Performance comparison of single and double slope solar still by experimental investigation

Vinay Mishra; Dhananjay Singh; Ram Sharan Singh; Balendu S. Giri

doi:10.1515/ijcre-2025-0025

Article

Performance comparison of single and double slope solar still by experimental investigation

Vinay Mishra , Dhananjay Singh , Ram Sharan Singh and Balendu S. Giri

Published/Copyright: April 29, 2025

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From the journal International Journal of Chemical Reactor Engineering Volume 23 Issue 3

Abstract

Life can’t sustain without water. Sustainable development goal (SDG-6) emphasizes on access of suitable quality water to all. The amount of available freshwater on earth is very low and declining further. Human health, life quality and environment can be severely affected by the rising water scarcity. Desalination is the most widely adopted method to meet the global water demand. However, the adverse environmental impacts of existing desalination techniques necessitate the quest of sustainable methods. Solar distillation can be used for production of drinking water in a sustainable and economic manner. The current work evaluates and compares the performance of a small size single and a double slope solar still under similar climatic conditions. Both the stills are made of galvanized iron sheet and basin area is 0.36 m². The productivity of single slope solar still (SSSS) and double slope solar still (DSSS) are found to be 2.58 L/m² and 3.19 L/m² respectively. The water yield of double slope solar still is observed to be 23.7 % higher than that of single slope solar still. Hence, the double slope solar still is observed to exhibit better performance.

Keywords: water; desalination; sustainability; solar still; performance evaluation

Corresponding authors: Dhananjay Singh, Department of Chemical Engineering, Institute of Engineering & Technology Lucknow, Lucknow, UP, India, E-mail: dsa768008@gmail.com; and Balendu S. Giri, Sustainability Cluster, University of Petroleum & Energy Studies, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, India, E-mail: balendushekher23@gmail.com

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank the Institute of Engineering & Technology Lucknow for providing the analytical facility needed during the research.

Research ethics: Not applicable.
Informed consent: Not applicable.
Author contributions: All authors have accepted responsibility for the entire content of this manuscript and approved its submission.
Use of Large Language Models, AI and Machine Learning Tools: None declared.
Conflict of interest: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.
Research funding: None declared.
Data availability: Not applicable.

Nomenclature

B: Breadth of solar still basin (m)
BOD₅: 5 days biochemical oxygen demand (ppm)
COD: Chemical oxygen demand (ppm)
E_in: Embodied energy of solar still (kWh)
L: Length of solar still basin (m)
TDS: Total dissolved solids (ppm)

List of acronyms

DSSS: Double slope solar still
MED: Multi effect distillation
MSF: Multi stage flash
RO: Reverse osmosis
SDG: Sustainable development goal
SSSS: Single slope solar still
UNO: United Nations Organization
WHO: World Health Organization

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Received: 2025-02-04

Accepted: 2025-04-08

Published Online: 2025-04-29

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Articles in the same Issue

https://doi.org/10.1515/ijcre-2025-0025

Keywords for this article

water; desalination; sustainability; solar still; performance evaluation