Experimental Investigations of a Single-Slope Solar Still: Energy and Exergy Analysis

Abstract

Fresh water is one of the prime necessities of a society; however, its availability is becoming a major concern with the increasing population. There are not enough sources of fresh water at present due to the high rate of population increase. Many regions worldwide face limited access to fresh water. Given economic limitations, there is an urgent need to create and market technologies enabling households to generate their fresh water. In areas with abundant solar energy and proximity to seawater or well-water sources, solar still technology, if developed and commercialized, offers a cost-effective solution for freshwater needs. Thus, the current study is focused on exploring the potential of solar stills for producing fresh water. A single-slope solar still is designed, fabricated and experimentally tested for the production of fresh water. The results of the analysis indicate a maximum production of 2.88 L/day with an energy efficiency of 52.42% and an exergetic efficiency of 7.04%. Overall, the current study reveals significant potential in utilizing solar stills for producing fresh water, which could be increased further if research is conducted on modifying its basic design to increase its productivity.