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Factors affecting the performance of a solar still and productivity enhancement methods: A review

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Abstract

Good-quality drinking water is an essential requirement for a healthy and sustainable future. In the current scenario, people living in remote areas of the world are deficient of potable water, especially in developing nations. Desalination technologies available today are energy intensive and aggravate carbon emissions as most energy requirements are fulfilled by using fossil fuels. Solar still is a simple and direct solar desalination device used for water distillation. The major problem associated with a solar still is its low productivity. The main aim of this review paper is to discuss various modifications in a solar still which resulted in productivity enhancement. Different parameters affecting a passive solar still performance and their optimum values for maximum productivity are also thoroughly analysed in this paper. Water depth is an important operating parameter that influences still productivity, and various results showed that maximum productivity is achieved mostly at minimum water depths.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Mechanical Engineering Department, Maharishi Markandeshwar (Deemed to be University), Mullana, India

    Mohit Bhargva

  2. Mechanical Engineering Department, National Institute of Technology, Kurukshetra, India

    Avadhesh Yadav

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  1. Mohit Bhargva
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  2. Avadhesh Yadav
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Contributions

MB analyzed all the design, operating, and environmental parameters which influenced the performance of the solar still. AY identified different modifications in the design of solar still which resulted in productivity enhancement. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to Mohit Bhargva.

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Bhargva, ., Yadav, A. Factors affecting the performance of a solar still and productivity enhancement methods: A review. Environ Sci Pollut Res 28, 54383–54402 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11356-021-15983-z

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