Surface Area Optimization of a Domestic Solar Still Design

Abstract

A novel sea water desalination system has been designed and tested which receives seawater as an input, and produces drinking water as an output while solely functioning on solar power as a source of energy. The objective was to produce a portable system for safe and consumable water and produce at least 6 liters of water per day in the summer season. The solar still distillation method is used, where the factors and parameters that affect the solar still are optimized. A theoretical model was devised to predict the output of the solar still under specified weather conditions, which are present in the summer of Bahrain. A prototype was manufactured from aluminum 3004 alloy, acrylic sheets, and polystyrene expanded foam type V for experimental verification which took seawater at a pH of 8.04 and a TDS of 36240 ppm and resulted in 665 ml/day of desalinated water at a pH of 7.76 and a TDS of 57 ppm. The experimental result of the total water produced per day had a deviation of 17.52%, with the theoretical calculations which resulted in 806 ml/day. The prototype measurements were extrapolated to final design included an increase in the surface area to result in dimensions of 2mx2mx1.125m, an addition of a stepwise basin, and an induced flowrate. All of which resulted in the increase of desalinated water to an output of 7146 ml/day.