Key Engineering Materials Vol. 1006

Abstract: A solar basin still with the cross - section of 100 cm × 100 cm and an inclination of 11^o was fabricated and experimented at St. Mother Theresa Engineering College, Tuticorin, Tamilnadu, India, at (11.9310° N, 79.7852° E). In order to accelerate heat transfer the surface was painted dark black, the basin was provided with fins and a reflecting mirror was placed at the base surface. In addition, a solar-powered pond with a top surface area measuring 90 cm x 90 cm and a base surface area measuring 30 cm x 30 cm, equipped with fins at its base and the top of the pond is affixed with reflecting mirrors for storing more heat intensity inside the solar pond. The pond was sectioned into three layers based on the rate of heat transfer: Upper converting layer (UCL), Middle converting layer (MCL), and Lower converting layer (LCL). The primary investigation was carried out on January, February, and March 2023 and the readings were noted for eight hours a day on a regular basis. The lower converting layer experienced the high radiation strike of the sun during the day yielding the optimal output. This paper discusses the results of the experiments conducted on the solar still with a single basin that was connected to a solar-powered sectioned pond.

Abstract: Solar desalination efficiency can be significantly altered by combining several approaches to improve evaporation rate. The objective of this research is to find a way to make solar stills (SS) more efficient by combining evacuated tube solar collectors, blue metal stones, and corrugated fins. An investigation into a six-tube evacuated solar collector was conducted to increase the system's evaporation rate. Corrugated fins were thought of to rise the surface area of heat transfer between the water and absorber. Blue metal stone was proposed to keep the water at a maximum temperature even when solar radiation is minimal. Separate displays of the cumulative distillate output (DO) numbers and hourly values for each time period provide a comprehensive view. Based on the findings, the peak period for DO moves from 1 p.m. on a sample day in May 2024, which is six months into the project. In comparison to CSS, MSS temperature values are over 55 °C higher at the peak and nearly 26 °C higher on average. On top of that, the total DO during the day can reach 2.64 to 6.82 L, while at night it rises from 0.067 to 0.96 L. In addition, there is a 146.3% improvement in the average DO during the six months, going from 3.02 to 7.22 L. Additionally, MSS is 0.43₹ per liter and CSS is 0.47₹ per liter, in that order. The net amount of carbon dioxide reduction achieved by modified solar stills was approximately 2.44 times greater than that of conventional solar stills.