Solar still with vapor adsorption basin: Performance analysis

In this work, a vapor adsorption type solar still was designed, fabricated and tested at Thiagarajar College of Engineering, Madurai, India. A vapor adsorbent pipe network comprising activated carbon–methanol pair was integrated with the basin. Losses from the bottom of the still are considerably reduced due to sensible heat absorption by the activated carbon and latent heat of vaporization by methanol. Also water circulated through the inner tube of the adsorbent bed is used as a feed to basin, thus enhancing the evaporation rate during day time. The increase in temperature of the basin due to adsorbent bed and condensation of methanol vapor, augments the evaporation rate during the night time also. Sponges, gravels, sand and black rubbers were used in the vapor adsorption type solar still for improving the yield. Experimental results were compared with ordinary conventional basin type still. The governing energy balance equations for both conventional and vapor adsorption type solar still were solved analytically and compared with experimental results. Theoretical analysis gave very good agreement with experimental results.