Effect of continuous and discrete makeup water on the productivity of conventional solar still

Novel theoretical study on the basin water depth time dependence effect on the productivity of conventional solar still has been carried out. The makeup water is considered as a heat load penalty on the still and reduces its productivity; therefore two scenarios will be compared. Continues makeup water (heat load penalty) to keep the thickness of water in the basin constant at 0.5 cm to 20 cm with each thickness as an individual case study. The second scenario with water thickness reduction with time from initial maximum thickness of 20 cm and 1 cm to minimum level up to 0.5 cm, i.e. 0.5 cm < X-w <= X-w,X- maximum and 1 cm <= X-w,X- maximum <= 20 cm. If the thickness is up to 0.5 cm, makeup water as discrete feeding is necessary. It is found that, the productivity is maximum with small initial water thickness, the maximum productivity increases by 0.25 L/day with initial water thickness of 1 cm (0.5 cm < X-w <= 1 cm) in compared to continuous feeding with constant water thickness of 1 cm (X-w = 1 cm). Good agreement between the present theoretical work model and preceding experimental and theoretical results has been found.