Conventional Solar Stills Research Articles

Productivity forecasting of the solar still with phase change material using LSTM and GRU neural networks

Abstract Solar desalination is one of the renewable energy techniques by which freshwater can be obtained economically. Solar desalination experiments are time and resource-consuming methods; there is a need for a robust system to identify the serviceability of the solar still in a specific region. The objective of this study is to develop a forecasting model using artificial neural networks to predict freshwater productivity. The study specifically aims to compare the accuracy of Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) and Gated Recurrent Unit (GRU) neural networks in forecasting the productivity of Conventional Solar Stills (CSS) and Solar Stills with Phase Change Material (SSPCM). The current investigation involved analysing the experimental outcomes of a solar still that employed phase change material (PCM) and pin fins. Palmitic acid was implemented as the energy storage material and was placed beneath the absorber plate. The neural network model was trained and validated using time-series solar still experimental data. Different statistical measures were utilised to evaluate the accuracy of Long Short Term Memory (LSTM) and Gated Recurrent Unit (GRU). The results indicate that the freshwater productivity forecasted by LSTM exhibited greater accuracy than GRU. Specifically, the coefficient of determination values for LSTM were 0.96 and 0.98 for the CSS and SSPCM, respectively, which were better than the corresponding values for GRU.

Enhancing the productivity of pyramid solar still utilizing repurposed finishing pads as cost-effective porous material

The primary objective of the current research is to augment the potable water yield of the solar still (SS). This objective is achieved by integrating a used brushed refinishing pad (BRP) as a porous material (PM) in the absorber basin. This integration maximizes the wet surface area due to the pad's porous nature, thereby enhancing photothermal absorption, which is the process where a material absorbs light and converts it into heat. An experimental investigation was conducted to analyze the effect of porous materials in a rectangular pyramid solar still (RPSS) regarding potable water yield and feasibility. The results were compared with those of the conventional solar still (CSS), revealing a noteworthy enhancement in the production of potable water with RPSS-PM, showing a 47.7 % increase on day one and a 48.1 % increase on the second day with a mere 10 % rise in basin water temperatures. The energy efficiency of RPSS-PM improved significantly by about 9 % on both days compared to CSS. From an economic perspective, this system's payback period (PBP) was 5.2 months, compared to 6.1 months for the CSS. Furthermore, the cost per liter (CPL) of potable water produced by the RPSS-PM was 16.6 % lower than that of the CSS. This innovative approach holds great potential for effectively addressing challenges related to water scarcity.

Experimental investigation of distilled water production performance of conventional solar stills using CaCl2·6H2O phase change material reinforced with SrCl2·6H2O and graphene-based nanoparticles

This study aims to enhance the performance of conventional single-slope basin-type solar stills by integrating phase change materials (PCMs) and nanoparticles. Calcium chloride hexahydrate, known for its high heat storage capacity, was selected as the primary PCM. Strontium chloride hexahydrate was added as a nucleating agent to address the supercooling tendency. Additionally, graphene oxide (GO) and graphene nanoplatelets (GNP), which have not been previously used in solar stills or compared for their performance, were incorporated into the PCM to utilize their photothermal properties and enhance solar energy absorption. The integration of GO and GNP with the PCM-nucleating agent combination resulted in daily total distilled water productions of 5424ml/m2 and 5032 ml/m2, respectively. The integration of GO with the PCM-nucleating agent combination provided the most significant improvement in efficiency, with a 54.44 % increase compared to the standard still, a 15.4 % increase compared to the still using only the nucleating agent, and an 8 % increase compared to the still incorporating GNP.

Improvement of low-cost solar-powered desalination technologies in low-light intensity

Enhancing the efficiency of low-cost solar-powered desalination technologies, such as solar stills (SS), is essential for ensuring continuous access to freshwater in remote, water-stressed areas, particularly during cloudy or rainy days when the performance of conventional SS systems is compromised. This study introduces an innovative stepped solar still design, optimized for ease of operation, maintenance, environmental compatibility, and improved efficiency, especially under low-light conditions. The impact of the inlet mass flow rate on the desalination process was investigated to enhance distilled water production. Light absorption and step hot spot temperatures were further improved by incorporating natural and cost-effective absorbers, such as carbon, and an innovative soil-carbon combination. The synergy of this soil-carbon combination, enhancing light absorption, heat transfer, and storage through increased surface contact during radiation exposure and its distribution during shutdown, led to a 12.8% and 3% increase in distilled water production over the 4-hour test duration, compared to the baseline and carbon-only tests, respectively. This innovative design, combined with the use of a soil and carbon mixture, significantly improves the performance of solar distillation systems. These findings contribute to the development of sustainable, low-cost, and energy-efficient solutions for freshwater provision in remote areas, addressing both water scarcity and energy conservation challenges.

