The Modification of converting the basin liner to the reflector for vertical multiple-effect diffusion solar still coupled with basin still

ABSTRACT

Vertical multiple-effect diffusion solar still (VMEDS) coupled with basin still (VMBS) consists of a triangular basin still and VMEDS. Distillation can be repeated by utilising the latent heat of condensation in VMEDS. The primary thermal input to VMEDS is direct solar radiation and latent heat of vapour evaporated from the basin liner and condensed on p1. However, VMEDS can hardly use the latent heat of vapour as a heat source during the winter season. To solve the problem, the conversion of the basin liner to a reflector is proposed and its effect was verified theoretically. The results show that thermal input to VMEDS can be increased by converting the basin liner to the reflector, and this can compensate for the disappearance of distillation in a basin still in winter. It was also predicted that the overall daily amount of distillate can be greater for modified VMBS than for conventional VMBS on the winter solstice.

KEYWORDS:

• Solar still
• solar distillation
• multiple-effect
• basin type
• reflector

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).