A Pilot Study of Micro Solar Still Technology in Kuwait

Hidab Hamwi (), May S. Al-Suwaidan, Ali A. Al-Naser, Ali Al-Odwani, Rawan Al-Sammar and Sara A. Aldei
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Hidab Hamwi: Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research (KISR), P.B. No. 24885, Safat 13109, Kuwait
May S. Al-Suwaidan: Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research (KISR), P.B. No. 24885, Safat 13109, Kuwait
Ali A. Al-Naser: Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research (KISR), P.B. No. 24885, Safat 13109, Kuwait
Ali Al-Odwani: Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research (KISR), P.B. No. 24885, Safat 13109, Kuwait
Rawan Al-Sammar: Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research (KISR), P.B. No. 24885, Safat 13109, Kuwait
Sara A. Aldei: Kuwait Institute for Scientific Research (KISR), P.B. No. 24885, Safat 13109, Kuwait

Energies, 2022, vol. 15, issue 22, 1-14

Abstract: Water scarcity is a global issue recognized by the United Nations under Goal 6 of its Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which is to ‘Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all’. This challenging goal requires innovations, especially in areas with freshwater scarcity. Coupling this with the expected significant growth in population, especially in developing countries, presents major challenges to obtaining the appropriate levels of water provision needed. The development of seawater desalination technologies offers hope to alleviate freshwater shortages whilst supporting SDG 6. This research addresses the development of small-scale technology utilizing solar energy for providing clean drinking water in rural, hot, arid, and remote communities. To alleviate water scarcity in rural and isolated areas, a micro solar still (MSS) system that supports a multistage distillation process can be utilized, which evaporates and condenses the saline feed water into pure drinking water with highly efficient solar heat collectors. The focus of this study was to assess the performance of two prototypes, with minor improvements to the wicking structure. Such a system has the advantage of recycling wasted latent heat in the process to increase productivity. Two prototypes were tested to assess the performance of the solar still construction material and yield, and to test the water quality and quantity under the climatic conditions of Kuwait. The operation and efficiency of the prototypes were observed across four characteristics: solar irradiance, ambient temperatures, feed water and water production. The performances of the two prototypes were comparable to the results of previously published work on MSS prototypes that utilize wicking. The recovery rates of the two prototypes were 22 and 25%, respectively. The maximum production of potable water achieved from the two prototypes was 900 and 1160 g, respectively, using a feed of 4 and 3.7 kgs. The quality of the produced water met the WHO’s standards for drinking water.

Keywords: solar energy; desalination; micro solar still; latent heat (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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