Applied Chemical Engineering

Impact of jute covered hemispherical cups on the performance augmentation of a single slope solar still: An experimental investigation

Pankaj Dumka

Jaypee University of Engineering and Technology

Nikunj Limbachiya

Assistant professor mechanical engineering department, Hansaba College of Engineering and Technology, Siddhpur, Gujarat, India.

Nagamani Chippada

Associate Professor in CSE Department, Koneru Laksmaiah Education Foundation (KLEF), Vaddeswaram, Guntur, Andhra Pradesh, Pin: 522302.

Víctor Daniel Jiménez Macedo

Mechanical Engineering Faculty, Michoacan University of Saint Nicholas of Hidalgo

Lizina Khatua

School of Electronics Engineering, KIIT Deemed to be University, Bhubaneswar, Odisha, India

Nageswara Rao Lakkimsetty

School of Engineering, Department of Chemical Engineering, American University of Ras Al Khaimah United Arab Emirates.

T.C.Manjunath

Professor & Head of the Dept., Electronics & Communication Engg Dept. (ECE), Dayananda Sagar College of Engg. (DSCE), Karnataka, India.

Feroz Shaik

Full Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Prince Mohammad Bin Fahd University, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Choon Kit Chan

Faculty of Engineering and Quantity Surveying, INTI International University, Putra Nilai, 71800 Negeri Sembilan, Malaysia.

Darshana Dave

Assistant Professor, Department of Production Engineering, Government Engineering College Bhavnagar, Gujarat, India.

DOI: https://doi.org/10.59429/ace.v7i3.5516

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Abstract

In this article, an experimental endeavour has been reported to enhance the performance of single slope solar still by placing jute-covered hemispherical plastic cups in the water. The logic behind the augmentation is that the jute causes capillary action, due to which a thin film of water forms on the surface of the jute. The plastic cups will act as heat insulation, which will try to block the heat from going to the basin water, hence resulting in heat localization and quick evaporation of thin water film. It has been observed that this adaptation has increased overall distillate output of the single slope solar still by 36.2%. The modified still performs best till 14:00 h due to high solar insolation. In the afternoon hours, the reduction of solar radiation adversely impacts its performance in comparison to the conventional single slope solar still. The overall cost of the distillate due to the augmentation of the jute-covered hemispherical plastic cups has been reduced by 24.34% in comparison to the conventional solar still.

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