DESIGN AND FABRICATION OF MICRO SCALE SOLAR DESALINATION UNIT WITH ENHANCED PRODUCTIVITY USING HEAT STORAGE MATERIALS

Abstract

Water is an important need for life and industrial applications. Due to the increase in rate of population and industries
the demand for water is high. Both the energy and water plays an important role in the development of National
economy. Availability of fresh water is decreased by the disposal of industrial effluents and agricultural sewages. Solar
still is the best way of producing distillate water for agricultural and household purposes. In which the power is used
from the sun, solar energy is free and abundant in nature. It can be used as an alternative source for fossil fuels and it
is eco-friendly to nature. In this the conventional solar still was compared with the still with heat storage materials. The
experimental analysis was conducted in RVS College of engineering and technology in the location (11.0300° N,
77.1300° E) of Coimbatore. The sample water have been taken from our college campus. The various parameters which
are affecting the productivity and the various temperatures like water temperature, Inner glass cover temperature, and
Outer glass cover temperature are measured in an hourly manner using thermocouples. The various parameters like
solar intensity, wind velocity, are also measured for every hour. The productivity of the distillate water is collected in a
measuring jar and efficiency of the still is calculated for the stills. In conventional still the distillate output is high for
the lower depth of water 1cm, which gives the output of 0.722 kg/day and gives the efficiency of 23% and for the still
with heat storage materials the output of 0.927 kg/day and the efficiency of 35% have been achieved.