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Table 3 Operational parameters of a passive solar still

From: A review of optimum parameter values of a passive solar still and a design for southern Bangladesh

Parameters

Significance in output

Optimum value

Ref.

Water depth

The lower the water depth, the higher the yield

As lower as possible

Garg and Mann (1976), Phadatare and Verma (2007), Tiwari and Tiwari (2007)

  

0.04 m or lower

 

Coloring of water

If convection between the basin and surroundings is reduced, then utilization of dye has negligible effect on productivity

No dye is used

Rajvanshi (1981), Abu-Hijleh (2003)

Water mass flow rate

Productivity is inversely proportional to the water mass flow rate

Lower mass flow rate of water is recommended

Mahdi et al. (2011)

Salt concentration

With increased salinity, productivity will be decreased

Salt concentration can be kept minimum by removing the brine after everyday production at night

Kalbasi and Esfahani (2010), Akash et al. (2000)

Phase change material (PCM)

Productivity can be increased up to 85.3% with the use of PCM

PCMs should not be used as there is no standard PCM and the technology is very new which should be researched properly first

Kenisarin and Mahkamov (2007), El-Sebaii et al. (2009)

Surfactant additives

Adding surfactant has a very less effect and can be avoided

No surfactants is used

Miller and Westra (1998), Nafey et al. (2008)