Solar stills: A review for water scarcity solutions

Abstract

Solar stills represent a crucial technology in the quest to provide clean and accessible water, particularly in regions facing water scarcity and limited energy resources. This study investigates various solar still designs, exploring their advantages and limitations in water purification. Through an analysis of the current global landscape of solar still usage and ongoing research endeavors, this study aims to highlight the potential of solar stills and propose modifications to enhance their efficiency. The study also investigates various extensive analysis of diverse solar still designs and their performance metrics, including factors like reflectors, wick materials, absorber plates, and air velocity, this study elucidates key strategies to augment water output and energy utilization. Reflectors and pebbles, variations in wick materials, and modifications in absorber plate design have shown promising results in increasing productivity. Additionally, insights into the impact of environmental variables such as solar radiation, wind velocity, and ambient temperature on solar still performance are provided, informing the design optimization process. Through an analysis of global usage patterns and ongoing research efforts, this study highlights the untapped potential of solar stills and proposes strategies to enhance their performance. Furthermore, it suggests avenues for future research, including the integration of heat storage materials and the development of advanced modeling and control algorithms, to further enhance the performance of solar stills. Through these efforts, solar stills can emerge as a sustainable and reliable solution for water purification, contributing significantly to global efforts to combat water scarcity.

Keywords

• Solar energy
• Single slope solar still
• Sensible heat storage
• Latent heat storage
• Hybrid solar still