Water and Atmospheric Water Generation

Abstract

This work illustrates the success, importance, and barriers to achieving valuable results on the various ways to capture environmental water to alleviate the actual worldwide stress. Contemporary civilization demands innovative agricultural, civil, industrial, rural, and defense activities, which causes the depletion of most common natural resources, including freshwater. Atmospheric water generators (AWGs) could become a complemental resource to reduce freshwater stresses. The simplest AWGs do not require power; they collect fog and dew. Fog collectors operate in the specific locations where fogs are common; the ones made with newly developed materials have five times higher yields than the traditional ones. Dew collectors are two kinds: passive and active. Passive AWGs are simple tilde surfaces that work based on the variation of the day and night humidity and temperatures; they have one cycle with low yields compared to the fog collectors. Their output increases by using newly developed materials inspired by nature. Combining descants and hygroscopic materials with porous gel and thermal-sensitive polymers resulted in multi-cycle absorption-desorption experimental devices that transformed the field. Active AWGs have a complex structure and require mechanical and electrical force to operate. The AWGs efficiency depends on the materials used, the environmental humidity and temperature, and the condenser operating temperature.