A presentation focusing on the improvement of solar still by using internal insulation along with external insulation and comparing with the conventional solar still.

1. Department of Mechanical Engineering
Rajshahi University of Engineering & Technology 1
Enhancing the performance of stepped multiple
basin pyramid solar still by improving its
insulation
Supervised by Presented by
Md. Bakhtierkhalzi
Assistant Professor
Department of Mechanical Engineering
Kh. Shahriar Asnaf (1902042)
Md. Tarikul Islam (1902054)
ME 3200
Case Study in Mechanical Engineering

2. Department of Mechanical Engineering
Rajshahi University of Engineering & Technology 2
Presentation Outline
 Introduction
 Literature Review
 Objectives
 Proposed Methodology
 Conclusions
 Future Work Timeline
 References

3. Department of Mechanical Engineering
Rajshahi University of Engineering & Technology 3
Introduction
 Fresh water –
 The second source of life, after air.
 Essential for humans and other living beings
 Very important for agricultural and industrial purposes [1]
 The Earth containing –
 Around 1.4 billion km3
of water
 70% of its surface area where 97.5% of the water being salty
 Only 0.5% of the remaining fresh water is available to sustain all life on
earth [2]

4. Department of Mechanical Engineering
Rajshahi University of Engineering & Technology 4
 Freshwater shortage becoming a worldwide concern nowadays because of –
 Overpopulation
 Rapid urbanization and industrialization
 Overuse of water
 Groundwater pollution
 Deforestation
 Global warming and climate change [3]

5. Department of Mechanical Engineering
Rajshahi University of Engineering & Technology 5
 Many researches are being conducted focusing on several techniques of
distilled water production to overcome the lack of pure water sources:
Reverse Osmosis [4] Electro-dialysis [5]
Solar Still [6]

6. Department of Mechanical Engineering
Rajshahi University of Engineering & Technology 6
 Basic Operation of Solar Still :

7. Department of Mechanical Engineering
Rajshahi University of Engineering & Technology 7
 Solar distillation is-
 A cost-effective way to convert brackish or saline water into pure water that
retains essential minerals for drinking
 Popular treatment solution around the world at the moment.
 Replicates the essential steps of the rain water cycle.
 Why to use solar distillation method?
 Simple in operation
 Low maintenance
 Eco-friendly
 Powered by solar energy instead of conventional fuels with zero environmental
crises

8. Department of Mechanical Engineering
Rajshahi University of Engineering & Technology 8
Types of Solar Still
Single slope solar
still [9]
Double slope solar
still [10]
Pyramid solar still
[11]

9. Department of Mechanical Engineering
Rajshahi University of Engineering & Technology
9
Year Title and Author
(first author)
Methods used Findings Limitations
2022 Performance
enhancement and
economic analysis of
pyramid solar still
with corrugated
absorber plate and
conventional solar
still: A case study. E.
Ghandourah et al.
Addition of
corrugated sheet as
absorber plate
Higher yield,
efficiency and cost
effective compared
to conventional
solar still
Absence of multiple
stepped basin and use of
outside insulation only
2019 Performance evaluation
of single slope solar
still augmented with
sand-filled
cotton bags. P. Dumka
et al.
By augmenting
with sand-filled
cotton bags
Higher yield
production,
efficiency and
evaporation rate
compared to CSS
Absence of pyramid
shaped glass cover,
stepped basin and
insulation
Literature Review

10. Department of Mechanical Engineering
Rajshahi University of Engineering & Technology 10
2021 Performance analysis of
a double-slope solar
still with elevated basin
— comprehensive
study. W.H. Alawee et
al.
by raising the basin
inside the distiller.
Higher productivity
and cost effective
than CSS, Reduced
heat loss from the
bottom and
side walls of solar
still
Absence of multiple
stepped basin and inside
insulation
Year Title and Author
(first author)
Methods used Findings Limitations
2018 Pyramid solar still: A
comprehensive review.
K.H. Nayi et al.
By using pyramid
solar still over CSS
More efficiency
and yield
production, less
shading effect
compared to CSS
Absence of stepped
multiple basins and
internal insulation

11. Department of Mechanical Engineering
Rajshahi University of Engineering & Technology 11
Year Title and Author
(first author)
Methods used Findings Limitations
2018 Performance of basin
type stepped solar
still enhanced with
superior design
Concepts. A.F.
Muftah et al.
Adding double
slope glass cover
More productivity
than CSS
Absence of pyramid
shaped glass cover and
internal insulation
2021 Performance evaluation
of stepped multiple
basin pyramid solar still.
A. Prakash et al.
Construction of a
novel stepped
multiple basins in
pyramid solar still
Splitting the thermal
capacity of saline
water into four
basins improves
distillate production,
higher surface area
than evaporating
water surface area
and higher
productivity and
efficiency than CSS.
Absence of inside insulation

12. Department of Mechanical Engineering
Rajshahi University of Engineering & Technology 12
2020 Effect of water depth
and insulation on the
productivity of an
acrylic pyramid solar
still
– An experimental
study.
A. Muthu Manokar et
al
By varying water
depth
and adding
insulation on the
still
Higher yield
production and
thermal efficiency
compared to CSS
Absence of stepped basin
and inside insulation
Year Title and Author
(first author)
Methods used Findings Limitations

13. Department of Mechanical Engineering
Rajshahi University of Engineering & Technology 13
Research Gap
 Most of the papers have shown the effect of outside insulation of the solar
still.
 But, No paper has ever been published the effect of both external and
internal insulation at the same setup of the stepped multiple basin pyramid
solar still.

