Geometric optimization to improve the performance of a new design of concentration-based solar distiller using particle swarm optimization algorithm

Abstract

Solar distillers are one of the oldest and simplest technologies for desalinating salt water using solar energy. The main problem is the low freshwater production compared to the amount of energy input from the sun. To overcome this problem, a solar distiller was developed using a parabolic trough concentrator to increase the freshwater yield. The geometry optimization of various parameters of the developed system was also studied using the particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm to obtain the optimal design and give the improved freshwater yield. The simulation is carried out based on the algorithm using the climatic condition data of Rabat City, Morocco. Numerical resolution of the energy balance equations was performed using MATLAB code. In terms of flexibility, speed, and global convergence, this method's final results were satisfactory. The maximum optimized freshwater yield using the PSO approach is 12.83 kg/m² and the maximum optimized energy and exergy efficiency were about 204.7% and 34.3%, respectively. Furthermore, the results showed that the absorber basin accounts for the highest exergy destruction, 88.7% of the total optimized exergy destruction was found from exergy analysis.