Enhanced distilled water productivity using an innovative semi-cylindrical tent-shaped solar still coupled with evacuated tubes

Despite advances in enhancing the output of conventional solar stills, the pursuit of the most efficient solar distillation technique remains ongoing. Evacuated tubes, known for their superior thermal capacity compared to traditional single-basin solar stills, offer a promising solution for high-yield distillation. This study evaluates the performance of a semi-cylindrical tent-shaped solar still coupled with evacuated tubes (SCTSCET) against a conventional single-basin, single-slope solar still, used as a benchmark. Experiments conducted in Amman, Jordan, in May 2023, demonstrate that the SCTSCET significantly outperforms the conventional solar still in distilled water production. The SCTSCET achieved a daily yield of up to 9.7 liters, which is approximately 288 % higher than the 2.5 liters produced by the conventional still. This increased productivity is due to a 45.7 % enhancement in heat capacity provided by the evacuated tubes, which raised the water basin temperature to 61.4 °C, compared to 41.2 °C in the conventional still. This higher temperature facilitated a faster evaporation rate and improved water output. Additionally, the SCTSCET exhibited a 10 % higher hourly thermal efficiency and a peak exergy efficiency of 5.7 %, compared to 3.4 % for the conventional still, highlighting its superior ability to harness and utilize solar energy for distillation.

Performance evaluation of interfacial evaporation assisted solar still with patterned floating absorber and external reflectors

The rapid decrease in global freshwater sources, caused by industrialization, population growth and other unforeseen circumstances, demands the necessity of effective desalination strategies. Solar stills, which provide potable drinking water by utilizing abundantly available solar energy and a direct mode of desalination, are viable solutions. However, lower productivity limits the wide range acceptability of the conventional solar stills (CSS). This work experimentally investigates the effectiveness of interfacial evaporation in solar stills by incorporating the floating absorbers. The floating absorber solar still (FSS) is compared with CSS as a benchmark. FSS involves different absorber configurations such as bare, patterned, and multiple absorbers. Further, the effect of top and bottom reflectors (external) on the FSS performance is analyzed. The application of patterned FSS enhances the productivity by 146 % and 46 % compared to CSS and bare FSS. The use of external top and bottom reflectors in patterned FSS (FSS-P-R) enhances productivity by 28 %. The accumulated water yield per day for FSS-P-R configuration is 4.46 L/m2 with energy and exergy efficiency of 70.35 % and 5.9 %, respectively. The cost analysis estimates the cost of the produced freshwater for FSS-P-R as 0.018 $/L, recommending the deployment of the FSS with suitable modifications in remote and hot arid regions with abundant sunshine as a promising approach for alleviating the freshwater scarcity.

A performance neural network model for conventional solar stills via transfer learning

Predictive solar-desalination models are becoming more widespread using ML and AI. However, forecasting solar still water productivity based on numerous designs still needs to be improved. Herein, we used transfer learning to create precise supervised predictive ANN regression models for water productivity (L/m2.day) predictions based on literature findings. Such observation datasets from single-basin solar stills were utilized to build the random initialization ANN model. The transfer learning method was applied to the latter model by taking the learned network (weights) for fine-tuning the hyperparameters from the earlier developed novel hybrid solar still known as the source (pre-trained) ANN model, to predict the target ANN model. Based on most minor statistical errors, the pre-trained model with 5–64–64-1 architecture and ReLU activation function was the most appropriate for water productivity prediction. All created ANN models were compared to the MLR model. The results revealed that the generated target ANN model outperformed the ANN RI and MLR with OI values of 0.872, 0.834, and 0.803, respectively, in all modeling stages. The target ANN model's accuracy and generalization were sufficient. The target ANN model had residuals of forecasted distillate values of around 1%. This work discusses the significance of transfer learning to generate accurate target ANN models for predicting freshwater outputs in single-slope solar stills, which can be integrated with established theoretically tuned parameters to enhance performance and maximize distillate water yields.

