The Efficiency of a Trapezoid-shaped Solar Still

Abstract

Drinking water is scarce in developing countries and is becoming a limiting resource for the entire world. This experiment focuses on the enhancement of a solar purification model known as a solar still. The improvement of the solar still will make purifying water a viable option in poor areas of the world and the solar still will reduce the amount of water purified using petroleum-based energy sources and help temper the ongoing water crisis. A solar still model with a polyethylene top and a mirror inside was tested for three hours on three different days and the purified water measured. The model barely yielded results, with only one of the three days producing a measurable amount of water. While the tests yielded very little purified water, the model did evaporate a significant amount of water, which could mean that by fixing a small design flaw, this system could be a solution to water scarcity on islands and other areas with limited access to fresh, clean drinking water.