STUDY ON SOLAR STILL WITH

STEPPED CONDENSING GLASS

FINAL REVIEW –13 .05.2024

Project Members Project Supervisor

Dr P.MANOJ KUMAR M.E., Ph.D.

S.NO ROLL NO / NAME OF THE STUDENTS
Associate Professor
1 20ME081 / SRITHARAN T
Department of Mechanical Engineering
2 20ME094 / VINOTHKUMAR M
KPR Institute of Engineering and Technology
3 21MEL025 / SKYWINDURAI R
Coimbatore – 641 407

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Contents
 Abstract
 Introduction
 Objective of Research work
 Literature Survey
 Design Work
 Fabrication on solar still
Fabrication Completed
Weather Data
Work in process
 Reference
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 ABSTRACT
This study focuses on the enhancement of traditional solar stills through the modification of condensing glass, aiming to improve overall
water production. The proposed solar still design incorporates stepped condensing glass, which consists of multiple layers with constant
inclinations. This a innovation significantly improves the water collection of the traditional solar stills by utilizing a unique stepped glass that
enhances condensation. This innovation aims to maximize solar energy absorption and minimize thermal losses during the desalination
process. The still’s cover is a critical component in the effective construction of the solar still unit. Sunrays strike the glass first, then travel to
the solar still, where they evaporate salty water to produce consuming water. Right design of the cover is a critical aspect for increasing solar
still productivity. As a result, modifying the cover conditions improve the performance of this type of still. Several factors affect the efficiency
and productivity in terms of shape and materials, including the outer cover of the solar distiller. The top cover is made to let in and transfer as
much radiation into the still as it can. The cover should also be able to condense the most water vapor while releasing the least amount of heat
into the atmosphere. Radiation is sent and received by the still through the transparent cover. At its bottom surface, condensation also takes
place. Additionally, it should lessen heat radiation entering the atmosphere, Glass is the best choice for this mission. Also investigate how
cover materials affect the heat and mass transfer coefficient and, consequently, the still’s productivity. Changing the shape of the glass cover
resulted in reducing the size of the air gap while maintaining the condenser surface area. Ensuring prolonged interaction between incident
sunlight and the evaporative surface changing the shape of the glass cover led to an increase in the productivity and water collection of the
developed solar still. Our solar stills are comparatively more productive and water collection is higher than other conventional solar stills.
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 INTRODUCTION
 Fresh drinking water is a very small part of that water which represents about
3 percent Only from global waters, the rest is unfit for human consumption.
 Research indicates that there will be a water shortage of about 60 % by
2025,due to the rising global population . According to the World
Health Organization.
 Various methods and devices have been developed to convert salt water into
potable water, such as reverse osmosis, elec- trodialysis, humidification-
dehumidification, and solar still.

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 OBJECTIVE OF RESEARCH WORK
The primary objectives of this study are as follows:

1. To design and fabricate a solar still with a modified condensing glass for improved condensation.

2.To investigate the impact of the Stepped condensing glass on the overall efficiency of the solar still.

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 LITERATURE SURVEY

S.NO AUTHOR NAME TITLE OF JOURNAL REMARKS

1 Karrar A. Hammoodi , Hayder
A. Dhahad
A detailed review of the
factors impacting pyramid
type solar still performance
Solar distillation
Pyramid solar still
Enhancement productivity
Meteorological -design-
operational parameters.

2 Mohamed Ragab Diab Experimental investigation of He explained about

3 A.S. Abdullah , Hitesh Panchal
vertical solar still with development of Vertical
rotating discs Solar Still
Methods used to improve solar He explained that It is
still performance with generated critical to build a solar still
turbulence for water desalination those functions efficiently at
night.

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 LITERATURE SURVEY

S.NO AUTHOR NAME TITLE OF JOURNAL REMARKS

4 Modifying performance of solar W-shape of glass cover. slices
Abbas S. Shareef a, Hayder J. still, by using slices absorber plate absorbing plate. productivity
Kurji b, Ahmed H. Hamzah c and new design of glass cover, of solar still. six face cover.
experimental and numerical study Paraffin wax Phase change
material.

