Effect of a Heat Exchanger on the Performance of an Inverted Trickle Solar Still

AbstractAn available inverted trickle solar still was rebuilt, and its performance was tested at different conditions of solar radiation, feedwater flow rate, and natural convection existence. The still was designed to desalinate water of high salinity by flowing it on the back side of an absorber plate with the help of a layer of jute attached to that side of the plate. The still produces three types of water: saline, intermediate, and condensate. Enhancements were made on the current still to improve its performance. The main improvement made was increasing the size of the heat exchanger to its possible maximum to study its effect on the still’s performance. Also, other improvements were made to the still, such as increasing the contact between the absorber plate and the jute under it and increasing the sealing tightness to prevent internal and external leakage of water. The study was carried out for 5 days from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Data were measured for solar radiation, temperatures on several parts...