Band gap engineering of g-C3N4/CuS and its application in Solar Still

Interfacial solar steam generation is considered as economical and more effective implementation of Solar steam generation (SSG) where solar energy is concentrated at the liquid surface via the utilization of heat localization materials (HLM). Herein we report the fabrication of an HLM constituted of a nanocomposite absorber of graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) and covellite copper sulfide (CuS) supported on a mixed cellulose ester membrane, with a substrate of air laid paper-wrapped polystyrene foam. This structure allowed for strong broad-spectrum absorbance, increased hydrophilic character and minimal thermal losses. The HLM system absorbed 98% of the material and had an evaporation rate of 2.58 kgs per square meter per hour. This is twice the evaporation rate of water tested under the same conditions. Moreover, as fabricated HLM was also incorporated in a solar still in order to assess its practical performance in solar distillation. Initial studies proved that HLM modified solar still was more effective than conventional solar stills.

Artificial intelligence vision technology application in sustainability evaluation of solar-driven distillation device

The process of transforming brackish water into freshwater utilizing solar thermal energy is referred to as solar-driven distillation device, or solar still. Such device without fossil fuel provides significant environmental and health benefits by reducing air pollutants and remedying brackish water. The yield of purified water from conventional solar stills remains insufficient, prompting the necessity for research to enhance it by understanding the coupling effect between steam flow, heat transfer, and mass transfer. As such, computer-aided brackish water treatment comparison of the hemispherical solar still and other multi-slope solar stills is conducted in this paper, and an automatic steam&heat flow detection algorithm is developed to solve the problem of difficult data acquisition for gas-liquid transport processes. Firstly, double slope, four slope, and hemispherical solar stills are exposed to the sun in outdoor experiments, therefore the solar thermal performance of each still is analyzed through pairwise comparisons. Secondly, a large amount of experimental image data is input into neural network for training, and by continuously adjusting network parameters, the network can accurately recognize different types of images. Finally, the image to be recognized is input into the trained neural network, which outputs the category labels of the image to achieve automatic image recognition. Based on the data above, the best structure of solar-driven device is hemispherical structure, due to that the hemispherical solar still possesses the best performance in terms of distilled water yield, energy efficiency, exergy efficiency and energy payback.

Improving heat retention properties of steeped M-shape basin solar distillers utilizing paraffin RT50-enhanced silver nanoparticles and Manihot esculenta extracts

This research explores the development of phase change materials (PCMs) containing both organic and inorganic components in order to integrate thermal energy storage (TES) systems that are optimized for solar energy usage. The substantial interest in these materials has been sparked by the sporadic nature of solar energy consumption. Solar stills require improvements in distillate output, thermal efficiency, and lower distillate generation costs due to historically limited water production. The goal of this study is to improve these features in a steeped M-shaped basin single slope solar still (SMBSSS). The study specifically looks at the effects of a composite PCM as organic paraffin RT50 (PR) and silver nanoparticles (SN) from Manihot esculenta extracting solutions (ME), it's forming PRSNME nano-composites. It evaluates three modifications as TES materials and thermal property enhancers within SMBSSS. The key findings of the study come from SMBSSS that had 15% concentration of PRSNME installed. Notable results for the summer and winter include respectable thermal efficiency rates of 54.68 % in the summer and 44.46 % in the winter, as well as significant distillate production of 8.106 kg/m2/day and 6.357 kg/m2/day, respectively. PRSNME showed a 26 % increase in distillate yield at 15% concentration. The integration of SMBSSS with PRSNME demonstrated significant improvements in energy efficiency, with summer and winter concentrations of 7.4 % and 6.8 %, respectively, at 15 %. The incorporation of PRSNME proved to be highly effective, as evidenced by the notable 209 % increase in production when compared to the conventional solar still (CSS). An impact of 34.8 tons CO2 annually for SMBSSS was found through environmental calculations, indicating possible environmental advantages. Furthermore, cost study revealed that freshwater costs were greater for CSS (0.028 $/Litter) than for modified SMBSSS (0.014 $/Litter), indicating possible cost-effectiveness.

Performance analysis of snail shell biomaterials in solar still for clean water production: nature-inspired innovation for sustainability.

