Enhancing the design to optimize the performance of double basin solar still

In this study, an attempt was made to optimize the performance of double basin solar still. The dimension of the lower basin was 100 × 140 cm2 and the dimension of the upper basin was 100 × 100 cm2. So the lower basin had 100 × 20 cm2 glass cover in both the sides of the still to receive direct sunlight. Further external energy sources such as reflectors, flat plate collector and mini solar pond were integrated with the double basin still. The productivity of single basin still, double basin still with no external modifications, double basin still with reflectors, double basin still with reflectors coupled with flat plate collector and mini solar pond was 2745, 4333, 5650 and 6249 mL/day respectively. The productivity of double basin still, double basin still with reflectors and double basin still integrated with flat plate collector and mini solar pond was 57.83%, 105.8% and 127.65% respectively higher than the single basin still. The above modifications increased the performance of lower basin and upper basin. But the relative contribution of lower basin improved from 29.75% to 35.22% and to 40.6%.