Jaiswal, Ankush KumarAnkush KumarJaiswalSrivastava, RishabhRishabhSrivastavaJayakumar, ArjunArjunJayakumarAhmad, AqbalAqbalAhmadNaidu, GayathriGayathriNaiduSwaminathan, JaichanderJaichanderSwaminathan2025-08-312025-08-312024-10-0110.1016/j.desal.2024.1178392-s2.0-85196313363https://d8.irins.org/handle/IITG2025/28727Waste heat capture from systems such as photovoltaics (PV) and refrigerators can lower their energy efficiency by increasing their operating temperature. In this study, we evaluate the potential of final-effect evaporative cooling and internal heat recovery in a multi-effect diffusion distillation (MEDD) to produce pure water without negatively impacting the energy efficiency of the waste-heat source. Lab-scale experimental results from a multi-effect membrane distillation module validate the concept, showing that water production can be enhanced by >20 % while simultaneously pulling down the module's operating temperature. A detailed numerical model of a solar-MEDD is implemented and validated. The incorporation of sensible heat recovery and evaporative cooling increase pure water production by approximately 10 % each. Although the pure water production of a standalone MEDD increases with increasing effects N, when coupled to a solar PV module, increasing N also decreases PV electricity production. Therefore, a PV-MEDD with fewer effects (≤4) is preferable and such a system can produce sufficient water for electrolysis (green H<inf>2</inf> production) while maintaining or improving PV electrical energy production throughout the year under varying climatic conditions.falseEvaporative cooling | Heat recovery | Multi-effect diffusion distillation | Photovoltaic green hydrogen | Waste heatArticle1 October 20241117839arJournal1