Experimental Study of a Humidification-Dehumidification Seawater Desalination System Combined with the Chimney

The solar humidification-dehumidification system is of high significance to the freshwater supply in remote areas. In the present study, a humidification-dehumidification seawater desalination system combined with the chimney is designed and experimentally evaluated. Main parameters influencing its freshwater productivity are analyzed. It is found from this study that the cooling tower is required to obtain long-term steady freshwater generation. Raising the temperature difference between the evaporation and condensation chambers would lead to the rise of the freshwater productivity. There is a turning wind speed, beyond which increasing the wind speed would lead to the decline of both the freshwater productivity and the thermal efficiency. The turning wind speed is relevant to the ambient humanity and the heating power. Decreasing the heat power would increase the turning wind speed. When the heating power is 4.9 kW, the highest freshwater productivity and the highest efficiency are 48 g/min and 32.14%, respectively.