Systems and methods for generating liquid water from air

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2017354920-A1
Application number	US-201515528366-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 20, 2015
Priority date	Nov 20, 2014
Publication date	Dec 14, 2017
Grant date	—

Abstract

This disclosure includes systems and methods for extracting water vapor from atmospheric air and, more particularly, but not by way of limitation, systems and methods for optimizing liquid water production from air, in some instances, taking into account diurnal variations. The systems comprise an adsorption zone an a desorption zone, an actuator to move a desiccant between the adsorption zone and the desorption zone. The liquid water production is optimized based, at least in part, on measurements of one or more of: an ambient air temperature, ambient air relative humidity, and a level of solar insolation.

First claim

1 . A system for generating liquid water from air, the system comprising:
a housing defining an adsorption zone and a desorption zone; a desiccant selectively movable between:
an adsorption zone in which the desiccant is in fluid communication with a process airflow path such that the desiccant can capture water from air in the process airflow path; and
a desorption zone in which the desiccant is in fluid communication with a regeneration fluid path such that the desiccant can release water to regeneration fluid in the regeneration fluid path;
an actuator configured to move the desiccant between the adsorption zone and the desorption zone; a first blower configured to adjust a flow rate of air through the process airflow path; a circulator configured to adjust a flow rate of regeneration fluid through the regeneration fluid path; a thermal unit comprising a casing in fluid communication with the regeneration fluid path and configured to provide thermal energy to regeneration fluid in the regeneration fluid path; a condenser configured to receive regeneration fluid from the desorption zone via the regeneration fluid path and to produce liquid water from the received regeneration fluid; and a controller configured to optimize liquid water production based, at least in part, on measurements of one or more of: an ambient air temperature, ambient air relative humidity, and a level of solar insolation.

2 . The system of claim 1 , where the controller is configured to optimize liquid water production at least by controlling a blower speed of the first blower and a speed of the circulator.

3 . A system for generating liquid water from air, the system comprising:
a housing defining an adsorption zone and a desorption zone; a desiccant continuously and selectively movable between:
an adsorption zone in which the desiccant is in fluid communication with a process airflow path such that the desiccant can capture water from air in the process airflow path; and
a desorption zone in which the desiccant is in fluid communication with a regeneration fluid path such that the desiccant can release water to regeneration fluid in the regeneration fluid path;
an actuator configured to move the desiccant between the adsorption zone and the desorption zone; a thermal unit comprising a casing in fluid communication with the regeneration fluid path and configured to provide thermal energy to regeneration fluid in the regeneration fluid path; a condenser configured to receive regeneration fluid from the desorption zone via the regeneration fluid path and to produce liquid water from the received regeneration fluid; and a controller configured to optimize liquid water production based, at least in part, on measurements of one or more of: an ambient air temperature, ambient air relative humidity, and a level of solar insolation.

4 . The system of claim 3 , where the controller is configured to optimize liquid water production at least by controlling movement of the desiccant between the adsorption zone and the desorption zone.

5 . A system for generating liquid water from air, the system comprising:
a housing defining an adsorption zone and a desorption zone; a desiccant selectively movable between:
an adsorption zone in which the desiccant is in fluid communication with a process airflow path such that the desiccant can capture water from air in the process airflow path; and
a desorption zone in which the desiccant is in fluid communication with a regeneration fluid path such that the desiccant can release water to regeneration fluid in the regeneration fluid path;
an actuator configured to move the desiccant between the adsorption zone and the desorption zone; a thermal unit comprising a casing in fluid communication with the regeneration fluid path and configured to provide thermal energy to regeneration fluid in the regeneration fluid path; a condenser configured to receive regeneration fluid from the desorption zone via the regeneration fluid path and to produce liquid water from the received regeneration fluid; and a controller configured to optimize liquid water production at least by controlling a rate of desiccant movement between the adsorption zone and the desorption zone based, at least in part, on an optimal rate of desiccant movement, contained in a look-up table, that corresponds to measurements of two or more of: an ambient air temperature, ambient air relative humidity, and a level of solar insolation.

6 . The system of claim 3 , comprising:
a first blower configured to adjust a flow rate of air through the process airflow path; and a circulator configured to adjust a flow rate of regeneration fluid through the regeneration fluid path.

7 . The system of claim 6 , where the controller is configured to optimize liquid water production at least by controlling a blower speed of the first blower and a speed of the circulator.

8 . The system of claim 1 , where the controller is configured to optimize liquid water production over a diurnal cycle based, at least in part, on diurnal variations in measurements of one or more of: an ambient air temperature, ambient air relative humidity, and a level of solar insolation.

9 . The system of claim 1 , where the housing is configured such that dimensions of the adsorption zone and the desorption zone are adjustable.

10 . The system of claim 1 , comprising a temperature sensor configured to capture data indicative of an ambient air temperature.

11 . The system of claim 1 , comprising a humidity sensor configured to capture data indicative of an ambient air relative humidity.

12 . The system of claim 1 , comprising a solar insolation sensor configured to capture data indicative of a level of solar insolation.

13 . The system of claim 12 , where the solar insolation sensor comprises a temperature sensor configured to capture data indicative of a temperature of regeneration fluid in the regeneration fluid path downstream of the thermal unit.

14 . The system of claim 1 , comprising:
a temperature sensor configured to capture data indicative of a temperature of air in the process airflow path; where the controller is configured to optimize liquid water production based, at least in part, on the data captured by the temperature sensor.

15 . The system of claim 1 , comprising:
a humidity sensor configured to capture data indicative of a relative humidity of air in the process airflow path; where the controller is configured to optimize liquid water production based, at least in part, on the data captured by the humidity sensor.

16 . The system of claim 1 , comprising:
a humidity sensor configured to capture data indicative of a relative humidity of regeneration fluid in the regeneration fluid path; where the controller is configured to optimize liquid water production based, at least in part, on the data captured by the humidity sensor.

17 . The system of claim 1 , comprising:
a flow sensor configured to capture data indicative of a flow rate of air through the process airflow path; where the controller is configured to optimize liquid water production based, at least in part, on the data captured by the flow sensor.

18 . The system of claim 1 , comprising:
a flow sensor configured to capture data indicative of a flow rate of regeneration fluid through the regeneration fluid path; where the controller is configured to optimize liquid water production based, at least in part, on the data captured by the flow sensor.

19 . The system of claim 1 ,

Assignees

• Univ Arizona State

Inventors

• Switzer Elise
• Friesen Cody
• Lorzel Heath

Classifications

• B01D53/0454 Primary

  Controlling adsorption (controlling temperature swing adsorption B01D53/0462, controlling pressure swing adsorption B01D53/047) · CPC title

• C02F2303/04

  Disinfection · CPC title

• B01D53/06

  with moving adsorbents, e.g. rotating beds {(B01D53/025 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• C02F1/68

  by addition of specified substances, e.g. trace elements, for ameliorating potable water (medicinal water A61K) · CPC title

• E03B3/28

  from humid air (condensing of vapours in general B01D5/00; dehumidification of air for air-conditioning F24F3/14) · CPC title