The document summarizes the modification and testing of a parabolic concentrator solar water distiller to improve its efficiency and usability. Key modifications included replacing mirrors with reflective aluminum sheets to reduce weight, adding a microprocessor-controlled solar tracking system using a chain drive mechanism to maximize sunlight collection, and adjusting the dish mounting to the local latitude. Testing found the modifications increased annual usable time by 47% and overall efficiency by 23-32% compared to the original design. The updated design provides a portable, low-maintenance solar distillation system, though tracking could be improved with a dual-axis mechanism.

1. 1
Modification and Testing of Parabolic
Concentrator Solar Water Distiller
S. Bhatnagar1
, R. Chordia2
, D.S. Shekhawat3
, S.K. Yadav4
, M.K. Sain5
Department of Mechanical Engineering
Swami Keshvanand Institute of Technology M&G, Jaipur
[1, 2, 3, 4] Final Year Undergraduate Students, Dept. of Mech. Engg, SKIT M&G, Jaipur.
[5] Reader, Dept. of Mech. Engg, SKIT M&G, Jaipur.
ABSTRACT
The modification and testing of a Parabolic
Concentrator Solar Water Distiller is the objective in
order to enhance the efficiency as well as the usability
of the existing product, better performance is ensured
by the control through microprocessor and sensors
and so did the overall operation by using a Chain
Drive mechanism. The power unit is simply a battery
and a solar panel which also is used to track the sun’s
position along with the equipped microprocessors.
The reduction in weight is achieved by using
reflective aluminum metal sheets in place of mirrors,
thus making the set-up reliable enough to withstand
routine life bumps.
I. INTRODUCTION
Human life sustainability depends mainly on water
and the supply of energy. Industrial Growth caused
a deprivation of fresh portable water due to
contamination which resulted in the dispossession
of the water resources. The existing distillation
plants use fossil fuel as a source of energy. Solar
energy is one of the most acceptable energy
sources; its direct use eliminates the operating cost.
Solar distillation is a simple and attractive
technique as compared to other distillation
processes suited to small units in areas where solar
energy is widely abundant.
Solar distiller design claims harmony of efficient
usage of energy, water leakage prevention, real
time tracing, user friendliness, safety and
portability.
A. Objective:
The major aim of the project include the enhancing
of the efficiency of a parabolic concentrator solar
water distiller as well as to increase the usability of
the product; to achieve this microprocessor
controlled solar tracking is used along with the
concentrator unit in order to maximize the usability
and efficiency, other priorities include the overall
reduction of weight which is achieved by removing
the existing mirror and mesh setup and using the
reflecting aluminum metal sheets in its place which
resulted in better reflection of the sun rays.
B. Previous Developments:
Parabolic Concentrator Solar water distiller were
firstly developed as very simple devices used for
the purpose of water distillation using solar energy
but they weren’t efficient and their usability was
not up to the mark.

2. 2
Next was the development and launch of Parabolic
Concentrator Solar Water Distillers mated along
the Solar Trackers ensuring maximum usability and
increased overall efficiency but were very costly
and their maintenance cost was also very high.
C. Maintenance:
The advantages are that the product is low on
maintenance and the maintenance cost is also less,
minimal maintenance such as the lubrication of the
mechanical parts: Chain Drive Mechanism is
required, motor, battery; circuits etc. require extra
attention. The product being automatic should not
be disturbed during operation.
II. LITERATURE REVIEW
A. Historical Development:
Parabolic Concentrator Solar water distiller were
developed as simple devices used for the purpose
of water distillation using solar energy but due to
the fact that they weren’t as efficient and their
usability was questionable [1, 6, 7].
Advancement saw the Parabolic Concentrator Solar
water distillers mated along the Solar Trackers
which ensures the maximum usability and
efficiency, due to this the maintenance and running
costs were reduced [2, 5, 9].
B. Parabolic Concentrators:
The type of parabolic concentrator solar water
distillers include simple non adjusting solar water
distiller, single axis solar water distiller and dual
axis solar water distiller it also depends upon with
the type of tracker mated [1, 2, 5, 10].
C. Solar Distillation:
Solar energy which is found in abundance and has
no such by- products or environmental hazards and
thus by converging the sun rays to a particular
focus results in the availability of heat energy
which further can be used in order to distill the
water adequate for regular domestic purposes [3, 4,
8].
III. DESIGN
A. Concept Selection and Finalization of Design:
Concept was selected as it was feasible, realistic
and can be completed. The modification of the
frame unit was done by detaching the mirrors and
attaching the reflective aluminum metal sheets,
fabrication of a support frame system on which the
parabolic dish is mounted at an angle of 27 degree
as the latitude of Jaipur is 27 degree North [11], for
movement of the dish the provided input was
provided by bearings on both the ends of the shaft
on which the dish is mounted which is further
connected to a gear chain mechanism powered and
controlled by the stepper motor getting input from
the microprocessors, there is battery as well as
solar panel present for energy input purpose.
B. Components:
1. Iron Framework
The framework is made by welding square
iron bars together.
2. Concentrating Dish
The Parabolic Concentrating Dish is
simply a dish but instead of using mirrors
as the reflecting media, reflective
aluminum metal sheet is used for the
same, the sheet is fastened to the dish by
the help of nut and bolts.
3. Chain Drive Mechanism and Bearings
The chain drive mechanism includes the
basic parts of the same mechanism that is
found in a simple bicycle such as the
bearings, chain, 48T chain ring and 18T
cogset.

