Heat and Mass Transfer Analysis of Inclined Flat Plate Solar Still Using Thermal Conductivity Enhanced Wick Materials—An Experimental Approach

Abstract Incorporating a thermal conductivity-enhanced wick fabric in the analysis of an inclined flat plate solar still (IFPSS) enhances heat and mass transfer. The improved wick material facilitates better absorption of solar radiation, leading to increased temperature gradients. This, in turn, enhances evaporation rates, contributing to higher freshwater production. In this experimentation, the performance of the IFPSS is evaluated by inserting mild steel, aluminum, and copper chips in jute cloth under actual geographical conditions (latitude—17.0895 deg N, and longitude—82.0667 deg E) of Surampalem, Andhra Pradesh, India. Inclined flat plate configuration leads to better exposure to solar rays and natural condensate flow. Integration of high thermal conductivity metal chips (copper, aluminum, and mild steel) into the wick layer improves evaporation and condensation efficiencies. The actual freshwater yield of the proposed system is in line with the theoretical productivity computed from the standard equation, with a deviation of just ±9.60%. Additionally, the Sherwood number and Nusselt number predictions are put forth to verify mass transport and heat transfer, respectively. The system efficiency of slot 4 is 8.5%, 21.42%, and 30.76% greater than slot 3, slot 2, and slot 1, respectively. The percentage enhancement of daily productivity of slot 4, slot 3, and slot 2 is 68.96%, 59.46%, and 41.37% higher than slot 1, respectively. This is because in slot 4, copper chips whose thermal conductivity is high are incorporated with the jute wick.