This paper presents the experimental results of a solar driven DCMD plant. The plant comprises four main loops. The first loop consists of the solar with a total area of 20 m(2). The PV panels make up the second loop, which has a peak output of 1.48 kW(peak). The third loop in the DCMD represents three modules with a total area of 3.39 m(2). The fourth loop is a thermal sink with a cooling water capacity of 10(3) L/h. Two heat exchangers are installed within the plant. The DCMD performance was evaluated in two modes, with the HRD (arrangement B) and without the HRD (arrangement A), during two days under various operating parameters. The permeability coefficient of the membrane was 3.27 x 10(-7) L/m(2) s Pa. The distillate per module was 3.31 L/h and 4.591/h for arrangements A and B, respectively. Thermal energy efficiency indicated that a fraction thermal energy was lost to the surroundings, and the balance was divided into two fractions, useful and non-useful heat. The STECmin was 2342 kW/m(3) for the arrangement A and 1609 kW/m(3) for the arrangement B. Energy flow diagrams confirmed the positive impact of the HRD with a positive contribution of 3.77 kW. (C) 2015 The Institution of Chemical Engineers. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.