Thermal economical analysis and comparison between

pyramid configuration and single slope solar stills

Problem Definition

Water-Water everywhere but no where to drink.

What are the possible solution?

Solution 1. Every Indian make habit of drinking salty water !
But already a notable part of our population is facing huge trouble due to water borne diseases and it is
also impacting out economy badly. So it is not a wise solution.

Solution 2. We develop a feasible technique to convert abundant salty water

to fresh drinkable water using external energy.

Direct solar distillation using Solar still is good option because we can not rely anymore on non conventional
resources.

So researchers are trying to find different methods and arrangements to increase the efficiency and market
acceptance of Solar stills.
In last seminar we already had viewed a very good presentation on various types of solar stills.
Today we are giving a try to Bio-mimicry of solar still with Great pyramid of Giza(in Egypt).

Already some numerical coincidence quickly emerge from its size:

The slant height (6 11.5 ft.), when divided by one-half the length of its side (377.9 ft.), results in the
enigmatic ratio known as the golden ratio.
It is a ratio that is used by Photographers and graphic designers all over the world .

Can Bio- mimicry of Egypt Pyramid increase the effi ciency of solar still desalinization process?
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Experimental Apparatus

To study this, a team of researchers from Alexandria University, Egypt made a scale down model of Giza pyramids
and to compare the results obtains they choose single slope solar still configuration.

obtain comparable results they choose these specifications:

Transitivity of glass
Absorptivity of glass
Absorptivity of water
Specific heat of water
Area of floor covered
Film coefficient of heat transfer
Area of glass of pyramid
Area of glass of single slope
Specific heat

Latitude

Ground surface reflectivity

Schematic diagram of scale down solar still model of pyramid of Giza

Comparison of results which are found by doing experiments.

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THE
THE
THE
THE

Monthly average variation of daily solar thermal energies for Pyramidal and
Single solar still

INCIDENT AND ABSORBED RADIATION FOR PYRAMID SHAPE IS HIGHER THAN THAT OF SINGLE SLOPE STILL( FEB & OCT EXCE
DAILY AVERAGE YEARLY INCIDENT RADIATION AND ABSORBED RADIATION FOR PYRAMID ARE 4% HIGHER THAN SINGLE S
DAILY AVERAGE YEARLY SOLAR RADIATION LOSSES FOR PYRAMID STILL IS 1% HIGHER THAN SINGLE SLOPE
RATIO OF SOLAR RADIATION LOSSES TO THE INCIDENT RADIATION FOR PYRAMID SHAPE STILL IS SAME AS OF SINGLE SLOP
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February 1994

(A=1.5274 m2)

July 1994

(A=1.5274 m2)

Figures show that resultant incident solar energies received by the single slope still is 8% higher than
that received by pyramid in winter( february ) while it is 5%lower in summer ( july )
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February( winter )

July( summer )

Due to large radiation losses from cover surface of the pyramid, the daily yield of the single slope
still is 30% higher than that of the pyramid in winter and 3% higher in summer
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February( winter)

July( summer)

From the figures it is clear that the single slope still is more efficient than pyramid shape still
both in summer and winter
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February

July

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February
qr =radiation heat transfer flux

July
qe= evaporative heat transfer flux

qc= convective heat transfer flux

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February

July

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Monthly average yield for both pyramid and single slope still

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Monthly average efficiency for both pyramid and single slope still

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conomic comparison of pyramid and single slope configurati

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Economics study and results

Factors affecting product water unit cost
of desalination: Unit size
Site location
Feed water properties
Product water required quality
Quality staff availability

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 Economic Advantage:The main economic advantages of solar distillations are

It does not require much infrastructure
Simplicity to locally design
Installation
Maintain and operate
Economic Disadvantage:Its main disadvantage is the unit size limitation due to large area required.

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 Economic analysis of water unit cost:Capital Recovery Factor (CRF),

First Annual Cost (FAC),
Sinking Fund Factor (SFF),
Annual Salvage Value (ASV),
Annual Cost (AC),
and Annual Cost per Liter (AC/L) can be expressed as:CRF = i (1+i)n / [ (1+i)n 1 ]
FAC = P (CRF)
SFF = (i) / [ (1+i)n 1 ]
ASV= = (SFF) S
AC = FAC + AMC ASV
AC/L = AC / M
Where: AMC is annual Maintenance Cost, and has been taken as 15 % FAC.

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Table (1) Cost Breakdown of Solar Stills

Table
In (2) Product Water Unit Cost, In L.E. ( L.E. = 0.25
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L.E. ( L.E. = 0.25 $

 Conclusion: Analytical study and comparison between two solar still

configurations; the Pyramidal and single slope, have been presented.
A mathematical model has been developed to simulate the thermal
analysis of these configurations and study their performance.
The weather meteorological data of Aswan City was used, since it is
the most reliable measured data for both direct and diffused
radiation.
On the basis of the yearly performance results, the single slope still
was found to be slightly more efficient than the pyramidal one.
The solar energies received by the single slope still is 8 % higher
than that received by the pyramid in winter while it is 5 % lower in
summer
Due to the larger radiation losses from the cover surface of the
pyramid, the daily yield of the single slope still is 30 % higher than
that of the pyramid in winter and 3 % higher in summer.
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 The pyramid tilt angle of 50 degree (very near to the Great

Pyramid of Giza angle of 52 degree) gives the best still
productivity. Significant reduction takes place when the tilt angle
increases above 60 degree.
the cost of solar distillation product water of 0.12 L.E./liter (0.03
$/liter) could be acceptable as compared to water transportation.

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