Solar still: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 14:35, 19 March 2008

Solar still basics

Solar stills are a type of appropriate technology that are used to distill water using the power of the sun. They come in three basic types:

cone shaped,
boxlike, and
pit.

The most sophisticated being the box like and the least sophisticated is the pit. In any solar still the basic layout is some sort of collection device that captures rainwater. Covering this will in most cases be a sheet of glass or transparent plastic which allows solar radiation to pass through but not escape. This causes the water to evaporate and condense on the cover material. This process removes impurities such as salts and heavy metals as well as eliminates microbiological organisms. The end result is a supply of fresh, clean water.

Diagram of a solar still.

Background

Solar stills have been used for Hundreds of years. The earliest known examples date back to 1551 when Arab alchemists used it. In 1882 the first conventional still was invented by Charles Wilson. It was a massive solar still plant which was used to supply freshwater to a mining community in northern Chile. Today hundreds of solar still plants and thousands of individual solar stills have been built around the world.

Applications

Generally, solar stills are used in areas where piped or well water is impractical. Such areas include remote locations or during power outages. In areas that frequently lose power, solar stills can provide an alternate source of clean water. A large use of solar stills is in developing countries where the technology to effectively distill large quantities of water has not yet arrived. The drawback is that they produce a relatively small amount of clean water for an individual still. Another application for solar stills is survival. Simple solar stills can be created using basic elements from camping gear and the environment. Stills for survival would generally be the pit type since they are they simplest to produce. Moisture from the ground can be extracted but to increase the available moisture, water must be added inside or along the edges of the still. Where no water sources are readily available, urine or shredded vegetation can be used inside the pit. However makeshift solar stills often do not provide enough water for longterm survival, but can prevent dehydration for short periods of time.

References

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_still

http://www.solaqua.com/solstilbas.html

http://www.thefarm.org/charities/i4at/surv/still1.gif

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-{{Lang|[[solar still|Deutsch]] - [[solar still|English]]}}
+{{cleanup}}
+{{wikipedia p|Solar Still}}
-SOLAR STILL
+== Solar still basics ==
-FROM APPROPEDIA
+Solar stills are a type of appropriate technology that are used to distill [[water]] using the power of the sun.  They come in three basic types:
+*cone shaped,
+*boxlike, and
+*pit.
+The most sophisticated being the box like and the least sophisticated is the pit.  In any solar still the basic layout is some sort of collection device that captures rainwater.  Covering this will in most cases be a sheet of glass or transparent plastic which allows [[solar radiation]] to pass through but not escape.  This causes the water to evaporate and condense on the cover material. This process removes impurities such as salts and heavy metals as well as eliminates microbiological organisms.  The end result is a supply of fresh, clean water.
-SOLAR STILL BASICS
-Die Solar Still die am meisten angewendet wird ist die boxlike und die weniger angewendet wird is die piet.
+<gallery>
+Image:Still1.gif|Diagram of a solar still.
-In allen Solar Still ist die einfachste auslage.  Ein sammelbehälter der daß regen wasser auffängt sammeld.  Überdeckt mit Glas-Plastik was dan die solar-sonnen stablen durch läst aber daß Wasser nicht entweichen last.  Das erzeugt verdunstung- Wasserdampf.  Der prozes führt zur entsorgung von salz und anderen materialien.  Microbiological Bakterien das end resuldat ist dan frisches sauberes Wasser.
+</gallery>
+== Background ==
-BACKGROUND
+Solar stills have been used for Hundreds of years.  The earliest known examples date back to 1551 when Arab alchemists used it.  In 1882 the first conventional still was invented by Charles Wilson.  It was a massive solar still plant which was used to supply freshwater to a mining community in northern Chile.  Today hundreds of solar still plants and thousands of individual solar stills have been built around the world.
-Solar Stills benützt man seit uber 100 Jahren.  Das erste exemplar führt bis zum Jahre 1551 zurück als Arab.  Aroliologen es benützten- ausprobierten.  Im Jahre 1882 dier erste Still wurde erfunden von Carles Wilson.  Es war eine wuchdige Solar Still.  Es wurde benutzt als zu fuhr von frischen Wasser für den Steinbruch stein abbau in northeren Chile.  Heutzutage stehen hunderte solche Solar Stills und Tausende einzelne Solar Sills wurden dazu gebaut af der ganzen Welt.
- APPLICATIONS
-Normale Solar Stills werden benützt wo es unpraktisch ist Leitungen zulegen und auch kein Grund wasser-Brunnen anzulegen ist.  In Isolierten Gebieten oder wen es zu viel Strom ausfall gibt.  Solar Stills kan eine alternative sein um sauberes wasser zu erzeugen-bekommen.  Solar Stills werden sehr oft benützt in Ländern wo sie noch unterentwickelt oder noch nicht soweit sind.  Das schlechte daran ist das man nur kleine mengen von suberen Wasser erzeugen kan.  Einzelne Stills.  Eine andere seite ist Solar Stills um zu Überleben.  Einfache Solar Stills kan man aus camping Ausrustung und der um gebung herstellen.  Stills zum überleben, man benutzt das Pit Type Feuchtigkeit vom aus den Erdboden kan herausgezoogen werden.  Aber das zu verstarken muß Wasser da zu gegeben werden in die mitte oder am Rand von der Still.  Wo kein Wasser zu finden ist benutzt man Urin- oder zerstuckelte Vegetation in den Pit.  Ob gleich selbsthergestelte Solar Still reichen nicht aus lanzeitig zu überleben.  Kann aber fur dehydration fur kurze zeit helfen.
+== Applications ==
+Generally, solar stills are used in areas where piped or well water is impractical.  Such areas include remote locations or during power outages.  In areas that frequently lose power, solar stills can provide an alternate source of clean water.  A large use of solar stills is in developing countries where the technology to effectively distill large quantities of water has not yet arrived. The drawback is that they produce a relatively small amount of clean [[water]] for an individual still.
+Another application for solar stills is survival. Simple solar stills can be created using basic elements from camping gear and the environment. Stills for survival would generally be the pit type since they are they simplest to produce. Moisture from the ground can be extracted but to increase the available moisture, water must be added inside or along the edges of the still. Where no water sources are readily available, urine or shredded vegetation can be used inside the pit.  However makeshift solar stills often do not provide enough water for longterm survival, but can prevent dehydration for short periods of time.
 == References ==