Investigation of augmentation of funnel integrated with wick material on yield of square pyramid solar still: A summertime experimental study

An attempt has been made to improve the productivity of square pyramid solar still by utilizing novel augmented technique – funnel integrated with wick material. The funnels were attached to basin, and one end of wick material was spread over the upper portion surface of funnel, while other end was dipped into saline water in basin. At 1, 2, and 3 cm water depth, impact of wick materials (black colour painted jute cloth, black melton wool, and black cotton cloth) and inclination angles (15 o , 20 o , and 25 o ) of upper portion of funnel surface was investigated. The three sets of experiments for three days in a row were carried out on four alike square pyramid solar stills under the weather conditions of (20.61° N, 72.91° E) to identify the combination of inclination angle of funnel upper portion surface and wick material for the maximum productivity from the solar still in summer season. For the square pyramid solar still, the best augmentation combination for maximum productivity was found to be black cotton cloth integrated with 25 o inclination angle of funnel upper portion surface at 3 cm water depth. The utmost productivity of 3.9433 L/m 2 and efficiency of 43.84 % were attained at 3 cm water depth for the best augmentation combination, indicating 11.88 % and 9.14 % improvement in productivity and efficiency. The distillate water cost of 3.63 ₹/L with payback duration of 13 months and 8 days was obtained for maximum productivity augmentation combination. • Square pyramid solar still was augmented with funnel integrated with wick material. • Impact of funnel upper portion surface inclination angle (15 o , 20 o , 25 o ) was studied. • Impact of black cotton cloth, melton wool, and jute cloth wick materials was studied. • 3.9433 L/m 2 utmost yield with 25 o funnel angle, black cotton cloth at 3 cm water depth. • Best augmentation was black cotton cloth with 25 o funnel angle at 3 cm water depth.