Productivity enhancement of a-single basin solar still

• Published in: Desalination and water treatment 2015-08, Vol.55 (8), p.1998-2008
• Main Authors: Gnanadason, M. Koilraj, Kumar, P. Senthil, Wilson, Vincent H., Kumaravel, A.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Basins; Climatic conditions; Copper; Distillate; Distillation; Drinking water; Energy sources; Environmental perception; Evaporation; Evaporation rate; Paints; Productivity; Productivity and Still efficiency; Protective coatings; Renewable energy; Renewable resources; Solar distillation; Solar still; Solar stills; Vacuum pump; Water supply
• ISSN: 1944-3986; 1944-3994; 1944-3986
• DOI: 10.1080/19443994.2014.930701

The rapid increasing need for energy and environmental concern has focused much attention on renewable energy resources. The supply of drinking water is a growing problem for most parts of the world. A solar still is a low-tech way of distilling water, powered by the heat from the sun. Many passive solar stills have been developed to overcome the problem of lower distillate output. This article provides a detailed review of different studies on passive solar distillation systems. In this context, two of the similar-sized solar stills of basin made up of copper sheet were fabricated and experimentally tested in Nazareth climatic condition (9°N, 77°E). In this study, the first still is experimentally tested for atmospheric pressure; and in the second still, various modifications were made to enhance the productivity of still like black paint coating, use of pebbles, and introduction of fins, and providing low pressure of 0.1 bar inside the still basin. The modified still made up of copper sheet ensures higher rate of evaporation and in turn increases the efficiency. The performance of the first still and the modified still is compared.