Study on the Efficiency and Feasibility of a Double Slope Symmetrical Triangular Solar Still Integrated with Glow Plug and Solar Panel

Abstract

Potable water scarcity has been a noteworthy subject all over the world due to rapid climate change and saltwater intrusion in groundwater. Conversion of saltwater to pure water requires subsequential amount of energy. Since, the price of Non-Renewable Energy is increasing with time and pure water quantity depleting especially in zones of dense population with low rainfall, Solar distillation offers a practicable, long-term solution for the distribution of drinking water in households with nominal expense in equinoctial nations like Bangladesh where sunshine is present for more than 10 hours each day and saline water is in abundance at the coastal regions from the Bay of Bengal. This study compares the performance of active and passive solar still distillation systems to ascertain effectiveness of water production, energy usableness and economic feasibility by fabricating both the still. Glow plug coupled with solar panel was used in the active solar still distillation unit to improve heat transfer and increase water production. The passive solar still distillation unit, however, is entirely dependent on sun radiation and natural convection. Both systems are put to the test in a similar environment, and the performance metrics, such as the rate at which water is produced, the quality of the distillate, thermal efficiency total energy efficiency are measured and assessed. The study's findings show that the active solar still distillation unit, ignites heat transfer mechanisms and commences internal combustion, produces more water at higher rates than the passive system. The water temperature inside the active still was 0-4° more in comparison to passive. The passive solar still distillation unit, however, shows superior thermal efficiency since it doesn't require any additional energy inputs. Additionally, due to its ease of use and little maintenance needs, the passive system appears to be more ideal for remote and off-grid applications. Water productivity correlated with solar intensity and temperature show strong correlation. The maximum and minimum output of Active solar still was 4.779 kg/m2/day and 1.118 kg/m2/day respectively and that of Passive solar still was 4.179 kg/m2/day and 0.671 kg/m2/day respectively with 28.12% average production reduction between active and passive. The maximum energy efficiency was found 29% for Active and 25.2% for Passive. Cost of per liter water was 0.0699 USD for passive and Active was 0.07681 for active making it feasible for commercialization not only in the perspective of Bangladesh but also worldwide.