A solar still augmented with a flat-plate collector

A single-stage, basin-type solar still and a conventional flat-plate collector were connected together in order to study the effect of augmentation on the still under local conditions. The still inlet was connected to a locally made, fin-tube collector such that its outlet was fed to the still basin instead of the common storage tank. Measurements of various temperatures, solar intensities and distilled water productions were taken for several days at various operating conditions. Several modes of operation were studied: still connected to collector for a 24-h period; still connected only during sunlight hours from 8 am to 5 pm, and still operating alone for a 24-h period. These tests were performed using tap water and saline water as a feed. It was found that the mass of distilled water production using augmentation was increased by 231% in the case of tap water as a feed and by 52% in the case of salt water as a feed.