Comparative study and yield productivity of nano-paint and nano-fluid used in a passive-type single basin solar still

Abstract

Water is necessary for all living beings. It is particular the most important factor for the sustenance of mankind. More than 66% of the earth is covered with water in which 97% of available water from various sources stands brackish which includes some harmful microbes, and 2% water is frozen in the form of icy masses and freezing tops. Solar still (SS) is a device used to convert brackish water into distilled water, but it has very limited productivity which is the major concern. To improve the yield of simple solar still (SS) in this work, black paint is mixed with Al2O3 + water to make it nano-paint and it is coated outside the glass cover of solar still. Al2O3 can be placed inside water sink to increase the vaporization rate, and due to this, yield productivity increases. Experiments were conducted from 25 June to 27 June for common depth of 0.01 m for simple solar still and nano-fluid in water basin of solar still and nano-paint with nano-fluid both combined for SS in climatic conditions of Jaipur, India. The theoretical performance of the passive solar still and nano-paint and nano-fluid in solar still is compared with effectiveness and yield productivity. Simple solar still gives the water output of 4.47 L for 0.01 m water depth whereas simple SS with Nano fluid give output of give output of 5.25 L and SS with Nano fluid in water basin and Nano paint on glass cover of SS give yield of 5.56 L for all three cases for same water depth.