Asymmetrical Solar Still with Various Basin Materials

Abstract:

A solar still is efficient and attractive application of renewable energy (solar) in the distillate production. In this work, the solar still with different basin materials viz; plastic, glass, and galvanized iron (GI) with basin area of 1m x1m and slope of 13^○ were fabricated and tested in Anna University, Chennai. The basin materials are taken according to the low cost that is easily available in the local areas. The bottom and side losses of the still are considerably reduced, due to the low cost insulation material (thermcol) beneath the basin liner. The stills are experimentally investigated on a clear day (03/04/2014). Comparison of the various basin materials under the same weather conditions is done. A model economic analysis calculation for the asymmetrical single-basin and single-slope solar still is verified.

• Periodical: Applied Mechanics and Materials (Volume 812)
• Pages: 14-18
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMM.812.14
• Online since: November 2015
• Authors: Malaiyappan Prakash*, Elumalai Natarajan
• Keywords: Basin Liner, Basin Material, Productivity, Solar still

References

[1] P. Malaiyappan and N. Elumalai, Design, fabrication and performance analysis of single basin solar stills, Applied Mechanics and Materials, 372 (2013) 590–593.

DOI: 10.4028/www.scientific.net/amm.372.590

[2] P. Malaiyappan and N. Elumalai, Review of the productivity of various types of solar stills, Desalination and Water Treatment, DOI: 10. 1080/19443994. 2014. 909329 (2014) 1–12.

DOI: 10.1080/19443994.2014.909329

[3] P. Malaiyappan and N. Elumalai, Productivity enhancement of a single basin and single slope solar still coupled with various basin materials, Desalination and Water Treatment, (2015) DOI: 10. 1080/19443994. 2014. 1003973.

DOI: 10.1080/19443994.2014.1003973

[4] G.M. Cappelletti, An experiment with a plastic solar still, Desalination 142 (2002) 221-227.

DOI: 10.1016/s0011-9164(02)00203-5

[5] M.K. Phadatare and S.K. Verma, Influence of water depth on internal heat and mass transfer in a plastic solar still, Desalination 217 (2007) 267–275.

DOI: 10.1016/j.desal.2007.03.006

[6] A. E-Bahi and D. Inan, Analysis of a parallel double glass solar still with separate condenser, Renewable Energy, 17 (1999) 509-521.

DOI: 10.1016/s0960-1481(98)00768-x

[7] T. Elango and K. Kalidasa Murugavel, The effect of the water depth on the productivity for single and double basin double slope glass solar stills, Desalination 359 (2015) 82–91.

DOI: 10.1016/j.desal.2014.12.036

[8] A. Rahmani, A. Boutriaa and A. Hadef, An experimental approach to improve the basin type solar still using an integrated natural circulation loop, Energy Conversion and Management, 93 (2015) 298–308.

DOI: 10.1016/j.enconman.2015.01.026

[9] T. Elango, A. Kannan, and K. Kalidasa Murugavel, Performance study on single basin single slope solar still with different water nanofluids, Desalination, vol. 360 (2015) 45–51.

DOI: 10.1016/j.desal.2015.01.004

[10] S.R. Hansen, S.C. Narayanan, and K. Kalidasa Murugavel, Performance analysis on inclined solar still with different new wick, Desalination, 358 (2015) 1–8.

DOI: 10.1016/j.desal.2014.12.006

[11] M. Appadurai and V. Velmurugan, Performance analysis of fin type solar still integrated with fin type mini solar pond, Sustainable Energy Technologies and Assessments, 4 (2015) 30–36.

DOI: 10.1016/j.seta.2014.11.001

[12] M. Castillo-Tellez, I. Pilatowsky-Figueroa, A. Sanchez-Juarez, Experimental study on the air velocity effect on the efficiency and fresh water production in a forced convective double slope solar still, Applied Thermal Engineering, 75 (2015).

DOI: 10.1016/j.applthermaleng.2014.10.032