IMPROVING SOLAR STILL EFFICIENCY USING A ROTATING COTTON MESH FABRIC: A CASE STUDY IN KIRKUK CITY, IRAQ

• Date: 2026
• Author Affiliations: Z. Akbara Sahip — Technical Engineering College, Renewable Energy Research Center – Northern Technical University, Kirkuk, Iraq; T. Alwan Naseer — Department of Oil & Gas Techniques Engineering – Northern Technical University, Kirkuk, Iraq; Mohamad Barhm — Department of Petroleum Technology, Koya Technical Institute, Erbil Polytechnic University, Erbil, Iraq; Abuidam Mohammed — Diwaniyah Municipality Directorate, Al- Qadisiyyah, Iraq
• Keywords: keywords
• Main Authors: Sahip , Z. Akbara, Naseer , T. Alwan, Barhm , Mohamad, Mohammed , Abuidam
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Institute of Renewable Energy National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine 2026
• Subjects: conventional solar still; thermodynamic analysis; solar radiation intensity; Energy economic analysis; optimization techniques.
• Online Access: https://ve.org.ua/index.php/journal/article/view/607
• Journal Title: Vidnovluvana energetika

This research aims to improve the performance of solar distillation systems by incorporating a rotating cotton cloth into the distillation chamber. This contributes to enhancing the thermal efficiency of the system by improving heat distribution and accelerating the evaporation process. Experimental results showed that the highest water production was achieved at a rotation speed of 0.2 rpm, reaching 1840 ml/day, followed by a rotation speed of 0.5 rpm (1755 ml/day), and a rotation speed of 1 rpm (1670 ml/day). The study also demonstrated that environmental factors such as solar radiation intensity, temperature, humidity, and wind speed significantly affect system efficiency. The research concludes that the rotating cloth technology represents a promising solution for improving the efficiency of solar desalination systems, especially in areas with high solar radiation such as Kirkuk city, Iraq.