article · Desalination and Water Treatment
Solar stills offer a method to generate clean drinking water, but their freshwater yield is often limited. Integrating repurposed brushed refinishing pads into the absorber basin of a rectangular pyramid solar still addresses this issue. Because the pad functions as a porous material, it increases the wet surface area and improves photothermal absorption. Experimental evaluation shows that this modified solar still yields roughly 48 per cent more potable water across two testing days than a conventional solar still, while causing only a 10 per cent increase in basin water temperatures. Energy efficiency improves by about 9 per cent over the standard design. Economically, the modified configuration reduces the cost per litre of drinking water by 16.6 per cent and lowers the payback period to 5.2 months, compared to 6.1 months for a conventional system.
Clean water scarcity is a widespread challenge that requires cost-effective purification solutions. Incorporating discarded porous materials into solar stills offers an accessible way to boost potable water generation without expensive manufacturing or complex operational components. By simultaneously improving water yield, lowering production costs, and shortening payback times, this approach provides a viable, low-cost desalination option for resource-limited settings.
The technology is applied and experimentally tested. It could enable low-cost, decentralised water desalination units for off-grid communities and regions facing freshwater shortages. With a 16.6 per cent reduction in water production costs and an estimated payback period of 5.2 months, the system offers an appealing pathway for humanitarian initiatives and manufacturers producing affordable solar water purification hardware.
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The primary objective of the current research is to augment the potable water yield of the solar still (SS). This objective is achieved by integrating a used brushed refinishing pad (BRP) as a porous material (PM) in the absorber basin. This integration maximizes the wet surface area due to the pad's porous nature, thereby enhancing photothermal absorption, which is the process where a material absorbs light and converts it into heat. An experimental investigation was conducted to analyze the effect of porous materials in a rectangular pyramid solar still (RPSS) regarding potable water yield and feasibility. The results were compared with those of the conventional solar still (CSS), revealing a noteworthy enhancement in the production of potable water with RPSS-PM, showing a 47.7 % increase on day one and a 48.1 % increase on the second day with a mere 10 % rise in basin water temperatures. The energy efficiency of RPSS-PM improved significantly by about 9 % on both days compared to CSS. From an economic perspective, this system's payback period (PBP) was 5.2 months, compared to 6.1 months for the CSS. Furthermore, the cost per liter (CPL) of potable water produced by the RPSS-PM was 16.6 % lower than that of the CSS. This innovative approach holds great potential for effectively addressing challenges related to water scarcity. • The water temperatures of RPSS-PM are enhanced by 10 %. • The freshwater productivity in RPSS-PM is enhanced by 48 % • The thermal efficiency of solar still with metal scrap is 44.52 %. • Cost assessment revealed that the CPL of RPSS-PM is less than that of CSS.
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DOI: 10.1016/j.dwt.2024.100733
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