An experimental study on solar distillation in a single slope basin still by surface heating the water mass

An experimental study was conducted in a single slope basin solar still after introducing a floating perforated and folded aluminium sheet over the water surface, which concentrates heat energy at the surface layer, prevents the whole water mass from getting heated up by convection (by preventing/reducing transmission of radiation through the water body to the bottom liner) and allows evaporated water particles from the covered segments to escape out into the air gap through the holes on it. The distillate yield was found to have improved considerably, especially when the water depth was high. The study also indicated some design features that would further enhance the improvement in output due to the modification made. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.