In this current investigation, the experimental performance of a solar still basin was significantly enhanced by incorporating snail shell biomaterials. The outcomes of the snail shell-augmented solar still basin (SSSS) are compared with those of a conventional solar still (CSS). The utilization of snail shells proved to facilitate the reduction of saline water and enhance its temperature, thereby improving the productivity of the SSSS. Cumulatively, the SSSS productivity was improved by 4.3% over CSS. Furthermore, the SSSS outperformed in energy and exergy efficiency of CSS by 4.5 and 3.5%, respectively. Economically, the cost per liter of distillate (CPL) for the CSS was 3.4% higher than SSSS. Moreover, the SSSS showed a shorter estimated payback period (PBP) of 141 days which was 6 days less than CSS. Considering the environmental impact, the observed CO2 emissions from the SSSS were approximately 14.6% higher than CSS over its 10-year lifespan. Notably, the SSSS exhibited a substantial increase in the estimated carbon credit earned (CCE) compared to the CSS. Ultimately, the research underscores the efficacy of incorporating snail shells into solar still basins as a commendable approach to organic waste management, offering economic benefits without compromising environmental considerations.

Development of a mathematical model of productivity for conventional and stepped solar stills using RSM

Solar stills play a vital role as devices for utilizing solar energy to generate drinkable water, especially in dry regions where obtaining clean water poses a considerable challenge. This research concentrates on the expansion of a comprehensive mathematical model for anticipating and enhancing the performance of both conventional and stepped solar stills, employing Response Surface Methodology (RSM). The study investigates the influence of key design parameters, for instance, water depth (mm), mass flow rate (kg/h), and glass thickness (mm), on the productivity of conventional and stepped solar stills. The experimental setup involves the systematic collection of data from both conventional and stepped solar stills under varying operational conditions. Through the application of RSM, a predictive mathematical model is established, capturing the complex interdependencies among the input variables and their impact on the distilled water output, called productivity. This model serves as a valuable tool for understanding and optimizing the performance of solar stills in diverse operating conditions.

Synergetic integration of machining metal scrap for enhanced evaporation in solar stills: A sustainable novel solution for potable water production

The global water crisis necessitates innovative solutions for sustainable potable water production. Solar stills represent a promising technology for harnessing solar energy to meet this demand. However, solar stills often face limitations regarding yield and cost-effectiveness. This research addresses the pressing need to augment the performance of solar stills by introducing amendments such as utilizing black-coated metal scrap as a photothermal absorber in the absorber basin. These modifications aim to boost the absorption of solar radiation, thereby increasing potable water yield and improving the system’s economic viability. The study explores the utilization of black-coated metal scrap as a photothermal absorber to modify the absorber basin. Experimental results demonstrate a significant improvement in potable water yield, with a 129.85 % increase on day 1 and 127.21 % on day 2, reaching 3080 mL/m2 and 3090 mL/m2, respectively. Compared to conventional solar stills, the newly developed double slope solar still with an absorber basin featuring metal scrap exhibits a remarkable economic advantage, with a payback period (PBP) of 5.4 months, as opposed to 9.45 months for the traditional system. Additionally, the cost per liter (CPL) of potable water generated by the innovative system is 75.53 % lower than that of the conventional solar still system.

An experimental comparison for thermos-economic performance of five different designs of solar stills

Five different solar stills (SSs) have been tested in this experimental study. Hemispherical SS, tubular SS, pyramid SS, double slope SS, and conventional SS are the five SS systems. The primary goal is to determine which SS will perform more effectively at the testing location. Initially, the SSs were evaluated with no changes and the outcomes were contrasted with those of the conventional SS. Secondly, exterior reflectors have been added to four SSs. Third, hemispherical SS and tubular SS with reflectors have been utilized with phase change material (PCM) combined with Ag-Nanoparticles. Lastly, tests using reflectors, fan, and external condensers have been conducted on the hemispherical SS and tubular SS. The findings showed that the increase in productivity for hemispherical SS, tubular SS, pyramid SS, and double slope SS without modifications are 107 %, 97 %, 66.5 %, and 30 % greater than that of conventional SS, respectively. Furthermore, the results depicted that employing reflectors improved the productivity rise for tubular SS, hemispherical SS, pyramid SS, and double slope SS to be higher than conventional SS's productivity by 168 %, 153 %, 113 %, and 85 %, respectively. Besides, the effect of employing PCM-Ag with hemispherical SS and tubular SS (with reflector) is increasing their productivity to be 202 % and 212 % higher than conventional SS's production, respectively. Also, the hemispherical SS and tubular SS with reflector, fan, and a condenser showed 217 % and 236 % higher productivity than conventional SS. The actual cost of producing water for the conventional SS, hemispherical SS, and tubular SS with reflectors and fan is 0.0244, 0.012, and 0.013 $/L, respectively.

