Ultrasonic humidifier-assisted thermal desalination: A comprehensive review

Global water scarcity has increased the demand for sustainable and affordable desalination solutions. Thermal desalination systems, such as solar stills, have been extensively studied for producing fresh water from saline sources. However, their efficiency is limited due to the low water vapor pressure inside the stills. To address this shortcoming, ultrasonic humidifiers have been proposed in recent years to increase the water vapor pressure inside solar stills and other thermal desalination systems, thereby enhancing their efficiency. This review aims to critically analyze current research on the use of ultrasonic humidifiers to improve the performance of these systems including solar stills, humidification-dehumidification systems, and membrane distillation systems. It examines the impact of various factors, including water temperature, salinity, placement of ultrasonic humidifiers, and the duration of ultrasonication, on the efficiency of these thermal desalination systems. Lastly, it compares the thermodynamic performance and economic viability of different desalination systems to identify the most promising ones. The findings of this review are expected to provide valuable insights for designing and optimizing desalination systems that incorporate ultrasonic humidifiers.