Solar-Driven Atmospheric Water Harvesting Technologies Using Adsorption: Principles, Materials, Performance, and System Configurations

Malek Mannai, Valeria Palomba, Andrea Frazzica and Elpida Piperopoulos ()
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Malek Mannai: Department of Engineering, University of Messina, Contrada di Dio, S. Agata, 98166 Messina, Italy
Valeria Palomba: Istituto di Tecnologie Avanzate per l’Energia “Nicola Giordano” (ITAE), Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), 98126 Messina, Italy
Andrea Frazzica: Istituto di Tecnologie Avanzate per l’Energia “Nicola Giordano” (ITAE), Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), 98126 Messina, Italy
Elpida Piperopoulos: Department of Engineering, University of Messina, Contrada di Dio, S. Agata, 98166 Messina, Italy

Energies, 2025, vol. 18, issue 16, 1-37

Abstract: The global scarcity of freshwater, driven by population growth and the unequal distribution of water resources, has intensified the need for alternative water supply technologies. Among the most promising solutions, adsorption-based atmospheric water harvesting (AWH) systems offer the ability to extract water vapor directly from ambient air, even under low-humidity conditions. This review presents a comprehensive overview of the thermodynamic principles and material characteristics governing these systems, with particular emphasis on adsorption isotherms and their role in predicting and optimizing system performance. A generalized theoretical framework is proposed to assess the energy efficiency of thermally driven AWH devices, based on key material parameters. Recent developments in sorbent materials, especially metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) and advanced zeolites, are examined for their high-water uptake, regeneration efficiency, and potential for operation under real climatic conditions. The Dubinin–Astakhov and modified Langmuir isotherm models are reviewed for their effectiveness in describing nonlinear sorption behaviors critical to performance modeling. In addition, component-level design strategies for adsorption-based AWH systems are discussed. The integration of solar energy is also discussed, highlighting recent prototypes and design strategies that have achieved water yields ranging from 0.1 to 2.5 L m −2 /day and specific productivities up to 2.8 L kg −1 using MOF-801 at 20% RH. Despite notable progress, challenges remain, including limited productivity in non-optimized setups, thermal losses, long-term material stability, and scalability. This review concludes by identifying future directions for material development, system integration, and modeling approaches to advance the practical deployment of efficient and scalable AWH technologies.

Keywords: water scarcity; Atmospheric Water Harvesting (AWH); adsorbent materials; kinetic analysis; systems performance (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: 2025
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