A COMPACT SOLAR-STILL UTILIZING HYDROPHOBIC POLY(TETRAFLUOROETHYLENE)NETS FOR SEPARATING NEIGHBORING WICKS

After theoretically and experimentally analyzing a wick/poly (tetraflu oroethylene) net/wick layered unit, we constructed a ten unit theoreti cal model of a multi-wick solar still. Compared to a conventional 10 m m gap unit, their internal temperature drops are found to be drastical ly lower, at the cost of only small decreases in productivity. The net -unit stills allow a much more compact design and have, greater produc tivity than a still consisting of ten conventional 10 mm gap units. Th ese findings lead us to propose a wick/poly (tetrafluoroethylene) net/ wick layered unit for a multi-wick solar still.