5 Abbas S. Shareef a, Hayder J.A Review of New Solar Still
Kurji b, Ahmed H. Hamzah c Design Comprising a Five-Sided
Glass Cover and Equipped with an
External Tank for PCM
6 A.E. Kabeel , Z.M. Omara , M. Techniques used to improve the
M. Younes performance of the stepped solar
still—A review
He explained about
development of Vertical
Solar Still
Solar still is widely used in
solar desalination process.
But the productivity of the
solar still is very low.
DESIGN OF SOLAR STILL
1) DESIGN PARAMETERS

1. Number of basins

2.Shape of solar still

3.Inclination of glass

4.Insulation thickness

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2) STEPPED CONDENSING GLASS DESIGN

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10
FABRICATION ON SOLAR STILL
FABRICATION COMPLETED
TESTING PROCESS
 Weather Data

REFERENCES http://tawn.tnau.ac.in/General/BlockLastDayWeatherDataPublicUI.aspx?EntityHierarchyOneKey=3&EntityHierarchyTwoKey=31&lang=en
AVERAGE WATER COLLECTION
TIME AVERAGE WATER COLLECTION (ML)

8.00 AM 0

9.00 AM 65.6

10.00 AM 272.5

11.00 AM 680

12.00 AM 952.5

1.00 AM 1482.5

2.00 AM 2248.7

3.00 AM 2643.1

4.00 AM 2712.5
AVERAGE WATER TEMPERATURE
TIME AVERAGE WATER TEMPERATURE ° C

8.00 AM 33.1

9.00 AM 44.8

10.00 AM 47.5

11.00 AM 55.4

12.00 AM 62

1.00 AM 72.5

2.00 AM 75.3

3.00 AM 70.4

4.00 AM 56.8
 Average Water Collection
 Starting Point (8 a.m.): The graph begins at 8 a.m. with 0 ml of water
collected.
 Initial Collection (9 a.m.): By 9 a.m., approximately 65.6 ml of water has
been collected.
 Slight Increase (10 a.m.): At 10 a.m., the collection slightly increases above
272.5 ml.
 Sharp Increase (11 a.m.): There is a sharp increase to around 680 ml by 11
a.m.
 Continued Rise (12 p.m.): The collection continues to rise, reaching 1000
ml by noon.
 Gradual Increase (1-2 p.m.): Between 1 p.m. and 2 p.m., the increase
continues but at a slower rate, reaching about 2000 ml.
 Significant Jump (3 p.m.): There is another sharp increase, with the
collection nearing 2643.1 ml at 3 p.m.
 Plateau (4 p.m.): By 4 p.m., the collection plateaus just below 3000 ml.
The process starts at 8 a.m. with 0 ml, and by 9 a.m., it collects 65.6 ml of
water. A steady rise is observed till noon, reaching 272.5ml, with a sharp
increase at 11 a.m. to 680 ml. Post-moon, the increase slows down,
reaching 2248.7 ml by 2 p.m., followed by a significant jump to 2643.1
ml at 3 p.m. Finally, the collection plateaus just below 3000 ml by 4 p.m.
 Average Solar Radiation

 Starting Point (8 a.m.): The graph at 8 a.m. with solar radiation at the lowest
point.
 Morning Increase: As the morning progresses, there’s a steady increase in
solar radiation.
 Peak Radiation (Noon-1 p.m.): The solar radiation peaks around noon to 1
p.m., which is typically the hottest part of the day.
 Afternoon Decline: After reaching the peak, the solar radiation begins to
decline as the sun moves past its zenith.
 Evening Level: By 4 p.m., the solar radiation levels off as the day comes to an
end
 At 8 a.m., the sun’s energy is at its lowest. The sun’s energy increases steadily
during the morning. Around noon to 1 p.m., the sun’s energy is at its highest.
In the afternoon, the sun’s energy starts to decrease. By 4 p.m., the sun’s
energy stays steady as the day ends.
 AVERAGE RELATIVE HUMIDITY

 Morning Humidity (8 a.m.): The day starts with a high relative

humidity level, around 70%.
 Steady Decline: As the morning progresses, there is a consistent
decline in humidity.
 Afternoon Drop (12 p.m.): By noon, the humidity has dropped
significantly, indicating drier conditions.
 Evening Levels (4 p.m.): By late afternoon, the humidity levels out,
reaching below 40%.

