The advantages of solar distillation systems are many and yet not a few experimental systems have been developed and built. The main objective of this Solar Water Heater/Distillation Project is the development of an environmentally friendly improved-cost distillation technology for fresh water supply in arid and coastal regions in Nigeria.  

There are two parts to the project. The first involves an innovative concept of preheating water that is drained into a distiller to substantially increase its production especially in the night. The other component is simply a passive flat plate collector to heat water. The system is developed to be driven by energy-efficient and cost-effective solar dish concentrator and a passive flat plate collector which together provides hot water at a predesigned working temperature.  

Technical simplicity, long maintenance-free operation periods and high-quality potable water output are the very concepts on which the successful application of the systems is based. The heat source will come from a simple dish solar concentrator, developed to a

specific solar concentration ratio to achieve the required range of temperatures (70ºC – 90ºC). 

Specific objectives of the project are fourfold including scientific, technological, environmental and socio-economic.

ADVANTAGES

The main advantage of this Solar Water Heater/Distillation Project is environmentally friendly improved-cost distillation technology for fresh water supply in arid and coastal regions in Nigeria.