Sun actuated automated distillation apparatus

A solar distillation apparatus comprising an evaporation chamber comprised of panels of rigid plastic foam thermal insulation stiffened by means of tubular metal reinforcement members incorporated internally in the panels for maintaining perimeter wall panels as flat, planar, members, and for creating rigid structural panel units which can be incorporated into the evaporation chamber without requiring external support or containing walls wherein the perimeter wall panels enclose a floor of thermal insulation material which completely covers a floor area within the perimeter walls of the evaporation chamber and wherein the floor and walls of the evaporation chamber are supported on a substantially rigid, flat, support base,

• an impervious flexible sheet for lining the interior of the floor and walls of the evaporation chamber comprises alternate layers of plastic film or sheet, and metal foil, to which adhesive is applied so that the layers bond together and form a single composite sheet which is impervious to saline water and water vapor,
• a sloping transparent evaporation chamber cover comprises a sheet of transparent flexible plastic film which is attached to, and stretched across, an open rectangular frame comprised of tubular metallic members held in rectangular configuration by sockets in rigid corner elbows, said tubular metallic members individually rotate about their long axes to adjust tension in the plastic cover film to compensate for temperature or wind effects, wherein the cover is held down and in position on top of the evaporation chamber by a tensional pull of elastic members attached at each corner of the cover frame, and wherein a sealed linear join surface is created where the undersurface of the plastic cover film contacts and compresses strips of flexible plastic foam gasket material bonded to planar top surfaces of the walls enclosing the evaporation chamber,
• a black, absorbent, wick matting disposed on the evaporation chamber floor, comprises a layered mat of fine, randomly arrayed, glass fibers derived from inorganic, amorphous, mineral silicates, said wick matting is impregnated with a hydrophylic mixture comprising a clay mineral activated with acid, and water and lampblack, rendering said wick matting an efficient absorber of water, and of solar energy, and
• an adjustable, sun actuated, mechanical valve for controlling the flow of saline water into the evaporation chamber, comprises a thermally responsive actuating element fully exposed to radiant solar energy, said actuating element is coupled, by contact with an adjusting screw, to a spring tensioned pivoted lever means, which maintains pressure on a resilient tube saline water conduit, wherein temperature induced dimensional changes in the thermally responsive actuating element are transmitted, as movement, to said pivoted lever means, varying the pressure on the resilient tube saline water conduit, changing its internal dimensions, and controlling the flow of saline water into the evaporation chamber to a desired rate.