Estimation of convective mass transfer in solar distillation systems

In this article a thermal model has been developed to determine the convective mass transfer for different Grashof Number range in solar distillation process. The model is based on simple regression analysis. Based on the experimental data obtained from the rigorous outdoor experimentation on passive and active distillation systems for summer climatic conditions, the values of C and n have been calculated. The modified values of C and n for Nu=C(GrPr)(n), are proposed as C=0.0322; n=0.4114 for 1.794 x 10(6) <Gr <5.724 x 10(6) in a passive solar still and C=0.0538; n=0.383 for 5.498 x 10(6) <Gr <9.128 x 10(6) in an active solar still. The percentage deviation between experimental and theoretical results are found within an accuracy of 12%. Copyright (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.