Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Suitability of Atmospheric Water Harvesting
Suitability of Atmospheric Water Harvesting
net/publication/373485019
CITATIONS READS
2 500
12 authors, including:
All content following this page was uploaded by Saddam Hussain on 29 August 2023.
Review Article
1491
Pure Appl. Biol., 12(3):1490-1500, September, 2023
http://dx.doi.org/10.19045/bspab.2023.120150
Vapor Compression Refrigeration VCR dew, fog, and gathers rainfall). It is designed
based AWG to work with the nature that’s way it doesn't
Peltier Effect (PE) based AWG need electricity and runs only on natural
Integrated Hybrid (IH) Atmospheric processes like gravity, condensation, and
Water Harvesting AWH using VCR, evaporation. The tower creates a social space
Thermoelectric Cooler (TEC) solar still for the neighborhood where individuals can
based refrigeration methods spend time beneath the shadow of its
Working and design of the Warka Water umbrella for learning and community
Tower WWT discussions in addition to providing a basic
The purpose of the WWT is to collect necessity for the life, the (Fig. 1) describes
drinkable water present in the air (It harvests the pioneer phenomena behind water
extraction from WWT. [9, 10].
Figure 1. Hydrological cycle the premier phenomena behind Warka Water Tower working
(Picture credit: Muhammad Aurangzaib, Tahir Iqbal, and Saddam Hussain)
1492
Aurangzaib et al.
attached and tied at eight attachment points the highly humidity areas. A textile canopy
distributed radially around the base of the reduces the water evaporation extracted from
tower. Plastic mesh is placed inside the the air and provides a covered place for
bamboo framework, and it serves as a educational and cultural activities [11-12].
collector for rainwater as well as water from
Figure 2. Conceptual diagram of Warka Water Tower extraction from the atmosphere
(Picture credit: Muhammad Aurangzaib, Tahir Iqbal, and Saddam Hussain)
Vapor Compression Refrigeration VCR generation rate of 1.78 L hr-1. The findings
based AWG indicate that AWE devices exhibit optimal
The focus of current research involves the efficiency in hot and humid climates, offering
development and investigation of valuable insights for their practical
Atmospheric Water Harvesting AWH implementation [3].
technology, which utilizes the vapor Freshwater availability globally is declining
compression refrigeration cycle. both in quantity and quality. However, AWG
Performance studies of AWH devices have technologies have emerged as a potential
been conducted under various climatic solution. Researchers has found that AWG
conditions using a climate chamber to devices perform efficiently in hot ambient
simulate different climates in a controlled conditions and with higher Relative
laboratory setting. The study encompassed Humidity (RH) levels, especially when
seven distinct climates, including moist and utilizing the VCR technique. Notably, an
warm, humid and moderate, humid and cool, AWG device operating at 35°C and RH 95%
dry and hot, dry and moderate, mild, and mild demonstrates a water generation rate of 1.78
humid and warm conditions. The energy L hr-1 with an energy consumption rate of
intensity of AWH devices was determined to 0.75 kWh liter-1 [13].
be 0.75 kWh liter-1 of water, with a water
1493
Pure Appl. Biol., 12(3):1490-1500, September, 2023
http://dx.doi.org/10.19045/bspab.2023.120150
The findings indicate that VCR based AWG (Fig. 3a) demonstrates the VCR based AWG
in Pakistan possess a shelf life of 10 to15 working procedure. The VCR cycle uses the
years, accompanied by a favorable Return on refrigeration concept to produce high-
Investment Period (RIP) ranging from 7 to 8 pressure, high-temperature vapor using a
months. Moreover, the per liter water compressor. When this vapor reaches the
production cost falls within the range of 40- condenser, heat is removed from it, turning it
45 Rs due to the recent increase in electricity from vapor to liquid. As a result, the saturated
prices of the country. These results show the liquid's pressure and temperature drop in the
considerable potential of AWG technologies expansion valve. The low-temperature, low-
in generating water across diverse climatic pressure liquid enters the evaporator, where it
conditions, thereby presenting a promising gains heat, changes phases, and becomes
solution to combat freshwater scarcity. The vapor.
Figure 3. (a) Detailed illustration of Vapor Compression Refrigeration (VCR) cycle (b) PH
diagram illustration
The (Fig. 3b) shows a pressure enthalpy latent heat is released. At point 3, the liquid
diagram of the system. The optimum reaches its saturation temperature. The
refrigeration cycle using vapour compression expansion valve is next used to throttle the
is shown in the P-H diagram. In taken at point liquid refrigerant while maintaining constant
1, dry and saturated vapor is isentropic ally enthalpy, which lowers the pressure. The
compressed by the compressor to point 2, evaporator experiences continuous pressure
which raises the pressure in the system from heat absorption from point 4 to point 1.
the evaporator to the condenser pressure. At The (Table 1) shows the referenced studies
point 2, the condenser experiences constant for methodology, water generation capacity
pressure heat rejection, which causes a drop and key indicators for the VCR based
in temperature and a phase shift while the refrigeration systems developed by scientists.
1494
Aurangzaib et al.
Thermoelectric /Peltier Effect (PE) based attached to the hot side of the module. This
AWG helps maintain the required temperature
The AWG Peltier Effect PE based comprises gradient for efficient water condensation.
three main components: a thermoelectric The AWG's operation is based on the
module, a cold sink, and a heat sink. The principles of the Peltier effect, offering a
thermoelectric module consists of a series simple and efficient method to extract water
circuit composed of two distinct from the atmosphere. With the shelf life of
semiconductors, namely a p-type & an n-type ranging from 5 to10 years this technology
semiconductor. When an electric current holds promise for addressing water scarcity
passes through the module, one side becomes challenges and ensuring access to clean
cold while the other side becomes hot. drinking water [18-20].