Exergy, exergo-economic, environmental and sustainability analysis of pyramid solar still integrated hybrid nano-PCM, black sand, and sponge

A sustainable and cost-effective technique for desalinating water with solar energy to alleviate the freshwater scarcity is the solar still. In this study, four different cases including the case-I: conventional solar still (CSS), case-II: CSS with fins and black sand, case-III: CSS with fins, hybrid enhanced nano PCM, black sand and sponges, case-IV: CSS with fins, hybrid enhanced nano PCM, crushed stone and sponges have been comprehensively investigated in terms of thermal, productivity, exergy, economic, environmental and sustainability point of view. The assessments were executed at the Rajshahi (latitude: 24°22′N, longitude: 88°36′E), Bangladesh. Later, the performance case-III was investigated by using river (Padma) water and discolored water, respectively. Average thermal efficiency on daily basis of case-III is about 32.44 % and 6.47 % higher than case-II and case-IV due to the improved heat storing configuration. In addition, cases-II, III, and IV all had exergy efficiency improvements of 18.89 %, 74.75 %, and 53.54 %, correspondingly in comparison to case-I. For cases I, II, III, and IV, the payback periods are 185, 159, 126, and 135 days, accordingly. In cases-I, II, III, and IV, modified SS results in cost-per-litre reductions of 73.5 %, 77.29 %, 81.89 %, and 80.63 %, correspondingly, as compared to market prices. Cases-I, II, III, and IV's energy production factors are 0.137, 0.099, 0.138, and 0.195 yr−1, respectively. The research also supports the claim that adding fins, sponges, black sand, and hybrid enhanced nano-PCM to CSS results in a higher sustainability index.

Harnessing fluorescence resonance energy transfer for improved solar still performance with zinc oxide nanoparticles and activated carbon

The Single Slope Corrugated Wick type Solar Distillers (SWS) have attracted significant research funding owing to their simple preparation process and excellent durability against heat and moisture. However, there is a recognized need to enhance their solar energy conversion efficiency. The utilization of ZnO nanoparticles (Z) in SWS is limited by their light absorption capacity, resulting in suboptimal thermal energy conversion and solar energy absorption. In this investigation, we propose an innovative method known as Fluorescence Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET), combining crystallized Z with activated carbon (AC) derived from areca nut shells. This novel approach substantially boosts the thermal efficiency of solar energy utilization in SWS by facilitating efficient energy transfer from ZAC to water.The FRET technique enables the effective transfer of energy from ZAC to water and is comprehensively analyzed. By utilizing Z as donors and AC as acceptors, the photoluminescence emitted by ZAC can be absorbed by both components, thereby increasing the carrier population as of Corrugated Wick-type towards the condenser face within SWS. The evaporation rate from water to the condensing surface is significantly higher in SWS with ZAC compared to conventional wick-type solar stills (CWS), attributed to the efficient heat transfer facilitated through multi-dimensional heterojunctions within ZAC. The energy and charge transfer processes are optimized for both summer and winter operating conditions. The ZAC-based SWS exhibits exceptional resilience in various ambient conditions, resulting in a substantial 33.989 % enhancement in distillation efficiency during summer and a notable 31.199 % improvement in winter. The incorporation of ZAC elevates the production of distillate water to 6.325 liters/m2 per day in summer and 5.840 liters/m2 per day in winter (24 h). The energy distribution among particle components is extensively scrutinized using the FRET mechanism.

Innovative solar distillation system with prismatic absorber basin: Experimental analysis and LSTM machine learning modeling coupled with great wall construction algorithm

Enhancing the vaporization surface area of the solar distillers through the implementation of a novel configurations based solar distiller represents a cost-efficient strategy for maximizing the distilled water output of conventional solar stills. The study introduces a pioneering wicked prismatic-shaped solar distiller equipped with wick materials and feed spaying nozzles, aimed at augmenting vaporization rates inside the still trough and, consequently, increasing the yield of freshwater. Two solar distillers with double slope covers are constructed and tested include a modified solar still with a prismatic basin, two incline covers, and spraying nozzles (MSS) and a reference double slope solar still (RSS). Furthermore, we have constructed a hybrid artificial intelligence framework, integrating a long short-term memory (LSTM) neural network fine-tuned through the utilization of great wall construction algorithm (GWCA). This model has been designed for the purpose of forecasting both the saltwater temperature and the associated freshwater product within the two examined solar distillers, whereas, the time, solar flux, wind velocity, and ambient temperature are considered as inputs. GWCA is effectively employed to optimize the LSTM model by determining the optimal parameter values to enhance its performance. The experimental results revealed that the daily freshwater production for the MSS reached 7.94 kg/m²/day, while the RSS achieved 5.31 kg/m²/day. This represents a substantial 49.53% improvement when compared to the RSS. Additionally, the daily energy efficiency of the MSS and RSS was assessed at 57.40% and 39.80%, respectively, whereas the daily exergy efficiency was 3.80% and 2.20%, respectively, signifying a notable 44.23% and 72.74% increase the energetic and exergetic efficiencies over RSS. Furthermore, the prediction findings demonstrated that during the testing phase, the coefficient of determination for saltwater temperature prediction of the MSS was calculated at 0.996 for LSTM-GWCA and 0.963 for LSTM. In the case of freshwater product prediction, these values were 0.983 for LSTM-GWCA and 0.922 for LSTM, respectively.

