Freshwater scarcity is a major global challenge, especially in arid and semi-arid regions, where solar desalination using single-slope solar stills offers a sustainable solution. However, conventional solar stills suffer from low thermal efficiency and limited freshwater productivity. Although porous media can enhance heat and mass transfer, many available materials are expensive or difficult to manufacture. To overcome these limitations, this study proposes the use of low-cost, corrosion-resistant, and widely available Coarse Scotch Non-Scratch Wire as a porous medium in a single-slope solar still. Experiments were conducted in Isfahan, Iran, using two identical systems: a Conventional Solar Still (CSS) and a Porous Solar Still (PSS). Performance was evaluated through energy, exergy, economic, and environmental analyses. Results showed that the porous medium increased basin water temperature by about 2 °C and enhanced hourly freshwater production by 43% under 900 W/m² solar radiation. Daily freshwater yield increased by 300–600 mL, while energy efficiency improved by nearly 40%. Annual freshwater production increased by 40%, water production cost decreased by 25%, and annual CO₂ mitigation improved by 40–66%, demonstrating the environmental and economic benefits of the proposed system.
Daneh-Dezfuli et al. (Mon,) studied this question.