Abstract
This work represents a 3D numerical study of the effects of carbon nanotube (CNT)-water nanofluids on the double diffusive convection inside the triangular pyramid solar still. This numerical investigation is performed for wide ranges of governing parameters such as buoyancy ratio (−10⩽
N
⩽0), volumetric fraction of nanoparticles (0⩽
φ
⩽0.05) and Rayleigh number (10
3
⩽
Ra
⩽10
5
). The results are presented in terms of flow structure, temperature field, heat and mass transfer rates variations. It was found that the buoyancy ratio can be considered as an optimizing parameter for the heat and mass transfer, and the use of CNT has a positive effect on the solar still performances.