Construction and Operations of First Salinity Gradient Solar Pond in Malaysia / Nuraida ‘Aadilia Baharin ...[et al.]

Solar pond is an integrated solar collector and storage. An experimental salinity gradient solar pond was constructed to analyse the thermal storage capability. The solar pond consist of 2.4 m², 1.4 m deep with sodium chloride (NaCl) as the salt solution. For the development of salinity gradient, a diffuser was used to develop the salinity gradient. The salinity gradient solar pond consists lower convective zone (LCZ) with a height of 0.5 m with 1200 kg/m3 density, non-convective zone (NCZ) with a height 0.8 m and upper convective zone (UCZ) with a height 10 cm. The temperature of (LCZ) as heat storage was recorded and analysed weekly. Maximum temperature of (LCZ) storage zone was recorded to be at 36.5 °C after four weeks and it showed and upward trend. The heat energy stored in (LCZ) can be used for power generation.