Design and Performance Evaluation of a Portable Solar-Powered Atmospheric Water Harvesting System Using Enhanced Condensation Techniques

Abstract

A major global problem is the scarcity of fresh water, especially in arid regions where traditional sources are being depleted and polluted at an increasing rate.. Renewable energy (AWH) technology has emerged as a promising solution to this crisis in a sustainable manner. This study examines the performance of a portable solar and battery-powered water recovery system with a compression cooling cycle. The system consists of a DC compressor, condensing network, intake fan and humidification chamber. A comprehensive pilot study was performed to evaluate the impact of variation in air intake velocities (tested at 0.65, 0.75 and 0.83 m/s) and to determine the impact of condensation enhancers, namely, a wire-mesh and an ultrasonic fog generator. Experimental results show that the base yield of the reference system without any improvements was 44 ml, while the application of the metal mesh and the fog generator alone increased the output to 60 ml and 101 ml, respectively. The combination of fog generator and metal grille gave a maximum yield of 140 ml for 5 hours operating time and the optimal value of air intake speed is 0.65 m/s (the best value for the tested speeds) which is a significant improvement of 218% compared to the base condition . Parametric assessment also indicated a better performance at night (139 ml) than during the day (120 ml) at this speed optimum. These results imply that the combined synergistic effect of fog generation with grid surfaces enhances the condensation efficiency significantly, thus offering compact and highly efficient designs for sustainable and climate-friendly freshwater production in Iraq, especially in Karbala