Enhancing single slope solar still performance by integration with nanofluid-infused shallow collectors

Utilizing solar energy for water purification represents an environmentally friendly approach. Solar stills, renowned for their simplicity, are popular devices employed in water desalination. However, their efficiency is constrained by productivity limitations. In the present work, experimental studies with modifications on the traditional solar still were carried out to investigate the performance of the new improved solar still. The traditional solar still was fitted with a serpentine type of heat exchanger connected to another heat exchanger in the nanofluid based volumetric absorption solar collector through a pipeline system to examine its performance by comparing with the traditional solar still. Both the stills were constructed of the same material and dimensions. The experiments were done with two fluid variations in the solar collector, one with pristine paraffin oil based solar collector system and the other with 1.25ml/litre concentration nanofluid based solar collector system. The diurnal and overall productivity and efficiency of improved still with pristine paraffin oil based solar collector system was found to be 63.2%, 56.5% more and 28.9%, 33.8% respectively. The diurnal and overall productivity and efficiency of improved still with nanofluid of 1.25ml/litre concentration solar collector system was 75.4%, 61.5% more and 31.4%, 38% respectively.