14. Department of Mechanical Engineering
Rajshahi University of Engineering & Technology 14
Research Objectives
 To study different literatures related to solar desalination.
 To critically review different aspects of solar desalination to get a research topic.
 To improve the performance of the proposed solar desalination.

15. Department of Mechanical Engineering
Rajshahi University of Engineering & Technology 15
Effects of Different Design Parameters
 Pyramid shape glass cover
 Thickness of the glass cover
 Glass inclination angle
 Stepped multiple basin
 Basin water depth
 Inside insulation
 Outside insulation

16. Department of Mechanical Engineering
Rajshahi University of Engineering & Technology 16
Proposed Methodology
Fig 1: Schematic Diagram of CSS with External Insulation Only

17. Department of Mechanical Engineering
Rajshahi University of Engineering & Technology 17
Fig 2: Schematic Diagram of Modified Solar Still with both Internal and External
Insulation

18. Department of Mechanical Engineering
Rajshahi University of Engineering & Technology 18
Conclusions
 After reviewing and analyzing several literatures on solar desalination.
It is found that:
 Pyramid shape glass cover is more effective.
 Stepped multiple basin also more efficient.
 Critically reviewing different aspects of solar desalination, we proposed a
research topic based on improvement.

19. Department of Mechanical Engineering
Rajshahi University of Engineering & Technology 19
Tasks 4th Year Odd Semester (weeks)
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
Literature Review
Methodology
Development
Design of setup
Construction of the
setup
Trial Run
Report Writing
Tasks 4th Year Even Semester (weeks)
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14
Literature Review
Methodology
Development
Construction of
setup
Testing
Modification (if
needed)
Final Thesis Writing
Future work Time Line

20. Department of Mechanical Engineering
Rajshahi University of Engineering & Technology 20
References
[1] I. Al-Hayeka and O. O. Badran, “The effect of using different designs of solar stills on water
distillation,” Desalination, vol. 169, no. 2, pp. 121–127, 2004.
[2] H. T. El-Dessouky and H. M. Ettouney, Fundamentals of salt water desalination. Elsevier,
2002.
[3] C. Solar, “Causes, effects, and solutions to water scarcity,” Coldwell Solar, 10-Oct-2022.
[Online]. Available: https://coldwellsolar.com/commercial-solar-blog/causes-effects-and-
solutions-to-water-scarcity/. [Accessed: 27-Feb-2024].
[4] Z. Yan et al., “Reverse osmosis brine treatment using direct contact membrane distillation
(DCMD): effect of membrane characteristics on desalination performance and the wetting
phenomenon,” Environ. Sci. Water Res. Technol., vol. 4, no. 3, pp. 428–437, 2018.
[5] “A flow path diagram of humidification-dehumidification (HDH)
desalination,” Researchgate.net. [Online]. Available:
https://www.researchgate.net/figure/A-flow-path-diagram-of-humidification-
dehumidification-HDH-desalination_fig11_283620228. [Accessed: 27-Feb-2024].

21. Department of Mechanical Engineering
Rajshahi University of Engineering & Technology 21
[6] “Schematic diagram of electrodialysis (ED) desalination process,” Researchgate.net.
[Online]. Available: https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Schematic-diagram-of-
electrodialysis-ED-desalination-process-20-The-Fig-is-used_fig5_320442877. [Accessed:
27-Feb-2024].
[7] “Schematic diagram of multi-effect distillation evaporator desalination process
(horizontal tube-parallel feed configuration),” Researchgate.net. [Online]. Available:
https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Schematic-diagram-of-multi-effect-distillation-
evaporator-desalination-process_fig2_322370391. [Accessed: 27-Feb-2024].
[8] “Schematic of a typical vapor compression distillation process,” Sciencedirect.com.
[Online]. Available: https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/engineering/vapor-
compression.[Accessed: 27-Feb-2024].
[9] “Conventional Solar Still,” Sciencedirect.com. [Online]. Available:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/engineering/solar-still. [Accessed: 27-Feb-2024].
[10] “Schematic view of double slope solar still,” Researchgate.net. [Online]. Available:
https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Schematic-view-of-double-slope-solar-still-with-
nanoparticles-in-the-basin-59_fig1_328161893. [Accessed: 27-Feb-2024]

22. Department of Mechanical Engineering
Rajshahi University of Engineering & Technology 22
Thank You