Performance and study of magnesium chloride and Sodium chloride using solar pond

Abstract

Solar pond is an artificially constructed pond in which significant temperature rise occurs in the lower region by preventing convection. To prevent convection, salt water is used in the pond. Those ponds are called ‘‘Salt Gradient Solar Pond’’. Salt gradient solar ponds are an environmentally friendly energy resource, capable of providing 60 - 85°C water for process heating, desalination and energy generation.  In the last 15 years, many salt gradient solar ponds varying in size from a few hundred to a few thousand square meters of surface area have been built in a number of countries. Now- a-days, mini solar ponds are also being constructed for various thermal applications. Many of the salt gradient solar ponds are using sodium chloride. In this project work, a solar pond system was constructed with better insulation, transparent cover on the upper surface and also we analyses the temperature efficiency between sodium chloride and magnesium chloride. The temperatures within the pond was measured at various levels and compared with other works.