Solar still how does it work

Place the jar in the center of the bowl. Measure the water you will use with a measuring cup. The amount of water should be enough to fill the bowl about 5 cm lower than the brim of the jar. Pour the water into the bowl around the jar. Add a few teaspoons of salt into the tap water. Stir to dissolve the salt into the water. Put your finger in the water and taste it. Can you taste the salt? Cover the bowl tightly in cling wrap.

You may need to use tape to secure the cling wrap. Put the weight on top of the cling wrap in the center. This should cause it to bend a bit in the middle, over top of the jar. Move your solar still into the sun and wait for 3 to 5 hours. To help track the time, use a marker to write the time you started at on the cling wrap. The solar-still process uses the sun instead of other sources such as fossil fuels to gain the energy needed for purification. Solar stills are then able to supply pure water for drinking and cooking, even in areas where there are no other sources of energy, while still being friendly to the environment.

Solar stills are used across the world to provide clean, drinkable water to the masses. Some solar stills are used in homes to help reduce energy costs and pollution, while others are used in poverty-stricken areas around the world where there are no other sources of clean drinking water. A solar still is made up of a two water troughs and a piece of glass running across the top of the water containers.

Dirty water is placed in one of the troughs, while the other remains empty. The glass is placed across the top at an angle, angling directly down into the empty trough. The bottom of the trough containing the dirty water is usually painted black to help absorb the energy from the sun.

A solar still works on two scientific principles: evaporation and condensation. First, the water that needs to be purified is placed in the trough with the black bottom. The solar still is then allowed to sit in the sun, which allows the still to absorb the sun's short-wave energy. As the energy is absorbed, it starts to heat the water.

This is usually done with a hose that is connected from the clean trough to the outside of the contraption. Here is an actual picture of a Solar Still in action. Your email address will not be published. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Your Name:. Email address:. No Spam. Just good stuff. Toggle Navigation TurbineGenerator.