Synergistic Effect of Cylindrical Fins and Phase Change Material on the Thermal and Economic Performance of a Double-Slope Solar Distillation Device Under Tunceli Climatic Conditions

Abstract

Global water scarcity driven by population growth, climate variability, and rising freshwater demand increases the need for more efficient solar desalination systems. In this study, a double-slope solar distillation device supported by a phase change material pool was developed to improve freshwater production. The phase change material layer was placed directly beneath the absorber plate to store excess thermal energy during peak solar radiation and release it during low-radiation periods. To strengthen thermal interaction between the absorber surface and the storage medium, cylindrical fins were embedded within the phase change material pool. The development of a double-slope solar distillation device integrated with a finned phase change material pool, and the simultaneous comparison of the thermal efficiency and economic analyses of single-slope and double-slope solar distillation devices under the same climatic conditions, are the prominent features of this study. Additionally, the performance of solar distillation devices has not previously been investigated under the climatic conditions of Tunceli, which further motivates this research. The developed system reached a peak freshwater productivity of 2459.2 g/m2/day, providing a 21.4% enhancement over the conventional configuration. In addition, the thermal efficiency increased from 17.7% in the conventional unit to 21.4% in the phase change material-assisted design. The economic analysis showed that the cost of distilled water was $0.097/kg for the conventional system and $0.105/kg for the proposed system, with the corresponding payback periods being approximately 11 and 12 months, respectively.