Rosa MitsumasuRebecca Wagner

Kevin HarveyJonathan Steffens

Description of Technology

Solar Distillation

UpwardWicking Materials

Device Subsystems1. Housing2. Wick Hanging Mechanism3. Upward Wicking4. Top Feed5. Output Collection Rails6. Reflectors (optional)

Housing1. Evaporation and condensation2. Materials

i. Acrylic or other available similar material – For all four sides

ii. Wood and Plastic – Base

3. Use and Maintenancei. Sides are sealed with silicone.ii. One of the sides is hinged on the bottom to open and

close for use and maintenance purposes of the device.iii. Housing will need eventual cleaning (visual inspection)

Wick Hanging Mechanism1. “Curtain” method

i. Wick folds over rodii. Rod rests in top feed troughiii. Lower end of wick rests on basin

2. User friendly – wick will be easily exchanged by pulling out rod

3. Minimal vapor escapes from the rod

Top Feed/Input1. Optional, additional feeding mechanism to maximize

the use of the wick.2. Dimensions of top feed mechanism will limit the

amount of water fed to the wick.3. Relies on visual inspection – dry upper portion of wick4. CAD Drawing

Housing and Top Feed Mechanism

1.70 m

1.00 m

Upward Wicking1. Use and maintenance

i. Basin will be filled periodicallyii. Wick will need cleaning and eventual replacement iii. Basin will need to be cleaned.

2. Materialsi. Wick – Polyester (less variability, greater moisture uptake due to

capillary radii)ii. Basin – Low density polyethylene (low cost, FDA compliant, available,

ideal for high humidity)

System Integration

Reflectors1. Optional subsystem to increase irradiation (i.e. winter)2. One on each of the inclined sides.

1. Not attached to housing.2. “Picture frame”

3. Material – i. Tin foil for actual reflecting surfaceii. Wood for support

4. Dimensionsi. Width – Same as housing inclined sidesii. Height – Half the width of the basin approximatelyiii. Angle – 45 degrees

Output Collection MechanismConsists of:1. Two rails, one attached to each inclined side of housing

1. Each rail at 30 degrees from housing sides2. Gutters are slightly inclined to encourage water flow

towards outlet3. Lower end of rail is higher than basin’s top to avoid

output contamination due to contact with water in basin.

2. Outlets1. Holes on the front side housing.2. Hoses connected into holes to funnel water output into

clean container

Engineering AnalysisProblem Statement

The desired water output of the still is dependent on available Solar Irradiation and maximizing the amount of evaporated water from the brine.

Unknown Variables

ApproachWe will simultaneously solve our system of equations based on energy balances at the glass cover, the basin, and the wick to find the unknown temperatures. Using these values we will find our evaporation heat and subsequently the mass flow rate of distilled water. This mass flow rate will provide the daily output in liters or gallons

Engineering Analysis

Engineering AnalysisEnergy Balance of Glass

Energy Balance of Wick

Energy Balance of Basin

Engineering AnalysisEvaporation Mass Transfer

Condensation Mass Transfer

Instructions

1.On how to…i. … Useii. … Maintainiii. … Easily reproduce

2.English and Spanish

Risks Heat transfer model

Sufficient outputDimensions tentative

Bill of MaterialsComponent Material Qty Dimensions * Units*

Housing Rectangular Sides Acrylic 2 b= 1.78, h=1.25 m

Housing Triangular Sides Acrylic 2 b=1.84, h= .89 m

Housing Base Wood 1 w= 1.84, l= 1.78 m

Basin Liner LDPE 1 w= 1.90, l=1.85, t=.20 m

Wick Hanging Rod PP 1 l=1.78, d= m

Wick Woven Polyester 1 b= 1.73; h=2x.86 m

Basin LDPE 1 w= 1.00, l=1.73, t=.05 m

Sealant Silicone 10 n/a gr.

Hinges Brass 1 l=0.91, gap=.01, t=.04 m

Output Collectors Acrylic 2 l=1.74, h=0.04 m

Hoses Rubber 2 l=1.74, h= 0.30 m

Reflecting Surface Tinfoil 2 - m

Reflector Support Wood 2 - m

“legs” Wood 2 - m

Manual Paper < 5 A4 Sheets

Questions?

SourcesHikmet S. Aybar, Mathematical Modeling of an inclined

solar water distillation system, Desalination, 2005.

Incropera, Frank, P., Dewitt, David P, Bergman, Theodore L., Lavine, Adrienne S., Fundamentals of Heat and Mass Transfer, 6th ed, John Wiley & Sons, 2007.

Simile, Chris B., Critical Evaluation of Wicking in Performance Fabrics, Georgia Institute of Technology, 2004.