Hamza Al-Tahaineh

Globally, conflicts, climate change, and global warming have compounded an already urgent water shortage problem. Dealing with this important issue and guaranteeing fair water access for all calls for further dedication and the launch of innovative projects. This work presents a novel, autonomous, 5 kW solar-powered single-stage ammonia/water absorption system solution to atmospheric water harvesting, given the increasing global consciousness about this problem. The simulations provide insightful information that can form the basis for upcoming research projects among colleagues. The investigation and analysis of the effects of humidity, a fundamental component in condensing atmospheric water, shapes the water-collecting process and drives the central focus of this work. Careful cross-referencing with current research and thorough investigation and parameter analysis help to strengthen the validity of the conclusions. Three different climatic zones- a coastal, a normal, and a desert environment- test the flexibility of the research. The system averages 76 L daily water collection in a desert environment and increases to 140 L daily in a coastal region. Surprisingly, July is the most common month for coastal water collection. Comparative study against other designs helps one to fully assess the system’s efficacy in absorbing water vapor.

This research examines the extended performance of vertically positioned bifacial photovoltaic (BiPV) panels in actual environmental settings, considering various factors such as solar irradiance and the random surrounding structures. Two bifacial photovoltaic panel systems connected to the grid are set up on the roof of a residential structure. The first system consisted of seven panels installed at a tilt angle of 27^o, facing south. The second system comprises seven vertically installed panels facing west. A data acquisition system was employed to continuously monitor and record the electrical parameters of both systems. To quantify the performance of the systems, specific metric parameters, like the yearly energy output and the specific yield of the systems, are computed. The findings reveal that the vertically installed BiPV panels can achieve an energy yield as high as 100% compared with the tilted installation in certain months. Furthermore, the vertical installation demonstrated inherent anti-soiling properties akin to self-cleaning. Additionally, the vertical installation exhibited a multiple peak phenomenon, which could potentially alleviate the peak load issues on the electrical grid. The vertical installation also exhibited an exceptional ground coverage ratio, making it an attractive solution for space-constrained applications. The vertical installation exhibited a ~ 1678 kWh/kWp performance ratio, retaining ~82% of the tilted installation energy yield. The results underscore the feasibility and advantages of employing vertically installed bifacial photovoltaic panels in residential settings, particularly in limited areas. Moreover, the study provides insights into the viability and potential of this technology for small-scale residential applications.

Concentrated collectors offer a broad variety of solar energy uses, including heating, cooling, power production, and water desalination. This study was conducted to construct and test a concentrated parabolic solar dish water heater. The aperture size of the dish is 4.556m2 , and a copper absorber has a surface area of 0.2278m2 , a volume of 0.015m3 , and a concentrating ratio of 20. The water is heated up to 120°C at a solar radiation intensity of 700W/m2 and a 20°C ambient temperature. The absorber's stagnation temperature reached 246°C in roughly 1500 seconds. The thermal efficiency of the system was found to be 46%.

A comprehensive examination of a 10-kW simple H₂O/LiBr absorption system energized by an evacuated tube solar collector of the single-ended glass direct flow type has been conducted. For various operating conditions, the thermal and exergetic performance coefficients (COP, ECOP respectively), and exergy destruction (ΔE) through each system component are determined. At evaporator temperatures of 1°C, 5°C, and 10°C, COP around 0.75, 0.77, and 0.81, respectively, was achieved, and the maximum ECOP values of approximately 0.36, 0.35, and 0.342, respectively, could be attained. The highest values of COP and ECOP were seen at a desorber temperature of around 90°C. Around 41% of the system’s exergy destructed were attributed to the desorber. The lowest absorber exergy losses occur at a desorber temperature of 90°C for various evaporator temperatures. Increasing the desorber temperature by a factor of two reduces the system’s efficiency from 0.45 to 0.20. In addition, 65.88% solar collector exegetic efficiency was achieved when its differential temperature surpasses 50°C.

A wide range of solar energy applications can benefit from the parabolic collector, including power generation, heating, and cooling. One of the most important parameters that affect the performance of a parabolic trough collector is its rim angle. This study examines how to rim angle affects the intensity of incoming photons reflected from the collector surface to the receiver. Flux distribution was simulated employing Ray tracing Simulation software. Out of 3000 photons employed in the experiment, 126 to 1608 photons were reflected from the collector to the receiver. A narrower rim angle results in a greater number of photons reflected per aperture width. A smaller aperture width also produces more photons for the focal length range studied.

The present work aimed to examine the performance of a thermoelectric generator (TEG) augmented with a hydronic evacuated tube solar collector heat exchanger used to heat a cold zone. TEGs were operated on the temperature difference between hot water circulated through the heat exchanger and the cold temperature of the surrounding space. The setup model of a heat exchanger with TEGs installed on the outer surface was examined numerically under steady state conditions for natural and forced convection modes. The results obtained show that 1.03 W of electricity could be produced when the temperature differences across the TEG and air velocity are 60 °C and 0.5 m/s, respectively. Also, an increase of 17.47% of TEG power was achieved for each 5 °C drop in surrounding space temperature and by 11% for each 5 °C rise in circulated hot water temperature. Besides the importance of improving TEG efficiencies, the amount of generated electricity may be valuable when large-surface area heat exchanger units are installed in large systems.