The day begins at 8 a.m. with quite a bit of moisture in the air, about
70% humidity. As the morning goes on, the air gets less and less moist.
By noon, the air is much drier, and the humidity has dropped a lot. By 4
p.m., the humidity stops dropping and stays below 40%.
 AVERAGE ATMOSPHERIC TEMPERATURE

 Morning Temperature (8 a.m.): The day starts with a temperature

of around 24°C.
 Steady Increase: As the morning progresses, there is a steady
increase in temperature.
 Noon Peak (12 p.m.): The temperature peaks at around noon,
reaching approximately 32°C.
 Afternoon Rise (2 p.m.): The temperature continues to rise,
reaching about 36°C by 2 p.m.
 Evening Plateau (4 p.m.): By 4 p.m., the temperature slightly
exceeds 36°C and begins to plateau.
 Average water temperature

 Morning Start (8 a.m.): Each day begins with the water temperature at
its lowest point, around 30°C.
 Temperature Rise: As the day progresses, the temperature steadily
increases due to solar heating.
 Midday Peak (2 p.m.): Around 2 p.m., the water temperature reaches its
peak, varying between 70°C to 80°C across different days.
 Afternoon Decline: After peaking, the temperature begins to decline as
the intensity of solar radiation decreases.
 Evening Level (4 p.m.): By 4 p.m., the temperature starts to level off,
preparing to drop further as the day turns into evening.
The day starts at 8 a.m. with the water being quite cool, around 28°C. As
the day goes on, the water gets warmer because of the sun. By 2 p.m., the
water is at its warmest, between 70°C and 80°C. After that, the water starts
to cool down as the sun isn’t as strong. By 4 p.m., the water’s temperature
doesn’t change much, and it gets ready to cool down more as evening
comes.
 CONCLUSION

A solar still with a stepped condensing glass has been designed and fabricated in-house. This innovative design aims to enhance the
effectiveness of traditional solar stills by improving condensation processes and reducing the evaporation losses. The experimental
trials were continued for eight days from 8.00 a.m. to 4.00 p.m. The important conclusions are given below.
 The solar radiation values were noted to be unique and varied identically during all the eight days of experimentation. The
radiation levels have raised to their peak during noon and declined afterwards until evening.
 The relative humidity values changed between 20% and 80%, with a general trend of decreasing humidity as the day progressed.
 The atmospheric temperature data from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. for eight days, ranged from 24°C to 38°C. After reaching the peak,
temperatures seemed to be declined, showing a consistent pattern of decline by 4 p.m. during all the experimental days.
 The brackish water temperature within the solar still steadily increased throughout the day, starting around 30°C in the morning
and peaking between 70°C to 80°C around 2 p.m.
 The freshwater collection was noted as 2860 ml, 2690 ml, 2740 ml, 2710 ml, 2670 ml, 2720 ml, 2660 ml, 2750 ml from Day 1
to Day 8, respectively. The average freshwater collection was calculated as 2713 ml.
On the outset, the design and implementation of a solar still with triple-stepped condensing glass had improved the performance of
the solar still significantly. Further research and development on the condensing glass could lead to the widespread adoption of solar
stills as a sustainable solution for clean water production .
REFERENCES
• A.E. Kabeel, Z.M. Omara, F.A. Essa, Numerical investigationof modified solar still using nanofluids and
external condenser,J. Taiwan Inst. Chem. Eng. 75 (2017) 77–86, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtice.2017.01.017.

• K.A. Hammoodi, H.A. Dhahad, Effects of magnetic field onthe performance of solar distillers : a review
study, 44(September) (2022) 121–131.

• M. Qadir, B.R. Sharma, A. Bruggeman, R. Choukr-Allah, F.Karajeh, Non-conventional water resources and
opportunitiesfor water augmentation to achieve food security in water scarcecountries, Agric. Water Manag. 87
(1) (2007) 2–22, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agwat.2006.03.018.

• W.H. Report, The Wo World rld Health Report 2004 changinghistory, 2005.W.H. Report, The Wo World rld
Health Report 2004 changinghistory, 2005.

• K.R. Ranjan, S.C. Kaushik, Energy, exergy and thermoeconomicanalysis of solar distillation systems: a
review,Renew. Sustain. Energy Rev. 27 (2013) 709–723, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rser.2013.07.025.

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THANK
YOU 25
QUESTIONS??

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