Improved surface temperature of absorber plate using metallic titanium particles for solar still application

• Main Authors: Fayaz, H., Rasachak, Sayfar, Ahmad, Muhammad Shakeel, Kumar, Laveet, Zhang, Bo, Jeyraj, Selvaraj, Mujtaba, M. A., Soudagar, Manzoore Elahi M., Kumar, Ravinder, Omidvar, Mohammad Rasoul
• Format: Article
• Published: Elsevier 2022
• Subjects: Q Science (General); T Technology (General)
• Online Access: http://eprints.um.edu.my/42051/; https://doi.org/10.1016/j.seta.2022.102092
• Institution: Universiti Malaya

Solar distillation technique by using solar stills is the most feasible and environment friendly way to supply fresh water in arid and remote regions. One of the key challenges in solar distillation is to enhance productivity of solar still. In this study, effect of metallic titanium (Ti) particles has been investigated for surface temperature of solar still absorber to increase the distillate production. Ti particles of various concentrations have been blended with black paint and applied on absorber plate. The morphology of the surface and phase identification of powder received have been studied and verified using SEM and XRD. The characteristics of light absorption were examined using Uv-vis Spectroscopy. Extensive outdoor and indoor testing (using improvised solar simulator) have been carried out to optimize the concentration. The highest temperature of 100.39 degrees C at 1000 W/m(2) solar irradiation in indoor conditions has been recorded for 7 wt% Ti specimen in black paint which is 11.87% higher compared to only black paint coated aluminum plate and 54.35% higher than bare aluminum plate. The 7 wt% Ti specimen temperature increased up to 77.58 degrees C in comparison to the aluminum plate having black paint. Further increase in concentration did not increase surface temperature due to excessive convective heat losses.