ABSTRACT

Solar energy can be used to produce fresh water from sea or saline water by several different distillation processes. The process of humidification followed by dehumidification is accomplished on a small scale by basin-type solar stills. In this basin-type still solar heat is used only once, for it must be dissipated from the outside of the cover to cause condensation of the humidity. Although plants of multiple-type should be superior to those of the basin type because of their more efficient use of solar radiation, the added complications cause increases in cost that have offset the savings in many of the experiments to date. The solar-heated water to energize vacuum distillers, the latter being adapted from those designed for use with fuel heat. The distillation possible with solar energy substitutes solar-heated water for fuel-supplied heat in conventional distillers of the vacuum type. Vacuum-type plants are superior to atmospheric-type plants because they do not experience heat loss from air convection.