Improving the performance of solar still using different heat localization materials

Area of Science:

• Renewable Energy
• Materials Science
• Water Desalination

Background:

• Solar stills (SSs) are crucial for freshwater production but often suffer from low efficiency and heat loss.
• Improving evaporation rates and minimizing thermal losses are key challenges in solar still technology.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the performance enhancement of solar stills using three novel hybrid structures of heat localization materials (HSHLM).
• To evaluate the impact of different HSHLM configurations on evaporation rate, water production, and thermal efficiency.

Main Methods:

• Designed and fabricated two identical solar stills: one conventional and one modified with HSHLM.
• Tested three types of HSHLM: exfoliated graphite flakes with wick (A), carbon foam with wick (B), and a combination (C).
• Quantified daily water productivity and overall efficiency under identical operating conditions.

Main Results:

• Daily water productivity increased by 34.5% (Type A), 28.6% (Type B), and 51.8% (Type C) compared to the conventional SS.
• The solar still modified with Type C HSHLM achieved an efficiency of 37.6%, significantly higher than the conventional SS's 27%.
• HSHLM integration led to increased productivity proportional to water depth, unlike conventional SSs.

Conclusions:

• Hybrid structures of heat localization materials effectively enhance solar still performance.
• The combined exfoliated graphite flakes and carbon foam (Type C) demonstrated the most significant improvements in water production and efficiency.
• This HSHLM technique presents a viable strategy for boosting freshwater output from solar stills, especially in varying water depths.