3. 3
4. Stepper Motor
Two-way Stepper Motor of 7.5 amp rating
is used; it has the specifications as 60
RPM and Torque of 23 N-cm.
Fig.1: Schematic Diagram.
5. Solar Panel
21V 20W Solar Panel is an essential
component in tracking sun’s position as
well as is useful in recharging the battery
by converting the solar energy into
electrical energy.
6. Battery
A 12V 7.5A Battery is used for powering
the whole system, as it is self-sufficient in
driving the wiper motor and the electrical
components of the circuit.
7. Microprocessor
The electrical circuit houses the Arduino
Uno microprocessor encoded with the
computer program using embedded C
language by which the movement and the
tracking will be done and controlled.
C. Working:
The Fig.2 shows the working of the Parabolic
Concentrator Solar Water Distiller along with the
different components and their functions which are
depicted in the form of responses.
Fig.2: Flow Diagram of Working.
IV. CALCULATIONS
AC= Diameter of the Concentrating Dish
BC= cos 27 * 122 = 108.702 ~ 108 cm
AB= [(AC)2
– (BC)2
] = 56.745 ~ 57 cm
Fig. 3: Frame Dimensions.
V. RESULT
The modification done resulted in significant
increase in the efficiency and the usability of the
product as the Average Annual Peak Daytime in
Jaipur city is only 6 Hours [12, 13] i.e. the product
is only useful for the specified amount of time
throughout the day; whereas the Average Annual
Daytime is 8 Hours 50 minutes [12, 13] for which
the product can be used for the distillation purpose
for 170 minutes more thus increasing the efficiency
by a considerable 47%.
Average Annual Peak Daytime = 360 min/ day
Average Annual Usable Daytime = 530 min/ day
Average Annual Daytime = 730 min/ day
Increase in Average Annual Usage/ day = 170 mins

4. 4
Fig. 3: Average Annual Increased Usage.
Percentage Increase in Usage = (170/ 360) * 100
= 47.22 % ~ 47%
Efficiency Increase as compared to the Original
Product = [(530-360)/530]*100
= (170/530)*100
= 32.07 % ~ 32%
Overall Efficiency Increase = [(530-360)/730]*100
= (170/730)*100
= 23.28 % ~ 23%
VI. CONCLUSION
The Modification and testing of the Parabolic
Concentrator Solar Water Distiller being
successfully performed yielded the results
revealing a significant 47% more usability and
efficiency of the product as compared to its
predecessor is increased by 32% and the overall
increase in efficiency is 23%, the frame work is
sturdy enough to handle routine life bumps, the
product is lightweight so that it can be portable, the
overall user experience is simple yet productive.
The modified product employs a single axis
tracking mechanism which can only respond and
adapt to the sun’s position and the inclination of the
dish is totally dependent upon the latitude of the
location where it is to be installed thus when
moving away from the location can result in the
non-function ability of the product, to tackle this
the dish mounting mechanism can be updated to a
Double axis mechanism where one axis will be
responsible for the sun tracking task while other
can be used for adjusting with the latitude of the
location of installation.
REFERENCES
[1] Bello- Ochende, T., and Meyer, J.P., “Solar Tracking for a
Parabolic Dish used in Solar Tracking,” Journal, Dept. of Mech.
& Aero. Engg., University of Pretoria, pp. 3, 13.
[2] Chaichan, M.T., and Kazem, H.A., 2014, “Water solar
distiller productivity enhancement using concentrating solar
water heater,” Elsevier Case studies in Thermal Engg., 5, pp.
151-159.
[3] Saha, P., and Goswami, S., 2014, “Light Sensor based
automatic solar tracking system using parabolic reflector and
lens focusing action for maximum power point tracking,”
IJETAE, 4 (2), pp. 286-289.
[4] M.F.El-Refaie, Performance analysis of the stationary-
reflector/ tracking- absorber solar collector, 1989, Energy
Conversion and Management 29 (2), pp. 111-127.
[5] S.T. Ahmed, Kh.I. Abaas, Water distillation enhancement
using domestic solar water heater, 2008, 26 (5).
[6] Garg H.P. and Prakash J., 2000 “Solar Energy” Tata
McGraw-Hill, New Delhi.
[7] Gowtham, M., Sharath Chaner, M., Mallikarujanan, K.V.,
and Karthikeyan, N., 2011, “Concentrated Parabolic Solar
Distiller with Latent Heat Storage Capacity”, IJCEA, 2 (3), pp.
185- 188.
[8] Stine W.B. and Harrigan R.W. (1985) “Solar Energy
Fundamentals and Design”. John Wiley and Sons Inc., New
York.
[9] J. Rizk, and Y. Chaiko “Solar Tracking System: More
Efficient Use of Solar Panels” Proceedings of World Academy
of Science, Engineering and Technology Volume 31 July 2008
ISSN 2070-3740.
[10] Alternative Energy Tutorials, Parabolic Trough Reflector,
2011, http://www.alternative-energy-tutorials.com/solar-hot-
water/parabolic-trough-reflector.html
[11] latlong.net, <http://www.latlong.net/place/jaipur-rajasthan-
india-5130.html>
[12] Weather Spark beta, <https://weatherspark.com/
averages/33936/Jaipur-Rajasthan-India>
[13] The Weather Channel, < http://www.weather.com/>
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