erzeugt und verfolgt, um zu bestimmen, wie viele vom Destillationsbecken empfangen wurden. Dabei wurden die verschiedenen Destillierarten berücksichtigt. Die Ergebnisse wurden mit solchen Standbildern mit der gleichen Geometrie, aber ohne Reflektoren/Booster verglichen. Das Modell wurde dann verwendet, um die optimalen Werte für die Längen und Winkel der Booster für verschiedene Destillierdesigns zu ermitteln und so die gewünschte optische Bestrahlungsleistung zu erzielen. Aufgrund der hohen Dimensionalität des Problems wurde zu diesem Zweck die Partikelschwarmoptimierung (PSO) eingesetzt. Außerdem wurden Konturdiagramme entwickelt, um die Auswirkungen einer Änderung der Boosterwinkel auf die Leistung zu zeigen.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mechanical Engineering, NED University of Engineering & Technology, Karachi, Pakistan

    Muhammad Uzair

  2. Southern Institute of Technology, School of Engineering Trades and Technology, 9840, Invercargill, New Zealand

    Naveed ur Rehman

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  1. Muhammad Uzair
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  2. Naveed ur Rehman
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Correspondence to Muhammad Uzair.

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Muhammad Uzair and Naveed ur Rehman declare that they have no competing interests.

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Uzair, M., ur Rehman, N. Optical-irradiance performance investigation to optimize a solar still with internal reflectors and double external boosters. Forsch Ingenieurwes 87, 739–748 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10010-023-00666-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10010-023-00666-7

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