The present study investigates the dynamic functioning of a new solar desalination process based on the humidification/dehumidification (HD) principle. The design and the principle of working of the desalination system are described. The paper deals with the modeling, simulation aspects, and experimental validation of the main components of the system. Mathematical models were established including the mechanism of heat and mass transfer in the various components. These models use real meteorological data to predict the performance of a thermal solar driven system. Series of experiments were conducted and experimental results were then compared with the simulation results. Our findings showed that the developed models could be used to design and help in predicting the behavior of the installation in various meteorological conditions. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.