Enhancing the solar still yield by increasing the surface area of water—A review

This article reviews different methods employed to enhance the yield of solar still by increasing the surface area of water. As the area of stacked water increases, there is a greater possibility of an increase in temperature of the water and hence the evaporation rate from the top layer of basin water. Wick materials—though there may be evaporation rate and have a good capillary effect to absorb the saline water, intolerable smell, and turbidity—contribute to increased operational and maintenance cost. Use of sponge materials increases the surface area of water; as salt is trapped in pores of the sponge, yield of fresh water was decreased. It is concluded that the surface area of water in the solar still can be improved by using sensible heat storage material such as salt or/and molten salt, encapsulated in cuboid boxes.