Enhancing Solar Still Efficiency: Optimal Water Depth and Wire Mesh-Pebble Structures

In underdeveloped countries, the shortage of clean drinking water is a major problem. One approach to tackle this issue has been to use solar energy for desalination, a process that turns saltwater into fresh water. This method utilizes solar thermal energy to evaporate water, separating the pure water from the salty water. However, traditional solar stills face challenges in producing sufficient water because of the limited heat transfer between the absorbing plate and the fluid used to extract energy. The research aims to improve the efficiency of solar stills for water desalination. In conventional solar stills, maintaining optimal water depth is a challenge. The study experimented with varying water depths (2 cm to 12 cm) in a modified solar still. The best result, with a maximum distillate output of 2050 ml/m2day, was achieved at a 2 cm water depth. To enhance performance, wire mesh and pebbles were added to increase absorptivity, raising the temperature of saline water. This modification led to a significant improvement, with the modified solar still producing a maximum distillate of 2670 ml/m2day. This research provides valuable insights into optimizing solar stills for better water yield and thermal efficiency.

Effect of coating of waste toner powder weight concentration on absorber plate of solar still

A solar still is a device that uses sun energy to convert brackish or salted water into drinkable water and its distillate output is lower. In addition, it is the primary issue with the solar still; thus, researchers are looking for fresh ideas to raise the distillate output. The primary goal of this study is to examine the effects of mixing different weight concentrations (5%, 10%, 15%, and 20%) of toner waste powder (TWP) nanoparticles with black paint on distillate output and energy–exergy efficiency analysis. Two solar stills of similar dimensions have been used in the current study from February to March 2023 at Palanpur, Gujarat, India. Basin water, inner glass surface temperature, distillate output, and intensity of solar radiation are all monitored hourly for solar stills. This research indicates that the application of TWP coating to absorber plates increased the distillate output, and the highest distillate output of 955 ml was achieved at 10 wt. % concentration of nanoparticles, which is 40.03% higher than a conventional solar still (CSS) and 33.38%, 10.40%, and 30.64% higher than 5, 15, and 20 wt. % concentrations of nanoparticles at the same water depth, respectively. In addition, it was discovered that adding TWP to the solar still enhanced energy and exergy efficiency. Based on this research, it can be concluded that TWP is a suitable, inexpensive resource to boost energy and exergy efficiency and distillate output of solar still.

Advancing solar distillation efficiency through calcium hydroxide coating and enhanced configuration of mirror-assisted system

While solar distillation presents an eco-friendly and sustainable means of obtaining potable water, its capacity to generate water is relatively modest. The principal objective of this research endeavor resides in the enhancement of the condensation mechanism within solar distillation apparatuses, concurrently ameliorating thermal losses from the distiller's rear wall (MSS). This enhancement is achieved through the strategic application of a calcium hydroxide coating onto the rear surface of back wall of conventional solar still (CSS). This study investigated the performance of the solar still painted by five distinct binder material ratios (10 %, 20 %, 30 %, 40 %, and 50 % by weight) relative to the calcium hydroxide component. Additionally, the application of the calcium hydroxide paint on the rear wall was tested with and without a protective glass panel. Finally, incorporation of mirrors in conjunction with a protective glass panel preceding the paint application was investigated. The experimental observations have led to a significant insight: a binder ratio of 20 % yields optimal adhesive qualities while concurrently upholding cohesion strength. The MSS with glass plate and mirrors exhibited the most impressive performance, with a yield rise of 130 % and an efficiency of 53.5 %. The costs of freshwater of CSS and MSS were 0.02 and 0.015 $/L.