review · Results in Engineering
Solar stills offer a simple method for purifying brackish water into freshwater, with pyramid configurations proving particularly effective. Modifications to these systems yield substantial performance gains. Incorporating thermal storage materials increases water output by roughly 35 percent, while adding phase change materials alongside a v-corrugated absorber boosts yield by about 87.4 percent. Wick materials also enhance productivity by up to 122 percent, with jute outperforming cotton. Combining evacuated tubes and carbon black nanofluid improves freshwater generation by approximately 57.1 percent. Integrating both nanomaterials and wicks can increase productivity by up to 176 percent and raise thermal efficiency to 60.44 percent. Furthermore, pairing pyramid stills with revolving cylinders and electrical heaters drives a 214 percent rise in daily output, reaching 9,100 millilitres per square metre daily. These innovations systematically address thermal and evaporation limits to optimise freshwater yields.
Clean drinking water is an urgent necessity in many regions affected by freshwater scarcity. Simple, solar-driven distillation provides a viable route to purify brackish water sustainably without reliance on complex infrastructure. Understanding which technical modifications deliver the greatest gains in freshwater production allows developers to select high-performing configurations, improving water access and resource security in underserved areas.
The findings outline tested engineering modifications for decentralised solar desalination systems, relevant to equipment manufacturers, community water project developers, and off-grid technology providers. The described techniques, including wicks, phase change materials, and nanofluids, reflect applied experimental modifications at various testing stages. Incorporating these proven enhancements can guide the design of higher-yield solar water purifiers for arid and rural environments seeking low-cost, decentralised water treatment solutions.
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The most interesting themes worldwide are those relating to sustainable water and energy supplies. They have a significant impact on any society's economic wellbeing. Desalination of brackish water has proven to be a good solution to the freshwater issue that many regions of the world face. Solar stills (SSs) are a simple distillation technique for freshwater purification. From the conventional SSs to the modified SSs, several studies have been carried out to improve the effectiveness of this technique. Pyramid solar stills are effective and efficient, according to researches that have been done to develop several types of solar stills for increased distillate production. In this review, we aim to provide an extensive review of recent advancements in pyramid solar distillation techniques, including new technologies, methods, and best practices. Consequently, this paper helps researchers choose the optimal technique to get the best-optimized productivity from a pyramid solar still. This review highlights the efforts of researchers to improve the efficiency of solar distillation systems by exploring recent techniques and innovations in pyramid solar distillers up to 2023. Various results have demonstrated the significance of modifications or improvements to pyramid SSs, such as utilizing storage materials, which can significantly increase productivity by approximately 35%. Additionally, a v-corrugated absorber with PCM can enhance the yield by about 87.4%. Furthermore, the use of wick materials can increase freshwater production by up to 122%, with jute wick outperforming cotton wick. Integrating evacuated tubes and carbon black nanofluid into a pyramid solar still can also improve freshwater production by approximately 57.1%. Combining nano and wick materials can further boost pyramid distiller productivity by up to 176% and increase thermal efficiency to 60.44%. Moreover, using pyramid distillers with revolving cylinders and electrical heaters can result in a daily output increase of 214%, producing up to 9100 ml/m2/day.
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DOI: 10.1016/j.rineng.2023.101157
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