Rosa Mitsumasu
Rebecca Wagner
Kevin Harvey
Jonathan Steffens
Description of Technology
Solar
Distillation
Upward
Wicking
Materials
Device Subsystems
1. Housing
2. Wick Hanging Mechanism
3. Upward Wicking
4. Top Feed
5. Output Collection Rails
6. Reflectors (optional)
Housing
1. Evaporation and condensation
2. Materials
i.
Acrylic or other available similar material – For all four
sides
ii. Wood and Plastic – Base
3. Use and Maintenance
i.
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 Mechanism
1. “Curtain” method
i.
Wick folds over rod
ii. Rod rests in top feed trough
iii. 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/Input
1. 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 wick
4. CAD Drawing
Housing and Top Feed Mechanism
1.00 m
1.70 m
Upward Wicking
Use and maintenance
1.
i.
ii.
iii.
Basin will be filled periodically
Wick will need cleaning and eventual replacement
Basin will need to be cleaned.
Materials
2.
i.
ii.
Wick – Polyester (less variability, greater moisture uptake due to
capillary radii)
Basin – Low density polyethylene (low cost, FDA compliant, available,
ideal for high humidity)
System Integration
Reflectors
1. 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 surface
ii. Wood for support
4. Dimensions
i. Width – Same as housing inclined sides
ii. Height – Half the width of the basin approximately
iii. Angle – 45 degrees
Output Collection Mechanism
Consists of:
1. Two rails, one attached to each inclined side of housing
1.
2.
3.
Each rail at 30 degrees from housing sides
Gutters are slightly inclined to encourage water flow
towards outlet
Lower end of rail is higher than basin’s top to avoid
output contamination due to contact with water in basin.
2. Outlets
1. Holes on the front side housing.
2. Hoses connected into holes to funnel water output into
clean container
Engineering Analysis
 Problem 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
Engineering Analysis
 Approach
We 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
 Energy Balance of Glass
 Energy Balance of Wick
 Energy Balance of Basin
Engineering Analysis
 Evaporation Mass Transfer
 Condensation Mass Transfer
Instructions
1. On how to…
i.
… Use
ii. … Maintain
iii. … Easily reproduce
2. English and Spanish
Risks
 Heat transfer model
 Sufficient output
 Dimensions tentative
Bill of Materials
Component
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?
Sources
 Hikmet 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.