Solar stills are systems designed to filter or purify water. The number of systems designed to filter water have increased dramatically in recent years. As water supplies have increased in salinity, have been contaminated, or have experienced periods of contamination, people have lost trust in their drinking water supply. Water filtration systems can be as simple as a filter for taste and odor to complex systems to remove impurities and toxins. Solar water distillation is one of the simplest and most effective methods of purifying water. Solar water distillation replicates the way nature purifies water. The sun's energy heats water to the point of evaporation. As the water evaporates, purified water vapor rises, condensing on the glass surface for collection.
This process removes impurities such as salts and heavy metals, as well as destroying microbiological organisms. The end result is water cleaner than the purest rainwater.
Solar energy is allowed into the collector to heat the water. The water evaporates only to condense on the underside of the glass. When water evaporates, only the water vapor rises, leaving contaminants behind. The gentle slope of the glass directs the condensate to a collection trough, which in turn delivers the water to the collection bottle.
