Compare the Experimental Performance of V-shaped Black Cotton and Jute Cloth Floating Wicks Solar Stills in Indian Climatic Condition

The single basin single slope conventional solar still gives less amount of distillate output. Therefore, some modifications are proposed for conventional solar still in order to improve the performance and increase the amount of distillate output. In the present work, three similar conventional solar still units were fabricated. An experimental study was conducted in central India at Rewa (M.P.) (Latitude: 24°33' 20.81'' N, Longitude: 81°18' 49.1'' E) in all three units of solar still with same outdoor environmental conditions. Modification was done in two units out of three units of solar still, in which first unit of solar still was modified by using V-shaped black cotton cloth floating wicks and second unit was modified by using V-shaped black jute cloth floating wicks. The effect of solar radiation, ambient temperature, cotton cloth floating wick temperature, jute cloth floating wick temperature, glass cover temperature, basin water temperature, hourly distillate output and daily distillate output of modified (cotton and jute cloth floating wick) and conventional solar stills were studied. Higher distillate output was obtained in modified solar still as compared to conventional solar still due to higher surface area of V-shaped profile and low thermal inertia of floating wick. Comparison of experimental performance of V-shaped cotton and jute cloth floating wicks modified solar stills were also carried out. It is observed that the V-shaped cotton cloth floating wicks still produced higher distillate output in comparison to the other two stills. The total daily distillate outputs of V-shaped cotton cloth floating wicks still, V-shaped jute cloth floating wicks still and conventional still were 8.272 Kg/m2/day, 7.880 Kg/m2/day and 4.700 Kg/m2/day respectively.