Modeling of Water Generation from Air Using Anhydrous Salts

Shereen K. Sibie, Mohamed F. El-Amin and Shuyu Sun
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Shereen K. Sibie: College of Engineering, Effat University, Jeddah 21478, Saudi Arabia
Mohamed F. El-Amin: College of Engineering, Effat University, Jeddah 21478, Saudi Arabia
Shuyu Sun: Division of Physical Sciences and Engineering (PSE), King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), Thuwal, Jeddah 23955-6900, Saudi Arabia

Energies, 2021, vol. 14, issue 13, 1-21

Abstract: The atmosphere contains 3400 trillion gallons of water vapor, which would be enough to cover the entire Earth with a one-inch layer of water. As air humidity is available everywhere, it acts as an abundant renewable water reservoir, known as atmospheric water. The efficiency of an atmospheric water harvesting system depends on the sorption capacities of water-based absorption materials. Using anhydrous salts is an efficient process in capturing and delivering water from ambient air, especially under a condition of low relative humidity, as low as 15%. Many water-scarce countries, like Saudi Arabia, receive high annual solar radiation and have relatively high humidity levels. This study is focused on the simulation and modeling of the water absorption capacities of three anhydrous salts under different relative humidity environments: copper chloride (CuCl 2 ), copper sulfate (CuSO 4 ), and magnesium sulfate (MgSO 4 ), to produce atmospheric drinking water in water-scarce regions. By using a mathematical model to simulate water absorption, this study attempts to compare and model the results of the current computed model with the laboratory experimental results under static and dynamic relative humidities. This paper also proposes a prototype of a system to produce atmospheric water using these anhydrous salts. A sensitivity analysis was also undertaken on these three selected salts to determine how the uniformity of their stratified structures, thicknesses, and porosities as applied in the mathematical model influence the results.

Keywords: atmospheric water; anhydrous salts; solar cells; water vapor; solar energy (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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