Prediction and measurement of mass transport in experimental solar stills

► Field measurements were employed for the heat and mass transfer theory validation. ► Results from simple Dunkle's model were validated by up to 0.2 g/m2 s measured yields. ► When its simplified assumptions relaxed it failed at yields between 0.1-0.2 g/m2 s. ► A linear dependence was found between yield and Ra∗ ranging between 106 and 6 × 106. ► A similar although lower correlation dependence was also found between he and Ra∗.