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<p>This study addresses the critical need for sustainable freshwater solutions in water-scarce regions by enhancing solar desalination performance through the integration of waste-derived materials and advanced optimization techniques. Aluminum-Tin (Al-Sn) thin films were repurposed from discarded beverage cans to serve as super sensible heat storage (SHS) material within a conventional single-slope solar still (CSS). Two modified stills were developed: one integrated with Al-Sn films and thermocol insulation (PSS-I), and another with Al-Sn films and 3D-printed polypropylene insulation (PSS-II). These were experimentally tested against a standard CSS under identical climatic conditions. The optimal configuration identified through four machine learning optimization algorithms (GA, PSO, GWO, and MODE) utilized a 2&#xa0;cm row-wise distance, 5&#xa0;cm column-wise distance, and 18 Al-Sn plates. The PSS-II system achieved a maximum freshwater yield of 3.65 L day<sup>-1</sup>, representing a 34% improvement over the conventional model, with corresponding energy and exergy efficiencies of 20.34 and 0.39%, respectively. Particle swarm optimization (PSO) demonstrated the best performance among the algorithms. The system exhibited a rapid payback period of 182&#xa0;days, highlighting its economic feasibility. This research underscores the potential of repurposing industrial waste into high-performance thermal materials, offering a sustainable, cost-effective approach to decentralized freshwater production in arid and coastal regions.</p>

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Turning trash into thermal treasure: optimizing solar still performance with waste-derived Al–Sn films

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年3月11日

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  • Gurukarthik Babu Balachandran,
  • Petchithai Vellaidurai,
  • Indhuja Rajendran,
  • Muthu Eshwaran Ramachandran

摘要

This study addresses the critical need for sustainable freshwater solutions in water-scarce regions by enhancing solar desalination performance through the integration of waste-derived materials and advanced optimization techniques. Aluminum-Tin (Al-Sn) thin films were repurposed from discarded beverage cans to serve as super sensible heat storage (SHS) material within a conventional single-slope solar still (CSS). Two modified stills were developed: one integrated with Al-Sn films and thermocol insulation (PSS-I), and another with Al-Sn films and 3D-printed polypropylene insulation (PSS-II). These were experimentally tested against a standard CSS under identical climatic conditions. The optimal configuration identified through four machine learning optimization algorithms (GA, PSO, GWO, and MODE) utilized a 2 cm row-wise distance, 5 cm column-wise distance, and 18 Al-Sn plates. The PSS-II system achieved a maximum freshwater yield of 3.65 L day-1, representing a 34% improvement over the conventional model, with corresponding energy and exergy efficiencies of 20.34 and 0.39%, respectively. Particle swarm optimization (PSO) demonstrated the best performance among the algorithms. The system exhibited a rapid payback period of 182 days, highlighting its economic feasibility. This research underscores the potential of repurposing industrial waste into high-performance thermal materials, offering a sustainable, cost-effective approach to decentralized freshwater production in arid and coastal regions.