Sustainable water generation : grand challenges in continuous atmospheric water harvesting

Poredoš, Primož (author), Shan, He (author), Wang, Chenxi (author), Deng, Fangfang (author), Wang, Ruzhu (author)

Sorption-and radiative sky cooling-based atmospheric water harvesting (AWH) technologies hold promise to provide decentralized fresh water in highly remote and arid regions. Recentemergence of advancedenergy materials such ashygroscopic metal-organicframeworks, hydrogelsandnanoporous composite sorbents, in addition toradiative sky cooling materials provided the necessary meansfor AWH.However, truly continuouslyoperationaldevicesare yet to be developedandfield-tested.The research focus is now facing theparadigm shift, asfutureAWH systemsare challenged toprovidewater generationon a kilogram scale, finally meetinga recommended daily waterintakeper person.This criterioncan be adeptly metwith continuously operated devices in comparison to discontinuous ones, providing much needed compactness along energy and mass efficiency.Here wecriticallydiscussdrawbacks of current energy materials as well as system designsthat arehindering theuse ofcontinuous AWH. Based on identified challengeswe outline viablescientific and technologicalpaths.In addition, a possible synergistic effect of sorbents and radiative sky cooling materialson material and system levelsto achieve 24-hour continuous fresh water generation is discussed.Provideddevelopmentpathscanspur voluminous avenues intosustainablecontinuous AWH exploration, makingthe ultimate goal “to providefresh water for all”a step closer.

• Language: English
• Keywords: atmospheric water harvesting, continuous operation, radiative sky cooling materials, hygroscopic sorbents, advanced thermal engineering
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.02 - Review Article
• Organization: FS - Faculty of Mechanical Engineering
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Author Accepted Manuscript
• Year: 2022
• Number of pages: Str. 3223-3235
• Numbering: Vol. 15, iss. 8
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-145262
• UDC: 628.116
• ISSN on article: 1754-5706
• DOI: 10.1039/D2EE01234K
• COBISS.SI-ID: 143310083
• Publication date in RUL: 14.04.2023

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Energy & environmental science
• Publisher: Royal Society of Chemistry
• ISSN: 1754-5706
• COBISS.SI-ID: 519833369

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: pridobivanje vode iz atmosfere, kontinuirano obratovanje, materiali za sevalno hlajenje z nebom, higroskopska sorpcijska sredstva, napredni toplotni inženiring