review · Desalination and Water Treatment
Solar distillation provides a method for converting brackish or saline water into drinkable water using solar energy to tackle global water scarcity. Reviewing modifications to pyramidal and spherical solar stills reveals key design variables that boost productivity. Interventions include altering basin dimensions, integrating wicks with filaments, lowering surface tension with floats or balls, and applying electric or magnetic fields. Applying a 220 millitesla magnetic field above and below the basin increases molecular movement and evaporation, lifting efficiency by 41 per cent. Spherical solar stills prove more efficient than pyramidal versions because their uniform solar exposure removes the need for tracking systems. Adding phase-change materials, rotating balls, and external mirrors further enhances water yields. Future work centres on evaluating annual production rates and cost factors to improve deployment strategies.
Growing water scarcity driven by population expansion, urbanisation, and climate change threatens sustainable development worldwide. Identifying optimal solar still configurations enables cleaner drinking water generation from saline or brackish sources using renewable energy. Pinpointing high-yield designs, such as modified spherical stills, helps guide more effective, low-maintenance purification systems for residential and industrial water provision.
This work informs the design of solar-powered water purification hardware for residential and industrial users requiring potable water from saline supplies. While individual enhancements like magnetic fields, phase-change materials, and spherical designs show clear performance improvements, the technology remains at an applied research stage. Full commercial viability still requires further assessment of long-term annual production volumes and detailed cost analyses before deployment strategies can be finalised.
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Population growth, urbanization, and the effects of climate change all exacerbate the problem of global water scarcity, which poses a serious obstacle to sustainable development. Solar distillation emerges as a critical solution, converting brackish or saline water into potable water using alternative energy. Despite a wealth of information on solar still adaptations, identifying the most efficient design for residential and industrial settings remains challenging. Hence, a comparative analysis of various solar designs is essential, considering practical and financial aspects. This study aims to showcase the work of researchers who are trying to make solar distillation systems more productive by looking at new techniques used in spherical and pyramidal solar stills. The goal of this research is to identify the design variables that influence efficiency, enabling the achievement of desired results with ease. Researchers have investigated various interventions, such as integrating moving parts with other components, modifying the basin's shape or size, incorporating filaments into the wick, reducing surface tension through the use of floats or balls, incorporating magnetic fields, and improving the electric field. According to research, a magnetic field (220 mT) above and below the basin increases molecular motion and evaporation, resulting in a 41 % efficiency gain. Spherical stills don't require solar tracking systems because their uniform exposure to solar radiation makes them more efficient than pyramid stills. Reviews find that adding a rotating ball and phase-changing materials significantly enhances the efficiency of spherical stills, making them the best design. Mirrors reflect sunlight; an overview of related literature shows that it leads to additional production. Future research will focus on comprehending annual production rates and their associated costs, aiming to enhance our application strategies for solar distillation technology.
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DOI: 10.1016/j.dwt.2024.100545
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