JIBU PALLICKEL Thomas

Mr. JIBU PALLICKEL Thomas


Research Focus & Metrics

Academic Career Length

1Year (2026-Present)

(Calculated once Scilit publication data is synced: current year − year of first publication + 1)

Representative Publications

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30 October 2026 in Membranes
Verified
Journal Article
Open access
PDF file
GBGarudachari Bhadrachari
Garudachari Bhadrachari
MAMansour Ahmed
Mansour Ahmed
RARashid A. Alshatti
Rashid A. Alshatti
RARajesha Kumar Alambi
Rajesha Kumar Alambi
HAHassan K. Abdulrahim
Hassan K. Abdulrahim
JTJIBU PALLICKEL Thomas
JIBU PALLICKEL Thomas
Conventional seawater desalination technologies are energy-intensive, highlighting the need for alternative desalination processes that can utilize renewable energy resources. Although solar-driven membrane distillation (MD) is a promising approach, its long-term performance under Kuwait’s challenging climatic conditions requires further field evaluation. The main aim of this study was to design, construct, and evaluate the technical performance and provide a preliminary capital-cost assessment of a solar-driven MD system under Kuwait’s actual environmental conditions. The optimal operating parameters for the MD system were first identified using deionized water in an electrically heated operating mode. These optimized conditions were then applied to evaluate the MD system’s desalination performance using different saline water sources. The results showed that the water flux was higher with low-salinity feedwater than with the brine sample. Following the initial trials, the MD system was integrated with a solar thermal unit and evaluated during a one-year field trial under Kuwait’s climatic conditions. The system was scheduled to operate for six hours per day, although operation was occasionally interrupted by unfavorable weather conditions and operational limitations. The experimental results demonstrated that the system produced an average of 23.42 L of distilled water per day. These findings highlight the potential of solar-integrated air-gap membrane distillation (AGMD) for small-scale seawater desalination under Kuwait’s climatic conditions. Further investigations are required to assess its scalability, environmental benefits, and socioeconomic feasibility for practical deployment.