Solar still Design and Construction for its Implementation in Rural Communities in Mexico

Abstract

Water scarcity and sufficient energy sources without affecting climate change are complex problems facing humanity. Water purification, such as desalination using solar radiation as an energy source, is a mature technology method that provides economic savings in electricity, gas, and oil consumption, achieving good quality fresh water. Solar water distillation is an example of nature's purification mechanism through the water cycle. This paper presents a solar still design and construction with easily accessible, low-cost materials and simple manufacturing, which obtain the patent MX2020/070739. The energy evaluation and experimental results are also presented, verifying the device's technical feasibility. As a result, water production of 805/day was obtained, with a maximum solar irradiance of 980 W/m2 and 36 °C ambient temperature and the efficiency during the test days was 38%. Using the distiller can benefit rural communities in Mexico by obtaining fresh water, achieving significant energy savings, and contributing to caring for the environment.

Keywords: Solar Irradiance, Solar still, Energy efficiency, Solar Technologies