Experimental analysis of single-slope solar still equipped with jute and nano-enhanced jute cloth for clean water production

The global scarcity of potable water necessitates the development of efficient and low-cost desalination technologies. This study presents an experimental investigation into enhancing the productivity of a conventional single-slope solar still (SSSS) by employing natural jute cloth and nano-enhanced jute cloth as novel wick materials. The primary objective was to compare the performance of the modified stills against a conventional still under identical climatic conditions. The jute cloth was treated with carbon black nanoparticles to create a nano-enhanced wick with improved thermal conductivity and capillarity. Three identical solar stills were fabricated and tested simultaneously: a conventional still (CSS), a still with jute cloth (JSS), and a still with nano-enhanced jute cloth (NJSS). Key performance parameters, including daily water yield, internal heat and mass transfer, and thermal efficiency, were meticulously measured and analyzed. The experimental results demonstrated a significant improvement in productivity for the modified stills. The cumulative daily water yield for the CSS was 2.1 L/m². The JSS showed a marked increase, producing 3.0 L/m², an improvement of approximately 43%. The NJSS outperformed both, achieving a yield of 3.8 L/m², which corresponds to an impressive 81% enhancement over the CSS. The efficiency of the CSS was calculated to be 34%, which increased to 42% for the JSS and reached 51% for the NJSS. The enhancement is attributed to the increased surface area for evaporation, improved capillary action, and the superior photothermal conversion properties of the nano-coated material, which led to higher basin water temperatures.