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A solar-driven atmospheric water extractor for off-grid freshwater generation and irrigation

Author

Listed:
  • Kaijie Yang

    (King Abdullah University of Science and Technology
    King Abdullah University of Science and Technology
    King Abdullah University of Science and Technology)

  • Tingting Pan

    (King Abdullah University of Science and Technology)

  • Nadia Farhat

    (King Abdullah University of Science and Technology)

  • Alejandra Ibarra Felix

    (King Abdullah University of Science and Technology)

  • Rebekah E. Waller

    (King Abdullah University of Science and Technology)

  • Pei-Ying Hong

    (King Abdullah University of Science and Technology)

  • Johannes S. Vrouwenvelder

    (King Abdullah University of Science and Technology)

  • Qiaoqiang Gan

    (King Abdullah University of Science and Technology
    King Abdullah University of Science and Technology)

  • Yu Han

    (King Abdullah University of Science and Technology
    South China University of Technology
    South China University of Technology)

Abstract

Solar-driven atmospheric water extraction (SAWE) is a sustainable technology for decentralized freshwater supply. However, most SAWE systems produce water intermittently due to the cyclic nature, with adoption hindered by complex design requirements or periodic manual operations. Herein, a fully passive SAWE system that can continuously produce freshwater under sunlight is presented. By optimizing the three-dimensional architecture to facilitate spontaneous mass transport and efficient energy utilization, this system can consistently produce 0.65 L m−2 h−1 of freshwater under 1-sun illumination at 90% relative humidity (RH) and functions in arid environments with an RH as low as 40%. We test the practical performance of a scaled-up system in Thuwal, Saudi Arabia over 35 days across two seasons. The system produces 2.0–3.0 L m−2 per day of freshwater during the summer and 1.0–2.8 L m−2 per day of freshwater during the fall, without requiring additional maintenance. Intriguingly, we demonstrate the system’s potential for off-grid irrigation by successfully growing cabbage plants using atmospheric water. This passive SAWE system, harnessing solar energy to continuously extract moisture from air for drinking and irrigation, offers a promising solution to address the intertwined challenges of energy, water, and food supply, particularly for remote and water-scarce regions.

Suggested Citation

  • Kaijie Yang & Tingting Pan & Nadia Farhat & Alejandra Ibarra Felix & Rebekah E. Waller & Pei-Ying Hong & Johannes S. Vrouwenvelder & Qiaoqiang Gan & Yu Han, 2024. "A solar-driven atmospheric water extractor for off-grid freshwater generation and irrigation," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 15(1), pages 1-9, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:natcom:v:15:y:2024:i:1:d:10.1038_s41467-024-50715-0
    DOI: 10.1038/s41467-024-50715-0
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    References listed on IDEAS

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