Abstract:
In decentralized areas with modest quantum fresh water needs, the bubble column (BC)
humidification dehumidification (HDH) desalination systems are attributed to have excellent
outcomes. The current work comprises of a bubble column humidifier to raise the humidity
level in the air and a bubble column dehumidifier to remove moisture from the air once it has
been humidified. The solar thermal water heater, a sustainable energy source, supplied the
thermal energy needed for the HDH system's operations. A nanofluid based flat plate solar
water heater, which has a considerably greater thermal efficiency than the traditional surface
absorption-based solar thermal collector, was used to heat the saline water. Titanium dioxide
(TiO2) along with the deionized water is mixed in weight percentage to make the nanofluid
with Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) utilized as a surfactant. The results illustrates that the hourly
fresh water productivity is inversely connected with bubble generation hole diameter whereas
it is directly correlated with the temperature of water, water height in the column, and mass
flow rate of air . The system's best experimental yield was recorded to be 0.75 L/d for a saline
water temperature of 60°C, 0.005 kg/s mass flow rate of air, diameter of bubble producing hole
of 2.5 mm, 40 °C of air temperature, and a water height in the BC of 7.5 cm in humidifier. The
hourly fresh water productivity ranged from 0.4 to 0.75 L/h throughout the investigation. For
0.005 kg/s mass flow rate of air, the system had a GOR of 0.5. The effectiveness of the system
was recorded to be 0.79. The cost per liter of water productivity is merely $ 0.0334, with a
system’s payback period of 1.3 years
