SOLAR DESALINATION: THE FUTURE OF WATER PURIFICATION

Abstract

Demand of energy is increasing in day today life; we require energy for doing many works like industrial,
agricultural, domestic and laboratories. We are continuously using conventional sources of energy which will be
exhausted in few decades. Hence, the use of non-conventional sources ought to be our priority. Nowadays, the majority
of the consumed energy all around the world comes from conventional fossil fuels like coal, natural gas, crude oil, etc.
Due to the limited reserves of fossil fuels, their rising prices, polluting of nature and the increasing concern over global
warming, the interest in renewable energy sources has significantly increased. Solar energy is the type of nonconventional energy which is available over worldwide at free of cost. Solar energy can be used for various purposes like
electricity generation, heating, cooling and desalination etc. Solar desalination is very useful technique for converting
brackish water into fresh water. A lot of research work has been done on stepped and inclined solar still incorporated
with the absorber to enhance the productivity of the solar stills. Some of them have been reviewed and studies in this
paper, and also the better ones are compared.