Amirkabir University of Technology Amirkabir Journal of Mechanical Engineering 2008-6032 54 9 2022 11 22 Experimental Study of the Effect of Distilled Water-Conducting Threads on the Performance of Stepped Solar Still Experimental Study of the Effect of Distilled Water-Conducting Threads on the Performance of Stepped Solar Still 2103 2120 4962 10.22060/mej.2022.21132.7382 FA Mohammad Khalili Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Arak University, Arak, Iran 0000-0002-2591-8366 Moein Taheri Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Arak University, Arak, Iran 0000-0001-6583-3925 Milad Salehi Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Arak University, Arak, Iran Zahra Sadat Eghdami Department of Mechanical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Arak University, Arak, Iran 0009-0001-3861-2251 Journal Article 2022 02 21 Academics are interested in solar energy for water purification because it is easily accessible. In this investigation, a stepped solar still was constructed and tested experimentally in Arak. Using the Taguchi design of experiment approach, it was determined how the five input parameters-saline water flow rate, device angle, absorber plate color, number, and spacing of distilled water-conducting threads in each row-affected the amount of freshwater production as the output variable. This research is unique in that it uses plastic threads to create channels on the cover glass surface that lead distilled water to the freshwater tank. In addition, the simultaneous study of the effect of input parameters is one of the innovations of this research. The results showed that when the input saline water flow rate was 50 ml/min, the device angle was 40°, the absorber plate was black, the number of water-conducting threads in each row was 2, and the row spacing was 8 mm, the greatest freshwater output of 1975 ml/m² was produced. Also, by using two water-conducting threads in each row and spacing them 8 mm apart, the amount of water produced per unit of surface area was increased. Academics are interested in solar energy for water purification because it is easily accessible. In this investigation, a stepped solar still was constructed and tested experimentally in Arak. Using the Taguchi design of experiment approach, it was determined how the five input parameters-saline water flow rate, device angle, absorber plate color, number, and spacing of distilled water-conducting threads in each row-affected the amount of freshwater production as the output variable. This research is unique in that it uses plastic threads to create channels on the cover glass surface that lead distilled water to the freshwater tank. In addition, the simultaneous study of the effect of input parameters is one of the innovations of this research. The results showed that when the input saline water flow rate was 50 ml/min, the device angle was 40°, the absorber plate was black, the number of water-conducting threads in each row was 2, and the row spacing was 8 mm, the greatest freshwater output of 1975 ml/m² was produced. Also, by using two water-conducting threads in each row and spacing them 8 mm apart, the amount of water produced per unit of surface area was increased. https://mej.aut.ac.ir/article_4962_66bf858e119401396053e04633d95637.pdf