Experimental study on productivity of modified single-basin solar still with a flat plate absorber

Abstract

Solar still is an apparatus which uses solar energyto producedistilled water from saline water. This can be used in remote areas effectively wherein electricity is not available. The output from a conventional single basin solar still is found to be very low. Hence research is required to increase the productivity of the conventional solar still. This work is an attempt to increase the productivity of solar still. A flat mica plate is embedded in the conventional solar still to augment evaporation of the water from the input saline water. The flat plate absorber is placed in such a way that it is parallel to the glass cover of the solar still so as to maximize the absorption of solar radiations. By this modification, the maximum temperature of the absorber plate achieved was 95°C in comparison to 67°C of the conventional solar still. Experimental results of modified solar still were compared with conventional solar still. It was found that distillate output increased by 25% with a flat plate absorber when compared to conventional still.