The need for freshwater has significantly increased, and this challenge needs to be addressed for sustainable environment. The desalination method, which utilizes a solar still, is useful in arid, as well as more developed regions. However, the quantity of freshwater produced from conventional solar still is not enough to consume daily. As a result, an attempt has been made to investigate the design and evaluation of a new solar distillation system, with the aim of improving its performance parameters. Himalayan Rambaan fibers (HRF), found in abundance in the Himalayas, were arranged in varying quantities within the solar still’s absorber basin for experimental evaluation. The optimum energy efficiency from a modified single-slope basin type solar still with Himalayan Rambaan fibers (MSSBTSS-HRF) and conventional single-slope basin type solar still (CSSBTSS) was found to increase to 75.54% and 59.36%, respectively. The experimental assessment reveals that the evaluated sample fibers led to a significant 27.24% improvement in the maximum efficiency of a solar still, while only occupying 3.8% of the surface area. An economic analysis demonstrates that the use of HRF maintained the cost-effectiveness of solar still. The cost per liter of distillate freshwater yield produced using MSSBTSS-HRF and CSSBTSS is ₹1.2 and ₹1.6, respectively, with payback periods of 2.76 and 3.52 months. These outcomes reveal great potential of MSSBTSS-HRF approach toward enhancing the overall performance and cost-effectiveness of solar still.
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