A Pilot Study of Micro Solar Still Technology in Kuwait
Author:
Hamwi Hidab,Al-Suwaidan May S.,Al-Naser Ali A.,Al-Odwani Ali,Al-Sammar Rawan,Aldei Sara A.
Abstract
Water scarcity is a global issue recognized by the United Nations under Goal 6 of its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which is to ‘Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all’. This challenging goal requires innovations, especially in areas with freshwater scarcity. Coupling this with the expected significant growth in population, especially in developing countries, presents major challenges to obtaining the appropriate levels of water provision needed. The development of seawater desalination technologies offers hope to alleviate freshwater shortages whilst supporting SDG 6. This research addresses the development of small-scale technology utilizing solar energy for providing clean drinking water in rural, hot, arid, and remote communities. To alleviate water scarcity in rural and isolated areas, a micro solar still (MSS) system that supports a multistage distillation process can be utilized, which evaporates and condenses the saline feed water into pure drinking water with highly efficient solar heat collectors. The focus of this study was to assess the performance of two prototypes, with minor improvements to the wicking structure. Such a system has the advantage of recycling wasted latent heat in the process to increase productivity. Two prototypes were tested to assess the performance of the solar still construction material and yield, and to test the water quality and quantity under the climatic conditions of Kuwait. The operation and efficiency of the prototypes were observed across four characteristics: solar irradiance, ambient temperatures, feed water and water production. The performances of the two prototypes were comparable to the results of previously published work on MSS prototypes that utilize wicking. The recovery rates of the two prototypes were 22 and 25%, respectively. The maximum production of potable water achieved from the two prototypes was 900 and 1160 g, respectively, using a feed of 4 and 3.7 kgs. The quality of the produced water met the WHO’s standards for drinking water.
Funder
Kuwait Foundation for the Advancement of Sciences
Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research
Subject
Energy (miscellaneous),Energy Engineering and Power Technology,Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment,Electrical and Electronic Engineering,Control and Optimization,Engineering (miscellaneous),Building and Construction
Reference31 articles.
1. UN (2022, March 23). World Water Development Report 2021: Valuing Water”—UNESCO Article, 21 March 2021. Available online: https://www.unwater.org/un-world-water-development-report-2021-valuingwater/#:~:text=Paris%2C%2022%20March%20%E2%80%94%20The%20United,of%20water%20waste%20and%20misuse.
2. (2022, March 12). Global Water Agenda: What to Excpect in 2022?”—The Economist Article, 17 February 2022. Available online: https://impact.economist.com/sustainability/ecosystems-resources/global-water-agenda-what-to-expect-in-2022.
3. Desalination in the GCC countries—A review;J. Clean. Prod.,2022
4. Climate Change, Water Scarcity, and Health Adaptation in Southwestern Coastal Bangladesh;Int. J. Disaster Risk Sci.,2019
5. Ning, R.Y. (2015). Desalination Updates, IntechOpen.
Cited by
1 articles.
订阅此论文施引文献
订阅此论文施引文献,注册后可以免费订阅5篇论文的施引文献,订阅后可以查看论文全部施引文献