Parametric analysis of a solar still with inverted V-shaped glass condenser

A parametric analysis of a solar still with an inverted V-shaped glass condenser is presented. Results are based on a new mathematical model obtained from a lumped-parameter analysis of the still, with an approach that makes each glass plate of the condensing system sensitive to orientation and depicts its thermal differences. Numerical computations are made to evaluate productivity and temperature differences between the condensing plates as a function of condenser orientation, extinction coefficient and thickness. From this study it was found a significant influence of incident solar radiation on the thermal performance of each condensing plate. Large extinction coefficients and thick glass plates increase absorption losses that result in an appreciable temperature difference. An extinction coefficient of 40 m-1 produces a temperature difference of 2.5°C between both condensers. A glass thickness of 10 mm may increase this temperature difference up to 3.5°C. With respect to the production, due to the still orientation, a difference of 8.7% was found for the condensing plates facing an east-west direction. The proposed model is able to reproduce the temperature and distillate production differences that arise between both condensers in good agreement with experimental data. The overall performance of the still, studied with this new approach, was also in accordance with the widely used traditional models for solar distillation. In addition, the condensing plates parameters of the still can be used to force a differential heating such that for the whole day the temperature of one condensing plate is always higher