Abstract A group of multi-effect tubular desalination devices which can be driven by solar or waste energy had been designed and constructed. The performances of the devices of single-, two- and three-effect systems were individually tested and analyzed under the conditions of fixed heating power and controlled heating temperature. The research calculated and analyzed the hourly yield and the temperature value of every measured point inside the device. Also the performance ratio of the devices was investigated in a variety of different situations. The productive rate was also tested when the devices were exposed to negative pressure conditions. The experimental curves under different pressure were presented. The experimental results indicate that the performance ratio of the two-effect and the three-effect devices working under environmental pressure reached about 1.4 and 1.7 respectively under conditions of fixed heating power. The yield of the devices under negative pressure was enhanced, in general when the fixed heating power was 300 W, the yield reached about 20.08 kg/(m2·d). These results indicate that the devices exhibit excellent application prospects.