Simple solar distiller is a worldwide used, but it suffer from low productivity, which reduced its usage. I need a procedure to increase its productivity and performance.
Simple solar distiller characterized by its low productivity. All the procedures mentioned by Dr. Baboo can enhance the productivity of the single slope distiller relatively. The best way to increase its productivity is by increasing its distillation time. As you know, the solar distiller operates at day and stopped at the night. If the solar energy stored in any way to be used at night, the productivity will be enhanced. From these methods, as examples, adding a solar water heater to the distiller, linking a distiller with solar pond, adding phase change materials as storage media in the distiller frame.
The following design and operational parameters should be considered in order to enhance unit efficiency
1- Higher basin temperature (e.g. lower water level, use of wick, adding black dyes, additional external heating)
2- Lower cover temperature (e.g. cover cooling, multi effect, condensation overnight with basin energy storage, additional condenser)
3- Large evaporation and condensation surface areas (e.g. stepped basin / condensation surfaces)
4- Reduction of still pressure to minimize vapor leakage, eliminate air presence and enhance evaporation / condensation rates (e.g. purge to other condensers, vacuum)
5- Installing flexible packed media (stretched helical coiled copper wires) on the bottom of the basin submerged in the brine water.
6- Applying forced vibration of very low power to excite the modified absorbing media.
7- Increasing the stored energy capacity by increasing the water depth and using good isolation.
8- Improving collection process of the condensation.
9- To increase absorption of radiation by basin water addition of absorbing materials like black dye, charcoal pieces, etc.
10- Utilization of the shaded area (e.g. additional condenser, combined stills).
11- Minimize heat losses (e.g. good side and bottom insulation) ,Effect of insulation and its optimum thickness.
12- Water evaporation rate is enhanced by using solar still made up of Copper sheet instead of Cast Iron. The attempts are also made to increase the productivity of water by painting black coating inside the basin and placing high solar thermal energy storage materials like small pebbles inside the water to retain heat.
13- Enhanced performance of the copper still by using heat storage medium like small pebbles inside the still basin which helps to retain heat inside the still. Pebble is one of the highest solar thermal energy storage materials as it has high sensible heat. Addition of pebbles in the basin surface increases the water temperature and thereby increasing the evaporation rate. The productivity is significantly increased by black painting and placing stones inside the still.
Simple solar distiller characterized by its low productivity. All the procedures mentioned by Dr. Baboo can enhance the productivity of the single slope distiller relatively. The best way to increase its productivity is by increasing its distillation time. As you know, the solar distiller operates at day and stopped at the night. If the solar energy stored in any way to be used at night, the productivity will be enhanced. From these methods, as examples, adding a solar water heater to the distiller, linking a distiller with solar pond, adding phase change materials as storage media in the distiller frame.
Mirrors or a reflecting surface can be used to increase the amount of solar irradiance incident on the solar distiller. An opening angle of 100 degrees is a good place to start.
If you do not like mirrors (danger of breakage, etc), a simple marine plywood sheet with shiny aluminium sheets fixed to it will do the trick. The aluminum sheets can be found as scrap from a printing press.