Numerical analysis of greenhouse-type solar stills with high inclination

A numerical analysis has been carried out to evaluated the technical feasibility of single effect solar stills with a cover slope of up to 60°. The aim of the research is to establish the overall distillate productivity and the relative importance of the heat and mass transfer mechanisms when water diffusion is minimal and convection dominates. Experimental measurements of the distillate obtained from an already working unit are related to the numerical results by means of an “equivalent” Prandtl number that simplifies the analysis, allowing for the moist air in the inside of the cavity to be represented as a perfect gas.