Enhancement of Pyramid Solar Still Productivity Through Wick Material and Reflective Applications in Iraqi Conditions

Abstract

The global challenge of water scarcity significantly impacts the socio-economic development of countries, especially in developing regions such as Iraq where accessible potable water is scarce.Solar distillation emerges as a promising technique for desalinating water, particularly through passive solar stills that harness direct solar radiation.This study investigates the performance enhancement of pyramid solar stills, specifically focusing on the employment of wick materials and reflectors under the climatic conditions of Iraq.Wick materials markedly augment the evaporation area and the area for solar radiation absorption, thereby boosting the still's production.Similarly, reflectors play a crucial role in elevating the water temperature in the distillation process, leading to increased evaporation and daily productivity.Results demonstrate that the use of wick materials in the pyramid solar still (CWPSS) significantly outperforms the conventional pyramid solar still (CPSS), with a production increase of 122% and a daily thermal efficiency of 53%, compared to CPSS's 34.5%.Moreover, the application of reflective materials further escalated CWPSS's productivity by 170%, although the distillation efficiency remained constant at 48%.Future research should explore advancements in wick materials, integrated systems, simulation modeling, and field testing to optimize the technology's performance under Iraqi conditions.