Solar thermal waste heat energy recovery in solar distillation systems by using thermoelectric generators

Abstract

In this study, the novel use of thermoelectric technology in solar desalination systems was experimentally investigated. The new type of solar still with the thermoelectric generator (CSS-TEG) was proposed to improve the water output and efficiency. CSS-TEG's performance was assessed and compared with the conventional one (CSS). Economic and enviro-economic assessments, as well as energy and exergy analyses, were conducted based on the system parameters and measurements taken from the designed experimental setup. The new system's daily energy and exergy efficiency were obtained as 40.34% and 2.462% respectively, whereas, with the CSS one, they were 35.55% and 2.403%, respectively. The daily production of distilled water from the CSS and the newly designed solar still with TEG was measured at 4313 g/m2 and 4893 g/m2, respectively. In general, the estimated production cost of 1 kg of freshwater from CSS was 0.055$, and CSS-TEG was 0.081$. Additionally, referring to the exergo-economic parameter, CSS and CSS-TEG mitigated an average of 0.596 and 0.6132 tons of CO2 respectively.