A Comprehensive Review of Thermal Performance Enhancement in Solar Ponds Using Mathematical Modeling and CFD Techniques

Abstract

Solar ponds comprise efficient and economical means of harnessing solar energy. In many applications such as power generation, desalination, and space heating technologies, this system is employed extensively. The study of solar pond performance is analysed in two ways: one method of mathematical modelling and the second board simulation (CFD) methodology. This review explores the modelling of solar radiation, which falls under the estimation for the beam, diffuse, and global radiation. A focus will then be on the role of climatic data as well as regression-based methods (like Angstrom correlations) for the improvement of solar energy predictions. Concerning temperature distribution and energy storage must be investigated in detail by discussing the basic mechanisms of heat transfer, such as conduction, convection, and radiation, in their several manifestations to understand it. However, salinity gradient systems are particularly difficult to model because they involve two critical complicated fluids: water and brine. But CFD is demonstrated to be very good at this, with a variety of models and boundary conditions a novice user could fiddle with. The design configurations differ between solar ponds and conventional types as well as ones based on designing geometry with an internal heat exchanger, like serpentine and helical tubes, which have been reviewed to compare their performance. It was observed that advanced CFD simulations with refined meshing and accurate boundary conditions significantly improve the predictive accuracy of system efficiency. The validation was done with the experimental and literature data, and it confirms the reliability of the modelling approach. On the broader considerations, this review provides notable insights into advances in solar pond technology and identifies the important factors affecting the thermal efficiency and the heat extraction rate. The work will contribute significantly toward efficient utilisation of solar ponds if its design is optimised for sustainability.

How to cite this article:
Taysif M, Gwatiya A. Department of Mechanical Engineering, Vedica Institute of Technology Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India. J Adv Res Appl Mech Compu Fluid Dyna 2026; 13(3&4): 1-9.