Atmospheric Water Harvesting: An Experimental Study of Viability and the Influence of Surface Geometry, Orientation, and Drainage

<p>Fresh water collection techniques have gained significant attention due to global dwindling of fresh water resources and recent scares such as the 2011-2017 California drought. This project explores the economic viability of actively harvesting water from fog, and techniques to maximize water collection. Vapor compression and thermoelectric cooling based dehumidifier prototypes are tested in a series of experiments to assess water collection capability in foggy environments, and what parameters can increase that capability. This testing shows an approximate maximum collection rate of 1.25 L/kWh for the vapor compression prototype, and 0.32 L/kWh for the thermoelectric cooling prototype; compared to 315 L/kWh for desalination or 12 L/m²/day for passive meshes. Exploration of parameters on the thermoelectric cooling prototype show a potential increase in water collection rate of 29% with the addition of a Teflon coating to the collection surface, 15% by clearing the collection surface, and 89% by tilting certain collection surfaces by 60-75°. In combination, these parameters could push active atmospheric water harvesting into economic viability where significant infrastructure investment is not feasible.</p>

Name thesis:degree_name

MS in Mechanical Engineering

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Mechanical Engineering

Year dc:date.available

2019

Author dc:creator

• Hand, Carson T

Contributors dc:contributor

• Steffen Peuker

• thermoelectric cooling
• Peltier element
• dehumidification
• atmospheric water harvesting
• fog catching
• Heat Transfer, Combustion

Identifier

10.15368/theses.2019.64

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:digitalcommons.calpoly.edu:theses-3476