Simulation and experimentation of heat transfer in a solar distillation still

This paper deals with a simple and inexpensive solar desalination configuration. The performance of a simple solar still operating under Maltese climatic conditions is analysed both theoretically and experimentally. The internal and external heat transfer modes of the distillation unit are examined. This paper concludes that the distillation rate in a simple solar distiller increases with ambient temperature and solar radiation, even though the condensation capacity of the glass is reduced. A higher wind speed decreases the evaporation and condensation processes. The energy fractions within the solar still have also been analysed. The simulations and the experiments conclude that the glass components handle the bulk of the heat transferred in a solar still namely radiation, evaporation and condensation and thus the distillation efficiency is enhanced by improving the thermal and optical properties of the glass.peer-reviewe

The application of MCP techniques and CFD modelling for wind resource assessment in a Mediterranean Island context

This paper presents salient results from an ongoing investigation into wind behaviour and resources characterisation on the central Mediterranean Maltese archipelago. The ultimate aim is to enable a more accurate determination of the potential for electrical wind power generation in the onshore and inshore marine environments. One area of this research is seeking to generate longer-term wind characteristics at selected locations. The strategy used involves a combination of field measurements at a number of onshore points and the use of Measure-Correlate-Predict (MCP) techniques in conjunction with Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) software. This current study will present selected results from the validation process underway to establish the performance of MCP and CFD in a sub-tropical island context.peer-reviewe

Challenges in developing a solar powered stirling engine for domestic electricity generation

This paper investigates the challenges in developing a solar powered Stirling engine for domestic electricity generation. All the system components, the parabolic troughs, heat transfer fluid and the Stirling engine are individually analysed. The analysis includes a market survey and performance assessments of such components. A mathematical analysis for the Stirling engine is carried out in order to understand the affect of varies parameters with the work output per cycle and the engine efficiency. Such parameters are the phase angle between pistons, the diameter ratio of the power and displacer piston, and change in temperature.peer-reviewe