Enhancing solar thermal desalination with MWCNT/TiO2 nanofluids for sustainable water solutions

This study uses innovative humidifier-dehumidifier (HDH) combinations with evacuated tube solar collector (ETSC) and flat air collector (FAC) coupled with multiwalled carbon nanotubes, and titanium oxide (MWCNT/TiO2) hybrid nanofluid and hybrid nano-enhanced coating to maximize sustainable saltwater...

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Main Authors: T. Sathish, R. Saravanan, Jayant Giri, Refka Ghodhbani, Hassen Sabeur, Mustafa Abdullah, A. Anderson
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-10-01
Series:Case Studies in Thermal Engineering
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214157X25010573
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author T. Sathish
R. Saravanan
Jayant Giri
Refka Ghodhbani
Hassen Sabeur
Mustafa Abdullah
A. Anderson
author_facet T. Sathish
R. Saravanan
Jayant Giri
Refka Ghodhbani
Hassen Sabeur
Mustafa Abdullah
A. Anderson
author_sort T. Sathish
collection DOAJ
description This study uses innovative humidifier-dehumidifier (HDH) combinations with evacuated tube solar collector (ETSC) and flat air collector (FAC) coupled with multiwalled carbon nanotubes, and titanium oxide (MWCNT/TiO2) hybrid nanofluid and hybrid nano-enhanced coating to maximize sustainable saltwater drinking water production. Desalination humidifiers and dehumidifiers (HDH) evaporate and condense saltwater to remove salt. This research used HDH with an ETSC and FAC to desalinate saltwater using a heat exchanger. ETSC and FAC systems used water and air as major fluids. The multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) and titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles were added at 0.1 % each to generate a 50:50 hybrid nanofluid to improve ETSC working fluid thermal characteristics. To maximize absorptivity, the FAC system mixes black paint with MWCNT and TiO2 nanoparticles for absorber coating. A hybrid MWCNT/TiO2 nano-enhanced coating (hybrid nanoparticles combined with black paint) increased thermal performance. Using nanofluid and nanocoating in ETSC and FAC improved thermal performance over water alone and non-coating. In particular, the ETSC hybrid MWCNT/TiO2 nanofluid had peak fluid temperature, input heat to HDH, humidifier efficiency, and water productivity of 73.4 °C, 324.6W, 67.3 %, and 799.7 mm3/h. Hybrid MWCNT/TiO2 nano-enhanced coating increased humidifier efficiency by 70.8 % and water production by 806.4 mm3/h.
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spelling doaj-art-cf4f9f392ed94f4bbf5e29ea460cb69a2025-08-20T04:02:31ZengElsevierCase Studies in Thermal Engineering2214-157X2025-10-017410679710.1016/j.csite.2025.106797Enhancing solar thermal desalination with MWCNT/TiO2 nanofluids for sustainable water solutionsT. Sathish0R. Saravanan1Jayant Giri2Refka Ghodhbani3Hassen Sabeur4Mustafa Abdullah5A. Anderson6Department of Mechanical Engineering, Saveetha School of Engineerig, SIMATS, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India; Corresponding author.Department of Mechanical Engineering, Saveetha School of Engineerig, SIMATS, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, IndiaDepartment of Mechanical Engineering, Yeshwantrao Chavan College of Engineering, Nagpur, India; Division of Research and Development, Lovely Professional University, Phagwara, IndiaCenter for Scientific Research and Entrepreneurship, Northern Border University, 73213, Arar, Saudi Arabia; Corresponding author.Department of civil Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Bisha, P.O.Box 001, Bisha, 61922, Saudi ArabiaElectric Vehicles Engineering Department, Hourani Center for Applied Scientific Research, Faculty of Engineering, Al-Ahliyya Amman University, Amman, JordanDepartment of Aeronautical Engineering, Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, IndiaThis study uses innovative humidifier-dehumidifier (HDH) combinations with evacuated tube solar collector (ETSC) and flat air collector (FAC) coupled with multiwalled carbon nanotubes, and titanium oxide (MWCNT/TiO2) hybrid nanofluid and hybrid nano-enhanced coating to maximize sustainable saltwater drinking water production. Desalination humidifiers and dehumidifiers (HDH) evaporate and condense saltwater to remove salt. This research used HDH with an ETSC and FAC to desalinate saltwater using a heat exchanger. ETSC and FAC systems used water and air as major fluids. The multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) and titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles were added at 0.1 % each to generate a 50:50 hybrid nanofluid to improve ETSC working fluid thermal characteristics. To maximize absorptivity, the FAC system mixes black paint with MWCNT and TiO2 nanoparticles for absorber coating. A hybrid MWCNT/TiO2 nano-enhanced coating (hybrid nanoparticles combined with black paint) increased thermal performance. Using nanofluid and nanocoating in ETSC and FAC improved thermal performance over water alone and non-coating. In particular, the ETSC hybrid MWCNT/TiO2 nanofluid had peak fluid temperature, input heat to HDH, humidifier efficiency, and water productivity of 73.4 °C, 324.6W, 67.3 %, and 799.7 mm3/h. Hybrid MWCNT/TiO2 nano-enhanced coating increased humidifier efficiency by 70.8 % and water production by 806.4 mm3/h.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214157X25010573DesalinationEfficiencyHumidifier and dehumidifierNanoparticlesWater productivity
spellingShingle T. Sathish
R. Saravanan
Jayant Giri
Refka Ghodhbani
Hassen Sabeur
Mustafa Abdullah
A. Anderson
Enhancing solar thermal desalination with MWCNT/TiO2 nanofluids for sustainable water solutions
Case Studies in Thermal Engineering
Desalination
Efficiency
Humidifier and dehumidifier
Nanoparticles
Water productivity
title Enhancing solar thermal desalination with MWCNT/TiO2 nanofluids for sustainable water solutions
title_full Enhancing solar thermal desalination with MWCNT/TiO2 nanofluids for sustainable water solutions
title_fullStr Enhancing solar thermal desalination with MWCNT/TiO2 nanofluids for sustainable water solutions
title_full_unstemmed Enhancing solar thermal desalination with MWCNT/TiO2 nanofluids for sustainable water solutions
title_short Enhancing solar thermal desalination with MWCNT/TiO2 nanofluids for sustainable water solutions
title_sort enhancing solar thermal desalination with mwcnt tio2 nanofluids for sustainable water solutions
topic Desalination
Efficiency
Humidifier and dehumidifier
Nanoparticles
Water productivity
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214157X25010573
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AT rsaravanan enhancingsolarthermaldesalinationwithmwcnttio2nanofluidsforsustainablewatersolutions
AT jayantgiri enhancingsolarthermaldesalinationwithmwcnttio2nanofluidsforsustainablewatersolutions
AT refkaghodhbani enhancingsolarthermaldesalinationwithmwcnttio2nanofluidsforsustainablewatersolutions
AT hassensabeur enhancingsolarthermaldesalinationwithmwcnttio2nanofluidsforsustainablewatersolutions
AT mustafaabdullah enhancingsolarthermaldesalinationwithmwcnttio2nanofluidsforsustainablewatersolutions
AT aanderson enhancingsolarthermaldesalinationwithmwcnttio2nanofluidsforsustainablewatersolutions