Journal of Harmonized Research in Engineering

EXPERIMENTAL EVALUATION ON A MODIFIED SOLAR STILL WITH PARTIAL STEPS AND ABSORBER MATERIAL

Abstract

Author(s): Ravi Kant Dwivedi, Rajiv Varshney

 In the present work, a modified solar still has been designed which uses partial steps and absorber material. The performance of the modified solar still (MSS) is compared with conventional solar sti ll (CSS) under the same climatic conditions. The steps and absorber are used to increase time of contact and surface area of water which increase the evaporation rate. The maximum temperature of the steps, absorber plate and CSS basin were found to be 53°C, 61°C and 60°C, respectively. The maximum hourly distillate obtained from the modified solar still was 245 ml, at 1:00 PM and for conventional solar still was 100 ml at 1:00 PM and 2:00 PM. Hence, the productivity of the modified solar still with partial steps and black cotton absorber is higher than that for conventional still nearby 145%. The maximum accumulated distillate from MSS and CSS was obtained 1125 ml and 355 ml, respectively which are 3.16 times or 216% higher than conventional solar still. Keywords: Stepped solar still, absorber, desalination system, internal reflectors