Solar still coupled with a modified biomass cook stove — An experimental study

In this study, the experimental performance of a single slope solar still coupled with a modified biomass cook stove was investigated. Solar still shows potential for water desalination due to its simplicity and low cost; however the yield is low. Biomass fuels are used by nearly half the world´s population on a daily basis for cooking. Modified biomass cook stoves is a promising option to reduce the negative impacts of cooking with traditional open fires and supply hot water to solar still for productive enhancement. The biomass cook stove was designed in such a way that to supply hot water to solar still without affecting the basic cooking operation. A single slope active solar still (ASS) integrated with an modified biomass cook stove was fabricated with an area of 1 m² and tested in the composite climate of Coimbatore, Tamilnadu, India, The higher water temperature was achieved by the active solar still compared to the passive solar still due to the additional thermal energy supplied by the modified biomass cook stove. The daily yields obtained from the solar stills were 3.2 kg/m² day and 8.2 kg/m² day for PSS and ASS, respectively, at a water depth of 0.05 m. Finally, the economic analysis shows a lowest payback period of less than a year, when the active system is used.