The impact of using nanofluid on the performance of solar stills: A comprehensive review

The increasing significance of renewable energy methods arises from insufficient global water resources to sustain the growing human population. Solar-powered desalination devices, specifically called solar stills, are capturing the interest of researchers in this regard. Despite their reliability and environmental friendliness, solar stills face challenges related to efficiency. Numerous strategies have been employed to enhance the freshwater production of solar-driven desalination systems. This review mainly focuses on papers investigating the impact of mono and hybrid nanofluids on the effectiveness of solar stills for the last decade. Issues specific to nanofluids such as particle size and shape are also introduced to aid understanding of their application to solar stills. Methods for the preparation and stability evaluation of nanofluids are examined. The effects of altering nanofluid type and concentration on the still performance have been investigated under the main headings. In addition to utilizing nanofluids, studies examining the modifications such as glass cooling, external condenser, reflector, etc. are summarized. Among the studies, the most important enhancement in yield relative to conventional solar still was reported as 285.1 % by utilizing Cu₂O nanofluid at a 1.97 % concentration, a corrugated wick absorber, internal reflectors, and an external condenser. The studies investigating exergy efficiency and environmental factors are also reviewed. The article delves into the quality of the water produced by stills and the potential consequences of using desalinated water for human health. The results of these articles are presented with detailed tables and supplementary graphics. This comprehensive compilation is expected to provide insight into research related to solar stills.