Performance investigation of simple and modified solar still for fresh water production.

The scarcity of clean and safe water is one of the most perilous glitches faced by the world. Freshwater is the most essential basic needs for human life. The pure drinkin

Project Title

Performance investigation of simple and modified solar still for fresh water production.

Project Area of Specialization

Mechanical Engineering

Project Summary

The scarcity of clean and safe water is one of the most perilous glitches faced by the world. Freshwater is the most essential basic needs for human life. The pure drinking water resources across the world are depleting progressively due to rapid industrialization and growth in population. The disparity among water demands and conventional water generation has become an important global challenge with continuous increment in the world population, agricultural activities, industrialization, and climate change. The conceivable solution for this problem is converting the available seawater into pure drinking water through several techniques of desalination.

Solar energy is one of the renewable and sustainable alternatives in both thermal and electrical energy generation. Energy and enviroeconomic are some of the most important aspects of the solar still device that should be taken into account. Solar desalination systems are clean and cost-effective solutions for the freshwater production without needing fossil resources. Solar stills are renewable energy-based systems employed to produce clean and potable water. They have a basic working principle which includes water evaporating from the basin and condensing on the glass above.

This research compares the performance of single basin single slope solar still  and modified single basin single slope solar still with modification of external solar reflector, aluminum absorber and aluminum L-Type fins and Blackish interior.

Here is a strong need to look at various possible designs that can be implemented to improve the single slope solar still performance through increasing the production rate of distilled water. Design modifications were introduced to the conventional solar still, involving the installation of reflecting mirrors on left and right on the exterior sides, replacing the absorber of Aluminum in a corrugated pattern, Blackish interior and screws the L-Type fins of aluminum which increase the area of absorption of sun radiation through which the production rate of fresh water increases.+

Project Objectives

The main aim is to develop model and investigate the performance solar still for fresh water production. 

To design the simple solar still (SSS) and modified solar still (MSS) model.

To fabricate the simple solar still (SSS) and modified solar still (MSS).

To evaluate the performance  of simple solar still (SSS) and modified solar still (MSS).

 To compare the performance of simple solar still (SSS) and modified solar still (MSS).

Project Implementation Method

Solar stills are called stills because they distill, or purify water. A solar still operates on the same principle as rainwater evaporation and condensation. The water from the oceans evaporates, only to cool, condense, and return to earth as rain. When the water evaporates, it removes only pure water and leaves all contaminants behind.

A solar still has a top cover made of glass, with an interior surface made of a wood with a cover of aluminum foil. This interior surface uses a absorption material (aluminum sheet in a corrugated pattern) and L-Type aluminum fins to improve absorption of the sun's rays. Water to be cleaned is poured into the still to partially fill the basin. The glass cover allows the solar radiation (short-wave) to pass into the still, which is mostly absorbed by the blackened base. The water begins to heat up and the moisture content of the air trapped between the water surface and the glass cover increases. The base also radiates energy in the infra-red region (long-wave) which is reflected back into the still by the glass cover, trapping the solar energy inside the still (the "greenhouse" effect). The heated water vapor evaporates from the basin and condenses on the inside of the glass cover. In this process, the salts and microbes that were in the original water are left behind. Condensed water trickles down the inclined glass cover to an interior collection trough and out to a storage bottle. There are no moving parts in Solar still and only the sun’s energy is required for operation. The still is filled each morning or evening, and the total water production for the day is collected at that time. The still will continue to produce distillate after sundown until the water temperature cools down. Feed water should be added each day that roughly exceeds the distillate production to provide proper flushing of the basin water and to clean out excess salts left behind during the evaporation process. The most important elements of the design are the sealing of the base with silicon for sealing.

Benefits of the Project

The main benefit of the solar still is to obtain fresh drinkable water which is necessary for human life.

The benefit of solar water distiller is that it runs on the energy of the sun, rather than needing an external power source. Since solar stills use the heat of the sun directly and don't employ solar cells to generate electricity, the overall cost of a solar still is relatively low.

The benefit of such solar distillers are their design simplicity, low installation cost, independent water production and simple maintenance.

Technical Details of Final Deliverable

SIMPLE SOLAR STILL

• Basin Size 24*24*2(inch)
• volume of basin= 12 litre
• Wood Box Area= 25*25(inch)
• Acrylic Area= 22*25(inch)
• Acrylic Thickness= 4 mm
• Glass Area= 22*25(inch)
• Glass Thickness= 4mm
• slope of Glass=25 degree

MODIFIED SOLAR STILL

• Basin Size 24*24*2(inch)
• volume of basin= 12 litre
• Wood Box Area= 25*25(inch)
• Acrylic Area= 22*25(inch)
• Acrylic Thickness= 4 mm
• Glass Area= 22*25(inch)
• Glass Thickness= 4mm
• slope of Glass=25 degree
• 2 Reflectors Area= 18*25(inch)
• Reflector Angle=335 degree
• No: of Fins=16
• Fins Area=1*4(inch)
• Corrugated Alumnum Absorber Area=24*24(inch)

Final Deliverable of the Project

Hardware System

Core Industry

Energy

Other Industries

Others

Core Technology

Clean Tech

Other Technologies

Others

Sustainable Development Goals

Good Health and Well-Being for People, Clean Water and Sanitation, Affordable and Clean Energy, Sustainable Cities and Communities, Climate Action

Required Resources

If you need this project, please contact me on contact@adikhanofficial.com