Performance assessment of a novel solar distiller with a fountain-shaped basin design embedded with phase change materials enriched with copper oxide nano-additives: A detailed experimental investigation

This study uses a novel structure of a dome-shaped solar distiller (DSD) with a stepped conical absorbent basin with multi-trays instead of the typical flat absorbent basin solar stills to enhance the evaporation and exposure areas. Moreover, a fountain seawater feed supply system is also centrally integrated into the developed basin to reduce the saltwater film thickness on the stepped conical trays for enhancing the heating processes of seawater over the trays' surfaces. Meanwhile, a phase change material enriched with CuO nanoparticles (NCPCM) is also embedded inside the hollow multi-tray stepped conical basin to prolong the distiller's nightly yield. Three DSDs are piloted and investigated: a dome-shaped solar distillatory with a fountain feed supply and nanocomposite (DSD-FFS + NCPCM), a dome-shaped solar distillatory with a fountain feed supply (DSD-FFS), and reference dome-shaped solar distiller (RDSD). The findings showed that the daily product output was 7.21 kg/day/m² for DSD-FFS + NCPCM and 6.84 kg/day/m² for DSD-FFS. In contrast, the RDSD achieved a daily product output of 4.44 kg/day/m². This represents a significant improvement of 62.38 % and 54.05 % for DSD-FFS + NCPCM and DSD-FSS, respectively, over RDSD. Furthermore, the daily energic efficacity for DSD-FFS + NCPCM and DSD-FFS was evaluated at 62.42 % and 60.40 %, respectively, indicating an augmentation rate of 59.61 % and 53.56 % over RDSD. More so, the distiller exergy efficiency for DSD-FFS + NCPCM and DSD-FFS reached 4.16 % and 3.59 %, respectively, signifying an increase percentage of 123.66 % and 98.39 % over RDSD. Additionally, the cost analysis revealed that the price per 1 kg of distillate of the DSD-FFS + NCPCM and DSD-FFS declined by 18.48 % and 16.13 % over RDSD.