Experimental and theoretical study of a humidification-dehumidification water desalination system using solar energy Original Research Article

This paper presents the characteristics of a solar desalination system based on the humidification-dehumidification principle. The system which, can be used in an open or closed cycle for air, is a modular one. It has the following independent components: two solar collectors, an evaporator and a condenser. The first part of the study deals with the presentation of the designed and constructed components. Some experimental results are analysed. They present a general picture of the evolution of the temperature and the humidity between the entry and the exit of the solar collector, the evaporator and the condenser. In the second part, a general mathematical model including the mechanism of heat and mass transfer in the various components of the present desalination system was developed. The theoretical results show that there exists an optimum mass flow rate ratio corresponding to a maximum fresh water product.