Review of the Usage of Thermal Energy Storage Materials to Enhance the Performance of a Solar Still

Solar stills are a renewable and sustainable technology designed for treating saline or brackish water into fresh water. They play a significant role in mitigating CO2 emissions and addressing the impacts of global warming. Additionally, they contribute to advancing efforts in decarbonization. This technology actively supports the achievement of sustainable development goals (SDGs). Despite these merits, the distillate production rate of solar stills remains relatively low, impacting their overall performance. The integration of thermal storage materials stands out as a viable solution to substantially enhance the efficiency of solar stills. Particularly, the inclusion of phase change materials (PCM) as the latent heat storage material proves to be highly effective in elevating the thermal efficiency of solar stills when compared to using sensible heat storage materials alone. The study not only explored the efficacy of diverse solar still designs incorporating PCM alongside sensible heat storage materials but also conducted a comprehensive comparative analysis between the performance of PCM-integrated solar stills and those utilizing sensible heat storage materials. These economically feasible stills can be easily and affordably constructed to meet the daily demand for potable water, especially catering to the needs of small households and communities located on islands or coastal areas. Additionally, these low-cost solar stills demonstrate efficiency in distilling brackish water for populations residing near riverbanks. The review also explores potential approaches to enhance performance and investigates the techno-economic viability of solar stills. In essence, this study furnishes professionals and newcomers with comprehensive insights into solar stills while proposing avenues for future research endeavours.