Innovative solutions for solar still challenges: Thermoelectric integration and real-time monitoring

Md Yusop, Azdiana and Zakaria, Muhammad Hafizzullah and Sa'id Al-Jifri, Said Al Farhan and Sulaiman, Noor Asyikin and Mohd Khafe, Adie and Mohamed, Ramizi (2026) Innovative solutions for solar still challenges: Thermoelectric integration and real-time monitoring. Jurnal Kejuruteraan, 38 (2). pp. 809-818. ISSN 0128-0198

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Abstract

Solar stills offer a decentralized solution for water purification, but conventional designs face limitations such as low efficiency (~3 L/day) and a lack of real-time monitoring, hindering widespread adoption. This study presents an innovative hybrid solar still enhanced with a thermoelectric Peltier system and IoT-based monitoring to address these challenges. By integrating active thermoelectric heating (using three TEC1-12706 modules) with passive solar evaporation, the system achieves a 59.22% improvement in efficiency compared to traditional stills. Real-time performance monitoring is enabled through DS18B20 temperature sensors and water-level sensors, connected via an ESP8266 microcontroller for cloud-based data logging. This IoT integration allows for dynamic optimization under varying environmental conditions, ensuring consistent performance. Experimental results demonstrate that the enhanced system increases peak water temperature by 38.87% and produces 1.2 L of clean water —four times more than passive designs. The dual-energy input (solar and thermoelectric) ensures reliable operation even in suboptimal sunlight conditions, making it suitable for off-grid and resource-limited settings. The key novelty of this work lies in the synergistic combination of active thermoelectric heating, passive solar distillation, and IoT-enabled monitoring, addressing critical gaps in efficiency and adaptability for decentralized water purification. This study provides a scalable and sustainable solution for clean water production in challenging environments, with potential applications in remote and disaster-affected areas.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Solar still, Thermoelectric, IoT, Evaporation, Clean water
Divisions:	Faculty Of Electronics And Computer Technology And Engineering
Depositing User:	Sabariah Ismail
Date Deposited:	13 Jul 2026 06:36
Last Modified:	13 Jul 2026 06:36
URI:	http://eprints.utem.edu.my/id/eprint/29929
Statistic Details:	View Download Statistic

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