Solar Powered Desalination Experiment observations
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Solar Powered Desalination Experiment observations
We just finished the solar powered desalination project after 2 days in our home. yesterday was cold and partly sunny, today was sunny, then turned to partly sunny. Temperature at 32-34 degrees F. I am not confident in our findings, due to the cold air. End result was more fresh purified water from low salinity water compared to higher salinity water. Does this sound correct, or did our cold weather/sunshine conditions yield incorrect results? (the results were very close)
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Re: Solar Powered Desalination Experiment observations
Hi gnodtke,
The results of your experiment are not incorrect. Often when we do experiments, our results do not match our expectations. But that does not make the results incorrect (assuming the setup is correct), but maybe our expectations were incorrect!
It sounds like the independent variable is the salinity of the salt water. Excellent. The energy that is driving this desalination is solar power. The conditions stated (32-34F and partly cloudy) are not ideal, though will still yield quality results. Ideal conditions would be a hot clear day. If the experiment were to be performed under ideal conditions, we would expect to see much more evaporation and condensation, would lead to a higher yield, and should provide a greater difference between the two setups. But the lower energy does not invalidate the results of the experiment!
Due to the environmental conditions, I would expect the yield to be low, resulting in relatively similar results. But one can still look at the differences and interpret why they are not the same.
Hope this helps, and remember to write all assumptions and explanations in the lab report.
-AeroSE
The results of your experiment are not incorrect. Often when we do experiments, our results do not match our expectations. But that does not make the results incorrect (assuming the setup is correct), but maybe our expectations were incorrect!
It sounds like the independent variable is the salinity of the salt water. Excellent. The energy that is driving this desalination is solar power. The conditions stated (32-34F and partly cloudy) are not ideal, though will still yield quality results. Ideal conditions would be a hot clear day. If the experiment were to be performed under ideal conditions, we would expect to see much more evaporation and condensation, would lead to a higher yield, and should provide a greater difference between the two setups. But the lower energy does not invalidate the results of the experiment!
Due to the environmental conditions, I would expect the yield to be low, resulting in relatively similar results. But one can still look at the differences and interpret why they are not the same.
Hope this helps, and remember to write all assumptions and explanations in the lab report.
-AeroSE