Experimental study and performance analysis of a mobile autonomous atmospheric water generator designed for arid climatic conditions

Nikola Pokorny, Viacheslav Shemelin and Jiri Novotny

Energy, 2022, vol. 250, issue C

Abstract: To offer an alternative way of supplying potable water to people in desert climatic conditions, a prototype of a mobile autonomous atmospheric water generator was designed, constructed, and experimentally investigated. The dimensions of the prototype are 1 × 1.4 × 1 m. To ensure the efficient water extraction from the atmospheric vapour in the desert climatic conditions, a desiccant wheel was used to provide a water vapour mass transfer from one airflow to another. Cooling the air stream (120 m3/h) below the dew point temperature was realised by a vapour compression cycle. The influence of the climatic conditions (air temperature and humidity ratio) on the water production, energy consumption, and device performance was studied and analysed. The developed prototype can effectively harvest water in arid locations with a water harvesting rate (WHR) from 0.23 kg/h to 1.45 kg/h and a unit performance coefficient (UPC) from 1.00 kWh/kg to 4.65 kWh/kg. Subsequently, a whole year simulation analysis with different control strategies was conducted for the desert climatic conditions of Riyadh (Saudi Arabia) and Tamanrasset (Algeria). The results of the simulation showed that, in the fully autonomous mode, annual average daily water production rates of 7.9 kg/day and 8.1 kg/day were achieved for the Riyadh and Tamanrasset climatic conditions, respectively, proving it to be an efficient and valuable solution for potable water production in extremely dry and hot regions.

Keywords: Air water harvesting (AWH); Atmospheric water generator (AWG); Dehumidifier; Heat transfer; Mass transfer; Solar energy (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:energy:v:250:y:2022:i:c:s0360544222007162

DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2022.123813

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