Utilizing the temperature differential, the Access to safe drinking water is crucial for
cold side of the module is exposed to the the survival of Pakistan's population
ambient air, causing moisture in the air to exceeding 200 million and to meet the
condense on its surface. This condensation growing demands of agricultural activities in
process results in the formation of water water-scarce regions. Despite the presence of
droplets that can be collected and stored for the Arabian Sea, the southern coastline of
drinking purposes. To dissipate the heat Pakistan is predominantly utilized for
generated by the Peltier effect, a heat sink is agriculture. These regions, such as the
1495
Pure Appl. Biol., 12(3):1490-1500, September, 2023
http://dx.doi.org/10.19045/bspab.2023.120150
Makran coastline, experience high levels of 2-5 liters. This solution holds significant
humidity ranging from 70 to 80%. In order to potential for alleviating the water scarcity
address the challenge of ensuring safe issue in Pakistan, particularly in regions
drinking water using renewable resources, a characterized by high humidity [21]. The
Turbine-powered Air Water Generator (Fig. 4) shows the working and schematics of
(AWG) will be developed, harnessing the thermoelectric PE based AWG system and
energy from turbines and employing the some relevant studies on thermoelectric PE
Peltier method. This innovative approach is based AWG system mentioned in the (Table
projected to produce a daily water output of 2).
1496
Aurangzaib et al.
Some relevant studies on Integrated Hybrid Warka Water Tower based AWH and
IH, VCR & TEC solar still based techniques Integrated Hybrid Refrigeration IHR system
for Atmospheric Water Harvesting (AWH) have been done to analyze the suitability,
have been mentioned in (Table 3. While the performance, construction cost, cost of
(Table 4) shows the Comparison of Vapor energy and maintenance expenses of all these
Compression Refrigeration VCR system, Atmospheric Water Harvesting techniques
Peltier Effect Refrigeration PER system, AWH in different climatic regions.
Table 3. Integrated Hybrid IH, VCR & TEC solar still based techniques of Atmospheric
Water Harvesting (AWH)
Method of Max water
Ref. Key indicators for the IH refrigeration system
Refegiration production rate
Ambient temperature (35°C) and Relative humidity (95%)
Hybrid AWG Max water Energy consumption rate (0.7423 kWh litre-1)
[26] VCR based production The AWG average cost of water production rate (3.66 litre -1)
assisted 112.1 litre day-1 Average cost of water production is calculated using the levelized
cost of energy for a solar energy system with a 19-year lifespan
Testing month ( March & April)
Testing duration (8 hours day-1)
Hybrid AWG
(8-9.5) liter 8 Relative Humidity (53-62%)
[27] VCR based
hrs-1 Ambient temperature (18-26 °C)
assisted
Water production cost from the AWG (0.07 $ liter -1)
Cost of the energy (0.06$ kwh-1)
Hybrid AWG Model A, B, C water production rate (0.07, 0.20, 0.30 mL Wh -1)
[28] TEC solar still 0.30 ml hr-1 Ambient Temperature (25-45 °C)
based assisted RH (50-90 %)
AWH by tubular solar still Absorption method testing done under
Hybrid AWG the 5 different air velocities (natural, 0.5, 1, 3 and 4 m sec -1).
[29] using tubular 467 ml m-2 day-1 Max thermal efficiency up to 25%
solar still The max water production cost ($0.2 liter-1) at the (4 m sec-1) air
flow rate
1497
Pure Appl. Biol., 12(3):1490-1500, September, 2023
http://dx.doi.org/10.19045/bspab.2023.120150
1498
Aurangzaib et al.
1499
Pure Appl. Biol., 12(3):1490-1500, September, 2023
http://dx.doi.org/10.19045/bspab.2023.120150
19. Mishra S (2018). Warka water: extraction device under different climatic
Innovative water harvesting method from conditions. Sustain Ene Technol and
thin air. Asses 38: 100677.
20. Morimitsu H, Saito E & Katsura S 25. Qamar RA, Mushtaq A, Ullah A & Ali
(2011). An approach for heat flux sensor- ZU (2019). Turbine-Powered Air Water
less heat inflow estimation based on Generator. J of Adv Res in Fluid Mechan
distributed parameter system of Peltier and Ther Sci 64: 43-62.
device. In IECON 2011-37th Annual 26. Raveesh G, Goyal R & Tyagi SK (2021).
Conference of the IEEE Industrial Advances in atmospheric water
Electronics Society (pp. 4214-4219). generation technologies. Ene Conver and
21. Nitheesh K, Saravanan S & Ahamed AA Manag 239: 114226.
(2019). Atmospheric water generator 27. Shourideh AH, Ajram WB, Al Lami J,
with the concept of Peltier effect. Int J Haggag S & Mansouri A (2018). A
Eng Res Tech 7(11): 1-4. comprehensive study of an atmospheric
22. Organization WH (2019). Progress on water generator using Peltier effect.
household drinking water, sanitation and Therm Sci and Engin Prog 6: 14-26.
hygiene 2000-2017: special focus on 28. Shahrokhi F & Esmaeili A (2023).
inequalities. Optimizing relative humidity based on
23. Tripathi A, Tushar S, Pal S, Lodh S, the heat transfer terms of the
Tiwari S & Desai RS (2016). thermoelectric atmospheric water
Atmospheric water generator. Inter J of generator (AWG): Innovative design.
Enhan Res in Sci 5(4): 69-72. Alexan Engin J 67: 143-152.
24. Patel J, Patel K, Mudgal A, Panchal H & 29. Warka Water presentation by Warka
Sadasivuni KK (2020). Experimental Water Architecture and Vision team, Inc-
investigations of atmospheric water Issuu. (2016).
1500